The Bears boys and girls track teams have got something good going on.

With an undefeated league season so far, they are entering into the league meet with victories against Kent-Meridian boys and Kentwood girls teams, both of them last year’s state champions. Last week, the Bears boys and girls defeated the Conks 98-47 and 82-68

“We just ran well again,” said Gary Conner, Bears head coach said . “They (Kentwood) put up a good fight.”

Girls coach Jeff Brady said the meet results are a good indication of where the team is in terms of their capabilities.

“With the girls we knew it would be tough,” Brady said. “They’re (Kentwood) a great team. A lot of our girls really stepped it up.”

For Bears seniors, it’s a big change from their freshman year, when the teams were struggling simply to be competitive at dual meets.

“Three years ago I wasn’t sure that would (ever) happen,” thrower Aaron Davis said. “I’ve never remembered us beating them (Kentwood) or getting close.”

Outside of invitationals, Davis has been undefeated in both the 100 meters and the shot put, with a best time and throw of 11.53 seconds and 50 feet, 11.5 inches. Davis broke his personal record for shot put at the Kentwood meet.

“I’ve been improving on a lot of things,” he said. “That (Kentwood) was my best meet.”

Senior long distance runner Tyler Ward, who has also been on the team for four years, said their success has been due to overall improvements in every aspect.

“This year it all came together,” he said. “We used to not score points in sprinting. Everything improved. Our throwers got better.”

The improvement with the boys throwers could be attributed to the arrival of a new throwing coach, Korion Morris, a 2006 Renton High graduate who attended University of Arizona on a track scholarship.

“We’ve got a lot of good kids,” he said. “I’ve been able to help them out with things I’ve learned.”

Another area Davis felt particularly impressed by was the 400-meters relay team, which he has been a member of since his freshman year.

“We’ve been doing so much better,” he said. “More than any other team I’ve been on.”

Filling in gaps has also contributed to the girls success against teams like Kentwood, said junior sprinter and hurdler Paige Hammock.

“Everyone just did great,” she said. “They stepped up and helped get us a win. I think every part (of the team) brings a couple of strong girls.”

Whether these victories will translate into similar success at league, district and state is uncertain, said Conner. In spite of their league record, he and Brady both stated the team has had to contend with a lack of personal record setting, some of it due to bad weather conditions, which has consequently affected the athletes’ individual standing in the league.

“We haven’t really had a chance to run for a PR this season,” Conner said.

Some of that, according to junior sprinter and hurdler Paige Hammock, is the result of hand timers as opposed to automatic timers, which she feels are more accurate.

The other issue, Conner said, is the variations between a dual meet, where Tahoma has benefited from large numbers, and league meets, where much of that advantage over other teams will diminish. The point system is also different. With dual meets, first place takes five points, second three points and third place one point. In many events, Tahoma has been able to overwhelm other teams through higher numbers, meaning even if an opposing school takes first, they can still managed to place second and third. From the league meet up to state, however, a separate scoring system is used. Additionally, only athletes who qualify for league will be able to compete at the meet, reducing Tahoma’s numbers.

“In a dual meet you can take first because we just have depth,” Conner said. “It’s not the case in league.”

At the same time, the Bears are confident they have a shot at the league title.

“I think we’re strong not only because we have depth, but because we have a lot of kids who are going to get into that state meet,” Brady said. “It’s just getting them to the next level. It’s going to be a matter of good coaching, getting those kids to peak at the end of the year.”