All-Region Boys Track and Field: Mason Scheidel

What if he had jumped a split second sooner, or later?

What if another runner hadn’t pushed him in the back, providing an extra boost with 20 meters to go?

What if he hadn’t run that extra sprint workout or the monotonous mileage after basketball practice?

These “what ifs” filled Mason Scheidel’s head a few days after he provided the most memorable moment of the 2016 state track and field championships in Tacoma.

At the end of the Class 4A 800 meters, the Skyview senior dove head-first at the finish line. That lunge won him the race by the smallest of margins — one hundredth of a second.

“Everything had to go perfect for it to happen,” Scheidel said. “To win by that small of a margin, it had to be perfect time, perfect moment, perfect everything.”

It was the perfect ending to a high school sports career that also saw Scheidel run cross country and play basketball.

In Scheidel’s busy senior sports season, track held a special place.

He knew his last high school competition would be a track race. He wanted it to be special.

“People would ask me ‘what are your goals?’ he said. “I’d say ‘I’m going to be the state champ.’ The more I said it, the more it started to become a part of me.”

As the season went on, Scheidel’s 800-meter times started improving. At the Greater St. Helens League district meet, his time of 1 minute, 53.31 seconds was the fourth-fastest among 4A athletes statewide.

Scheidel was among four runners to go between 1:54 and 1:53 in the preliminary heats at the state meet. He knew it was going to be a close race.

Just how close, he never imagined. Scheidel lurked just behind the leaders for the first lap, using them as a windshield into a strong headwind on the homestretch.

Over the final 50 meters, Scheidel and three other leading runners jostled for position. With 25 meters to go, he squeezed between two of them, which led one to push Scheidel in the back.

As the finish line approached, Scheidel was just off the left shoulder of Lake Stevens runner Noah Wallace.

Scheidel dove at the finish line. He landed on his back, leaving him with large red “track burns” on his shoulders.

The photo finish showed Scheidel’s shoulder crossed the line one inch ahead of Wallace’s chest. Scheidel was the state champion.

“You envision it so many times,” Scheidel said. “Then you get to it and it actually happens. It was just unreal.”

Later this month, Scheidel will leave for a two-year church mission in Chile.

He knows that won’t be easy. But in addition to his faith, he’ll draw on the perseverance learned during tough track workouts.

“I’ll be able to tell people that if you have a dream or a goal, it’s not impossible to achieve that goal,” he said.

The rest of the All-Region team

Joshua Bischoff, Sr., Washougal

Placed second at 2A state meet in discus for second straight year. Also finished fourth in state in shot put.

Trevor Bushman, Jr., Union

One of six boys in 4A to clear 14 feet, 7 inches in pole vault. Placed sixth in state. Won district and bi-district titles.

Jilven Refil, Sr., Union

State 4A champion in 100 and 200 meters. Won district and bi-district titles. Time of 10.69 seconds set 100 meter school record.

Adam Ryan, Sr., Camas

Placed fourth in 400 meters and fifth in 800 at 4A state meet. District champ in both. Only boy to run top-10 statewide times in both events.

Michael Schmidt, Sr. Prairie

Fourth place at 3A state meet in 110 hurdles. Reached state in 300 hurdles and pole vault. Also second at district meet in long jump.

Curtis Stradley, Jr., Battle Ground

Fourth at 4A state meet in javelin. District and bi-district champion with personal bests in each of those meets. Best throw of 183 feet, 7 inches.

Ethan Tonder, Jr. Mountain View

Placed seventh at 4A state meet in shot put. District champion with a mark of 55 feet, 11 inches, which broke 9-year-old school record.