Lake Washington Invitational | Greene lights up 200 meters

KIRKLAND — Bianca Greene of Garfield took home three first-place medals from Saturday's 32nd running of the Lake Washington Invitational — the kind of experience she would love to relive about a month from now in Pasco at state.

Greene posted the state's fastest 200 meters this season (24.65 seconds) on Saturday, then was part of Garfield's winning 400 and 800 relays, boosting the Bulldogs to a sixth-place team finish in the sprawling meet at Lake Washington High School that an official estimated involved more than 80 teams.

Defending 4A state champion Gig Harbor piled up 70 points to cruise to the team title. Skyline, benefiting from two second-place finishes by sophomore sprinter Shealee O'Donnell, placed second with 45 points. West Valley of Spokane (44.5), Ferris (44) and Issaquah (34) rounded out the top five.

With her 24.65, Greene beat O'Donnell (25.6) by almost a full second in one of the day's most convincing performances. She came within a fraction of matching the meet record of 24.4, set in 1982 and equaled in 1989.

"I almost got the record, and I was disappointed with that," said Greene, a senior who has accepted a scholarship to run at Washington next year and has already moved on to a new goal. "I want to break 24 in the 200 — at state," Greene said. "I am so hungry to win this year. So hungry."

Greene won the 200 state crown as a sophomore in 2006, edging then-freshman Ariana Jones of Franklin 25.31 to 25.41. She placed second last year, running 24.83 to a 24.6 by Chanel James of Wilson.

"I want to regain that title," she said. "I just need to worry about myself, not anybody else. If I just focus on me, I should be able to perform."

Greene may face a rematch with Jones in the 200 at Pasco. Jones, now a junior, won Saturday's 100 in 12.13, edging Skyline's O'Donnell (12.15) and Johanna Carr of Issaquah (12.24).

Jones, recovering from a torn knee ligament that sidelined her last season, was pleased with her performance.

"My drive phase was good today," said Jones, who owns the state's best 100 time (12.06) this season. "I came out of the blocks powerfully."

She's happy with her knee's response to serious competition. "The knee is doing better," she said. "I actually didn't know I was going to come out and be this strong. I'm proud of myself."

Her goals? "Just to get to state," she said. "And if I do make it to state, to win in the 100 and the 200. There's a lot of work to do, but I'll be all right."

Lindsay Finch of Inglemoor won the 400 in 57.92, nipping Gig Harbor's Brittany Schroeder (57.96) and Michelle Fero of Holy Names (58.01) in one of the day's closest finishes.

Junior Andrea Geubelle of Curtis was a two-event winner, setting a 2008 state best with a triple jump of 39 feet, 3 inches, topping her own mark by 1 ½ inches. She also won the long jump (18-9). Defending state long-jump champ Bree LeRoy of Gig Harbor fouled on all her attempts.

Becca Friday, a junior from Bellingham, was another two-event winner, taking first in the 800 (2:13.49) and 1,500 (4:34.64).