Petersburg Pilot -

Two athletes in the Vikings six-member track and field team that traveled to Anchorage last weekend to compete in the State competition came home with individual state titles, and the men's and women's teams each took fourth place overall.

Senior Ben Zarlengo earned the top spot in the discus. His 134 foot and 5 inch discus throw was eight feet farther than his closest competitor. He's also the first in PHS track history to earn a state title in that event.

Sophomore Izabelle Ith earned four state titles with first-place finishes in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump.

"She jumped a foot and a half farther than anybody in the long jump. She jumped two feet farther (in the triple jump)," said head coach Brad Taylor. "And she won the 100 hurdles by over a second."

Though Ith was the sole team member for the PHS women at state, she pulled off a fourth place overall finish for the team among about 30 competing teams.

In addition to those five state titles, the Vikings took second in three events: Zarlengo in the 100 meter hurdles, senior River Quitslund in the 800 meter race and the men's 4x400 relay.

"It was a great meet for us," Taylor said. "It's tough to do what you want to do up there because everybody rises to the occasion. Everybody wants gold."

Taylor said this year's team is one of the smaller teams in the program's history, but its runners, jumpers and throwers have excelled in competition. "We're super proud of this team...it's probably the most accomplished team we've ever had at a state meet," he said.

ASAA 1A/2A/3A State Championship Results

Dimond High School, Anchorage May 29-30

Men's Events

800 Meters

2nd River Quitslund 2:02.997

1600 Meters

6th River Quitslund 4:41.662

3200 Meters

7th River Quitslund 10:39.072

110 Meter Hurdles

2nd Ben Zarlengo 17.189

6th Casey Bell 18.162

300 Meter Hurdles

8th Ben Zarlengo 45.548

4x400 Relay

2nd Casey Bell, River Quitslund, Ben Zarlengo, Evan Marsh 3:40.020

Shot Put

3rd Evan Marsh 41'03.50

Discus

1st Ben Zarlengo 134-05

5th Evan Marsh 115-04

Triple Jump

Vicki McIntosh / Submitted Photo

PHS senior Ben Zarlengo throws the discus at the State Track and Field meet in Anchorage. Zarlengo was the 1A/2A/3A champion in the event. His 134 feet, 5 inch throw was eight feet farther than the next closest competitor.

8th Ethan Cummins 34-10.00

Women's Results

100 Meter Hurdles

1st Izabelle Ith 15.469

300 Meter Hurdles

1st Izabelle Ith 47.848

Long Jump

1st Izabelle Ith 17-00.50

Triple Jump

1st Izabelle Ith 36-01.50