Quenton Lanese (Olympia, WA) has been lighting up the track in recent weeks. The freshman held a 8:58.76 3200m from Arcadia earlier this season and dropped his 1600m down to 4:09.65 at the South Sound Classic earlier this May.
At his SPSL 4A League Championships he impressed with a 4:10.34 1600m and a big PR in the 3200m of 8:49.97. At last weeks 3A/4A District 3/4 Championships he'd set personal best in both events running 4:07.16 for the 1600m and 8:44.30 for the 3200m. Amin Fidaar (Puyallup) would take the 1600m win in 4:07.07 with Cohn Butler (Camas) winning the 3200m in 8:44.30, both boys are seniors.
On Thursday, he'd have a rematch with Fidaar, Butler and teammate Caden Durocher (Olympia) in the 1600m from Mount Tahoma Stadium for the WIAA 4A State Championships.
Despite being a freshman in his first track state championships, Lanese showed not fear and ran like he'd been there before going to the front from the gun. Butler would make a move past him to the lead down the homestretch and take over through 400m going out in 1:01.29 with Lanese and Fidaar in tow. Over the second lap, Isaac Benjamin (South Kitsap) would make his move pushing to the front just before 800m to lead through the halfway mark in 2:03.81. Fidaar, Lanese and Butler would each be on his heels.
Benjamin's move was to pick up the pace and stretched things out in the front of the field. Fidaar stayed on his shoulder, but put a slight gap on Lanese and Butler. But by 1200m it was basically four wide with Butler trying to surge from fourth to first at the bell. Fidaar knew it was time to hold the lead and battled with Butler to hold him off as the two pulled away from Lanese and Benjamin.
Fidaar finally pulled away from Butler, but this race was not over and Lanese had another gear passing Butler for second and closing on Fidaar down the homestretch with the title on the line! Fidaar looked over his shoulders many times as his lead was shrinking with each step, but as both boys leaned at the line it was Fidaar holding on to win in 4:04.57 to Lanese's 4:04.59.
The freshman would close with 1:00.86 and 59.55 final 400s coming up just short in his state title pursuits.
Lanese will be back on the track this Saturday for the 3200m in what should be an exciting battle between he, Cohen Butler and Isaac Benjamin. The race is scheduled to go off at 3:40 PM PST and you can watch the action live on MileSplit.
Lanese also will headline next Sunday's Brooks PR Freshman Mile National Championships as the best freshman in the national travel to his home state for the Brooks PR Invitational that can be watched for free on MileSplit and FloTrack!
Quenton Lanese (Olympia, WA) has been lighting up the track in recent weeks. The freshman held a 8:58.76 3200m from Arcadia earlier this season and dropped his 1600m down to 4:09.65 at the South Sound Classic earlier this May.
At his SPSL 4A League Championships he impressed with a 4:10.34 1600m and a big PR in the 3200m of 8:49.97. At last weeks 3A/4A District 3/4 Championships he'd set personal best in both events running 4:07.16 for the 1600m and 8:44.30 for the 3200m. Amin Fidaar (Puyallup) would take the 1600m win in 4:07.07 with Cohn Butler (Camas) winning the 3200m in 8:44.30, both boys are seniors.