Michael Chinchar

As the 2008 Outdoor Season is about to begin, here is something for this years crop of athletes to hang on the bathroom mirror. Following are Washington High School athletes who ranked in the top 20 nationally (by performance) in 2007: 19 Washington High School athletes acheived national rankings for the 2007 Track and Field Season.

Two local athletes won their respective events Saturday at the 40th Arcadia Invitational track-and-field meet in Southern California.

Washington Harriers continue to take what is theirs. After outstanding showings from Ferris and Gig Harbor at NTN meet in Portland, The Washington Boys blazed a decisive second Place, with 49 points behind California\'s 31. Placing Jake Riley of Sehome second and Max O\'Donoghue-McDonald of Prep 6th.These two outstanding athletes are promised a trip to San Diego next weekend. Washington Boys had an impressive 8 runners in the top 20. This race started out as anybody\'s show and ended that way. Jake Riley, Max O\'Donoghue-McDonald,Joey Byewater,Tylor Thatcher,Dak Reik, Matt Frerker,Micheal Chinchar and Ryan Prentice topped off the WA list.

By George Edgar Special to The Seattle Times LAKEWOOD

Little matter whether he is the chaser or the chasee. Just give him a race, and the Kentwood High School senior thrives. \"It\'s the thrill of the race,\" he said. \"I don\'t really enjoy practice and all of the running by myself, but I love to race. It\'s awesome.\" And Chinchar can be amazing in close races. \"The better the competition, the better I run,\" he said. Chinchar enjoyed some epic cross-country races with Joe Churchill of Auburn Riverside last season, including one where he dove at the finish line and still had to settle for second. At state, he used a late surge to shoot into second place behind Jeff Helmer of Jackson. At the Class 4A state track-and-field championships last spring, he finished second behind Churchill in the 1,600 meters and took third in the 3,200, where Lake Stevens sophomore Joey Bywater was the upset winner.