Top Washington high school boys track and field marks in 2022: Arlington's Emerson chasing 3A state championships
Aiden Emerson left a memorable impression on Arlington High School track coach Judd Hunter as a middle schooler attending the program’s summer camps.
He was struck by Emerson’s competitive edge, coupled with a rare natural talent for distance running.
“We just watched him and knew he could be something special,” Hunter said.
His intuition was well-founded. Emerson, now a senior, is the Washington state high school leader in the 800 (1:52.33) and 1,600 (4:06.55) meter races.
He won the 1,600 at the Arcadia Invitational in California on April 9, one of the top annual events on the west coast, and hit his 800 mark two weeks later at the Viking Classic at Lake Stevens High School — both personal bests.
Last weekend, he won the the 1,500 at the Jesuit Twilight Relays in Beaverton, Ore. with a another personal best 3:49.14, finishing less than five tenths of a second ahead of Kamiakin’s Isaac Steeples, the top distance runner in Class 4A this season.
Emerson is right where he wants to be — on top of state leaderboards — but, like many athletes his age, his high school career has hardly been typical.
His sophomore season was cancelled altogether and his junior season was shortened and there hasn’t been a WIAA state track championship since 2019, his freshman season.
That’s put a premium on the final stretch of the 2022 outdoor season. Emerson, who according to Hunter has narrowed his college track pick down to Washington and Washington State, has his mind set on finishing his high school career standing tall on a podium in Tacoma on May 28.
The goal?
“To win state championships,” Hunter said.
That's state championships — plural.
If it was up to Emerson, he’d be competing for the rare 800-1,600-3,200 triple crown. Hunter recognized just how hard competing in all three is at the state meet, but hasn’t made a final decision either way.
“It’s not that it’s not fair to him,” Hunter said, “it’s incredibly hard to do. It’s It’s been attempted before.
“We’re holding our cards close.”
His teammate, fellow senior Brandon Moore, set the top 3,200 mark in Class 3A on Friday with a 8:58.17 at the Jesuit Twilight Relays. Both will lead the state contending Eagles’ efforts to win a team title.
The rest of the state will be chasing Emerson over the next several weeks leading up to the state track meet at Mount Tahoma High School.
“He and Brandon (Moore) have been robbed of their cross country and track seasons and it’s all coming down to one opportunity here,” Hunter said. “Now they have the opportunity to do it, and I think they’re very hungry.”
More Washington high school track coverage
Here are the top five marks for each WIAA event as of Wednesday, May 4:
TOP 2022 WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD MARKS
*marks set in the last week
100 METERS
10.63: Carter Birade, Sehome, sr.
10.67: Jacob Andrews, Sehome, jr.
10.73: Lyricc Lopez, Foster, sr.
10.74: Noah Barbery, Lewis and Clark, sr.
10.74: Will Floyd, Seattle Prep, jr.
200 METERS
21.38: Will Floyd, Seattle Prep, jr.*
21.51: Lyricc Lopez, Foster, sr.*
21.58: Noah Barbery, Lewis and Clark, sr.
21.87: Jacob Andrews, Sehome, jr.
21.89: Carter Birade, Sehome, sr.*
400 METERS
46.65: Lyricc Lopez, Foster, sr.*
47.22: Will Floyd, Seattle Prep, jr.*
47.37: Jacob Andrews, Sehome, jr.*
48.65: Trayce Hanks, Lake Stevens, sr.
48.68: Grant Buckmiller, Lake Stevens, jr.
800 METERS
1:52.33: Aiden Emerson, Arlington, sr.
1:53.79: Isaac Teeples, Kamiakin, sr.
1:54.35: Brando Moore, Arlington, sr.
1:54.81: Sam Jacobsen, Newport (Bellevue), sr.
1:54.82: Cooper Quigley, Selah, sr.
1,600 METERS
4:06.55: Aiden Emerson, Arlington, sr.
