Sumner freshman runner finds the state gold | Track and Field

Freshman Alyssa Murray decided to give track a try after the soccer season. Good news for Sumner High because she smoked the competition for the gold in the 1,600-meter race at the 2A state track and field meet.

Freshman Alyssa Murray decided to give track a try after the soccer season. Good news for Sumner High because she smoked the competition for the gold in the 1,600-meter race at the 2A state track and field meet.

Murray won the 1,600 in 5 minutes, 2.76 seconds, which gave the team 10 points and 19th place in the state.

The excited and tired Murray said after the race she thought from the beginning she could win the race.

“I started to get behind,” Murray said. “But I knew I had this kick so I went for it.”

She moved outside in the stretch and cruised past the leaders for the win.

Murray said she started running in physical education class.

A boy in the class was beating her and she decided that would not continue.

“I went out and beat him and I got a really fast time,” Murray said. “So they got me to come out for track.”

Murray said she has become friends with many of the track and field team members and plans to continue running.

Also competing in state for the girls team was sophomores Kimi Nakayama and Michaela Trulson in the pole vault.

Nakayama cleared 9 feet, 6 inches for 10th in the first flight. Trulson reached 9-0 for 16th in the first flight.

Madison Henken threw the discus 80 feet, 4 inches taking 16th in the first flight.

On the boys side senior Tuure Heikkila reached 20-8.25 in the long jump earning one point for the boys team.

Junior Jeremy Jackson cleared 13.0 in the pole vault.