The South Whidbey High School boys track team put in an impressive performance at the Birger Solberg Invitational track meet Saturday, April 7, in Bellingham.

The Falcon boys finished fourth in the 32-team meet and first among 1A schools. The next highest finish by a 1A team was Mount Baker in 12th.

The South Whidbey girls tied 15th, second among 1A schools.

3A Shorewood took the boys title with 82.5 points, followed by 2A Bellingham (71), 4A Jackson (67) and South Whidbey (51).

3A Ballard won the girls crown with 65 points. The Falcons scored 23 points, one less than Northwest, the top 1A school.

Four South Whidbey athletes also took part in the Holder Relays at Yakima’s Zaepfel Stadium a week earlier, March 31.

Solberg Invitational

Michael Cepowski was the lone Falcon winner in Bellingham, taking the 2K steeplechase in 6:48.43, a new school record.

Other strong finishes for the boys included a second in the 4×100 relay (Carlhenri Chapman, Matthew Simmons, Issiah Gonzales, John Bartel; 44.57); thirds in the 4×400 (Chapman, Kristopher Dixon, Callahan Yale, Simmons; 3:41.29) and by Dixon (110 hurdles, 16.7); and fourths by Simmons (400, 52.85), Gonzales (high jump, 5-08) and Romey Rohde (pole vault, 12).

For the Falcon girls, Sophia Nielsen claimed a second (long jump, 15-11.5); Kaia Swegler Richmond a third (2K steeplechase, 7:57.32); and Lila McCleary a fourth (300 hurdles, 50.79).

Holder Relays

Swegler Richmond was second in both the 3,200 (11:50.8) and 2K steeplechase (7:53.09). She was the only freshman to compete in the varsity division of the 3,200.

Swegler Richmond is the first Falcon girl to compete in the steeplechase, therefore, setting a school record in the event.

Grace Huffman finished seventh in the frosh 1,600 (6:26.15).

Cepowski took ninth in the steeplechase (7:04.03) and 16th in the 1,600 (4:49.11); and Yale was 13th in the 1,600 (4:46.32).