4:09.93: Isaac Teeples, Kamiakin, sr.
4:11.13: Sam Jacobsen, Newport (Bellevue), sr.*
4:11.80: Vincent Recupero, Bishop Blanchet, fr.*
4:11.88: Zach Munson, Sehome, jr.*
3,200 METERS
8:51.09: Ethan Coleman, Olympia, sr.
8:53.12: Zack Munson, Sehome, jr.
8:55.97: Isaac Teeples, Kamiakin, sr.
8:25.26: Grayson Wilcott, Kamiakin, sr.*
8:26.24: Brandon Moore, Arlington, sr.*
110 METER HURDLES
13.84: Andre Korbmacher, Squalicum, jr.
14.05: Jaylen McCabe, Silas, sr.
14.08: Carter Birade, Sehome, sr.
14.53: Asher Ogden, Emerald Ridge, sr.
14.69: Amado Toyo, Shorecrest, sr.
300 METER HURDLES
36.95: Lyricc Lopez, Foster, sr.
38.70: Amado Toyo, Shorecrest, sr.*
38.70: Amado Toyo, Shorecrest, sr.*
39.24: Jaylen McCabe, Silas, sr.
39.33: Parker Duskin, Arlington, sr.
4x100 RELAY
42.11: Spanaway Lake*
42.16: Silas*
42.16: Squalicum
42.55: Curtis*
42.92: Federal Way*
4x400 RELAY
3:23.06: Lake Stevens
3:24.99: Sehome
3:25.22: Squalicum
3:25.35: Arlington
3:28.63: Olympia*
SHOT PUT
57-3: Brayden Platt, Yelm, soph.*
56-0: Caden Hottman, Hermiston, sr.
55-8: Jeremiah Nubbe, Rainier, sr.*
54-10 1/2: Luka Vincic, Bothell, sr.*
54-2 3/4: Donaven Humphries, Tahoma, sr.*
DISCUS
207-4: Jeremiah Nubbe, Rainier, sr.*
185-8: Caden Hottman, Hermiston, sr.
164-4: Mason Moore, Wenatchee, sr.
162-8: Dash Sirmon, Walla Walla, sr.*
162-4: Donaven Humphries, Tahoma, sr.
JAVELIN
219-4: Dash Sirmon, Walla Walla, sr.*
195-6: Mark Schlichting, Ferndale, sr.
193-8: Andrew Nelson, Ferndale, sr.
192-1: Brayden Platt, Yelm, soph.
184-7: Cody Wheeler, Hockinson, sr.
HIGH JUMP
6-9: AJ Acoy McGlofin, Central Valley, sr.
6-6: Jackson Cluff, West Valley (Yakima), sr.
6-6: Aiden McCrystyle, Central Valley, fr.
6-5 1/4: Porter Wilhite, Lynden, jr.
6-5: Jamie Townsend Jr., sr.*
LONG JUMP
22-10: Carson Riner, Connell, sr.*
22-8: John Twedt, Bellingham, sr.*
22-7: Jackson Cluff, West Valley (Yakima), sr.
22-6: Jaylon Jenkins, Federal Way, jr.
TRIPLE JUMP
45-4: Jaylon Jenkins, Federal Way, jr.*
44-11 1/2: John Twedt, Bellingham, sr.*
44-10: Carson Riner, Connell, sr.*
44-10: Kael Probst, Gig Harbor, sr.
44-9 1/2: Emilio Vela, Wapato, sr.
POLE VAULT
14-7 Denny Fisher, Eastside Catholic, sr.*
14-6: Lakotah Henderson, Mead, sr.
14-6: Colton Slaybaugh, Pomeroy, sr.*
14-3: Alec Rust, Edmonds-Woodway, sr.*
14-0: Andrew Steinhart, North Central, sr.
(All marks courtesy of Athletic.net)
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Lead photo by Adam Bumgardner, Arlington athletics
