Lake Stevens boys conquer
Michael Cane
May 21, 2006
Elizabeth Armstrong / The Herald
Lake Stevens\' Joey Bywater (center) shakes hands with Everett\'s Jake Helmer after upsetting Helmer in the 3,200-meter run Friday. Bywater ran the ran in 9:08.71 while Helmer, who was favored, finished second with a time of 9:12.44. Both advance to state.
By Mike Cane
Herald Writer
STANWOOD - With about 250 meters to go, Lake Stevens\' Joey Bywater took a chance.
Nice move.
Two days after sticking close to Everett High star Jeff Helmer but eventually placing second in the 1,600-meter race, Bywater broke through by passing Helmer in the final lap en route to a breakthrough victory in the 3,200. The Vikings\' sophomore overtook Helmer, the 2005 Class 4A state champ in the 3,200, and won in a meet-record time of 9 minutes, 8.71 seconds. It was one of many highlights for Lake Stevens during the final, drizzly day of the 4A District 1 boys track and field championships at Stanwood High.
Lake Stevens scored 151 points to win the team championship, its first district title since 2000. Everett (122) was second and Cascade (74) was third.
Bywater appeared to be smiling as he cruised toward the finish, though he said it\'s an involuntary reaction that sometimes happens near the end of races. He was clearly happy, though.
\"I still don\'t believe that I was able to do it. ... I knew I was going to PR, but I couldn\'t have expected anything better than that.\"
Bywater didn\'t just set a personal record - he annihilated his previous best of 9:27.86 and bested Helmer\'s meet record time of 9:14.89, set a year ago.
\"I just told myself I could do it,\" Bywater said of defeating Helmer, an Arizona State University recruit who won the 4A cross country crown this past fall.
\"I\'m sure it was everything to him,\" said Helmer, who finished in 9:12.44. \"I\'ve felt the pressure all year long, almost as if I\'ve had a target on my back.\"
Sometimes you need a wakeup call, said Helmer, adding that he hopes to peak for several national meets this summer.
\"I can only go faster from here,\" Helmer said.
Mariner junior Dak Riek of Mariner was third in the 3,200 (9:25.72). The top three boys in each individual event and the top three relay teams qualify for state.