Whidbey graduates continue athletic careers in college / Alumni update

A handful of Coupeville and Oak Harbor High School graduates continued their athletic careers by competing for college teams this winter season.

Indoor Track

Oak Harbor’s Dejon Devroe placed seventh for Mississippi State University in the 800 meters (1:51.56) at the Southeastern Conference championships Feb. 29 at College Station, Texas.

During the regular season, he claimed first in the 1,000 (2:26.24) at the Blazer Invitational Jan. 11 in Birmingham, Ala., and in the 800 (1:49.29) at the Power 5 Invitational Jan. 31 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Both times are season-bests for the Bulldogs.

He also helped MSU record a season-best time in the 4×400 (3:12.01) at the Power 5 Invitational.

During his indoor and outdoor career, the senior earned two first-team and two second-team All-American honors, and he is a member of the school record 4×800 relay team (7:14.16).

Coupeville’s Danny Conlisk began his collegiate track career this winter at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (Rapid City).

He helped the Hardrockers take first in the 4×400 relay (3:29.31) Dec. 12 at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D. In the same meet, the freshman ran second in the 400 (52.4). He also placed second in the 400 (52.27) Feb. 22 at the Stinger Open in Spearfish.

Julie Jansen from Oak Harbor competed for Northwest College (Orange, Iowa) during this past indoor track season.

The junior’s best finish was fifth in the shot put (34-00.25) at the Buena Vista Early Bird Invitational Dec. 7 at Storm Lake Iowa.

Her top mark came at the South Dakota State University Invitational Jan. 24 when she recorded a 34-02, good for 20th.

Rifle

Elena Flake, a sophomore on the University of Nebraska rifle team, earned second-team, all-Great American Rifle Conference honors this season in combined guns and air rifle.

The Oak Harbor grad posted the Cornhuskers’ best air-rifle score (592) at the conference tournament Feb. 29.

Flake recorded her best small-bore score (590) against Murray State Feb. 22 and her best air-rifle score (597) against West Virginia Oct. 12. Both are team bests for the season.

Her top aggregate mark (1,182; 589 small bore, 593 air rifle), also a team best, came against TCU Nov. 16.

Flake earned team-best aggregate scores in 12 of the 16 matches.

Nebraska (8-8) competes in the NCAA championships March 13 and 14 in Lexington, Ky.

Oak Harbor’s Mara Rouse, a senior on the University of Texas El Paso rifle team, shot her second-best aggregate score of the season (1,157) at the NCAA qualifier Feb. 20.

She posted her best score and a career-high aggregate (1,163) against Ohio State Nov. 9. In that match, she also shot a career high in small bore (579).

Rouse finished her career with an aggregate average of 1,141 (565, small bore; 576, air rifle).

She fired a 1,154, the second-best on the team, in the Miners’ (0-8, 1-13) win over Jackson State Feb. 2.

Wrestling

Sam Zook, a sophomore wrestler at Central College (Pella, Iowa), posted an 18-8 record in the 285-class this season.

Twelve of his 18 wins came by falls.

The Oak Harbor grad and former Washington high school champion won four of five matches at the Millikin Open at Decatur, Ill., Nov. 9 and at the Loras Open at Dubuque, Iowa, Feb. 1.

In the Last Chance Invitational hosted by Central Feb. 15, Zook finished second with a 3-1 record.

Oak Harbor’s Michael Fisken redshirted at Oregon State University this season.

Basketball

Coupeville’s Makana Stone, a senior on the Whitman College women’s basketball team, was recently named the Northwest Conference’s Player of the Year.

She helped Whitman (13-1) win the regular-season title and finish second in the league tournament.

The Blues (22-3) face Wheaton in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament today (Friday, March 6) at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa; results were not available at press time.

Heading into the game, Stone had 409 points, 26 steals, 26 blocks, 34 assists and 225 rebounds.

Her scoring and rebounding totals are team bests.

Stone scored in double figures in all but four games this year, with a high of 30 at the University of Puget Sound Feb. 1. She recorded 12 double-doubles, with a season-high 13 rebounds in the Puget Sound game and again against Pacific Feb. 15.