Joe Lang & Maggie Delay shine at state track & field

ROYAL CITY — Royal High School finished seventh at the 1A boys state track meet at Eastern Washington University on Memorial weekend, and graduating senior Joe Lang produced all 28 points.

Lang took the long jump and triple jump titles and finished second in the 110-meter high hurdles. He likely would have scored high in the high jump or 300 hurdles if he’d taken on a fourth event. Both winning marks, 6-2 and 39.20 respectively, were within his capabilities.

Royal sent two boys and six girls to state. Wahluke sent one girl, Jessica Arellano. She finished 17th in the 3200 with a time of 12:49.25.

Maggie Delay led the Royal girls to 19 points and 13th place. Delay won one event and placed in two others.

Lang took second place in the 110 hurdles, clocking 15.26. He outran nemesis Brian Golding of Goldendale, but was edged by Marcus McGuinn of Meridian.

Lang’s title in the long jump was accomplished with a 21-9.25 leap. He took the triple jump with an effort of 45-8.75.

Lang graduated last weekend, but Royal should have a hurdles presence at state next year. Junior Arturo Villa finished ninth in the 110-meter version. He’ll be a favorite to make state in that event next year, as well as the 300-meter event.

The Royal girls did not do as expected. Sophomore sprinter Noelia Juarez was off her best efforts in the 200 and 400. She clocked 1:03.33 to finish 14th in the 400 preliminaries and miss the finals.

There was even more struggle in the 200. Juarez clocked 27.61 to finish 16th.

Gracelynn Miller, who finished second to Juarez in the 400 at district, clocked a personal best 1:00.86 to finish 9th in the preliminaries.

Also stumbling at state was the girls 1600-relay. They were expected to notch a top-8 finish but came in 11th with a clocking of 4:19.62.

Maggie Delay was expected to deliver in three events, and she did. She won the high hurdles with a clocking of 15.72. She was fourth in the pole vault at 10-3 and fifth in the triple jump at 34-9.