Shoreline, WA - Noah Phillips and Garrett McSheffrey from Northwest Christian of Lacey led the Navigators to three wins this past Saturday, April 13, at the 34th Annual King's Invite at King's High School.
A small school program known for having great distance runners, Phillips and McSheffrey put on a show in the first race of the day in the boy's 1,600 meter.
McSheffrey took the lead out the first lap in 65 seconds with Phillips trailing not far behind coming through in 66 seconds.
On lap two, the pace slowed down to a 69 second lap coming through the first 800 in 2:14-2:15.
But it was lap three that would be the difference maker of the race as both Phillips and McSheffrey would run a negative-split coming through at 65 seconds dropping the competition from them.
Phillips was told by his coach before the race to push the third lap, but not necessarily kick it into full throttle since they did have another lap to go.
"I thought we would naturally slow it down," said Phillips. "But our coach said, 'No, I want you to negative split it.' So, it was a big move and he said that's how you run fast miles."
With 450 meters, Phillips made a move past McSheffrey, but the lead was taken back by McSheffrey with under 300 meters to go.
It would come down to the final 200 meters and a loud Navigator tent that pulled both of them through all the way to the finish line as this was going to be a photo finish.
"Our team tent was right at the 200 and the rockwall where a couple guys were sitting, and I could hear everybody cheering for us just saying, 'go guys go, this is where is matters'," said Phillips.
"With 180 to go, I made a big move. I really wanted to get around him, but it was good. It was hard, but when I made the move, it was the right time to make it."
Phillips crossed the finish line as the 1,600 champion in a personal best time of 4:25.99, and McSheffrey finished second, also running a personal best time of 4:26.81.
At the end of the day, it was a total team effort between the two since they both pushed each other to run their best times ever.
Pope John Paull II's brother duo Kobe and Caden Deutscher finished third and fourth in the 1,600 running 4:34.24 and 4:39.96. Caden's time is a new personal best.
Phillips would come back to the track in a few short hours and win the boy's 3,200 meter running 10:08.3.
Phillips teammate Cameron Nielson placed second running 10:11.16 and Caden Deutscher was third running 10:16.81, another personal best time.
In the 800, McSheffrey led from the start but outkicked Kobe Deutscher as the Northwest Christian junior ran 2:00.35 to complete a successful double.
This is the third time this season McSheffrey has run 2:00 in the 800 and is a second off his personal best mark of 1:59.52.
"After running a PR in the 1,600, I was really happy with how I did, "said McSheffrey. "(Kobe) had a good race too as he was right behind me."
Kobe Deutscher would run a personal best time of 2:01.91 dropping his previous best time by four seconds.
McSheffrey and Kobe came through their first lap in 58-59 seconds as the rain began to come down, and would close in 62-63 seconds.
"It was pretty wet during the race," said McSheffrey. "The weather could have been better but I had no excuses for sure."
King's Anthony Hart was third in the 800 as he ran a season best time of 2:06.97.
The host of the invite was able to get a winner in the boy's Frosh/Soph 1,600 as Nick LeBar won the race in a time of 4:55.7 for the Knights.
For many freshman and sophomore athletes, not a lot of them get the opportunity to win a race as this time of their careers, and LeBar took a chance was able to win by four seconds.
"I don't get a lot of chances to get a high placement as a freshman," said LeBar. "It was really good to get up there and get my name out there."
On lap two, LeBar looked to be having too much fun when he made a big smile at his coach Rod Wilcox after hearing him cheer his name.
With that being said, LeBar was confident enough he had this race under his belt.
The King's freshman also ran in the 3,200 meter where he ran a personal best time of 10:21.04 to finish in fourth.
Pope John Paul's Mattox Marsh ran a personal best 4:59.24 to finish in second place, and Northwest Christian's Kyle Hoffert was third and also ran a personal best time of 5:01.43.
For more results from this invite, visit: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/MeetResults.aspx?Meet=351619&show=all
For more photos from this invite, visit: https://www.facebook.com/pg/therunnerwa/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1277243855759521
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