“An article in last week’s Seattle Times evaluated Bainbridge’s entry into the Metro League next fall:If any Bainbridge kid wins a sprint championship in track this spring, take a picture. It could be years before it happens again.This dose of dis was a tough pill for Spartan senior track co-captain Luke Preble to swallow.If I had been in Metro, I would have made it to state in at least one event every year since I was a freshman, based on district qualifying times, Preble says. I have been surprised at how easy it is to get to state in Metro compared to the West Central District, which we are in now.That relative difficulty has kept Preble out of Star Track (the 4A and 3A Washington high school track and field championships) for three years, as he’s watched sprinters with lesser marks than his from Metro and several other districts entering in his stead. So he’s worked harder than ever this past year to make sure that that doesn’t happen again. He exudes a quiet confidence that come May 25, he’ll be in the starting blocks at Tacoma’s Lincoln Bowl.That appearance would cap a track career that came about somewhat by accident. As a seventh grader, he joined the track team because some of my friends were doing it and they talked me into it.In practice, he was somewhat of an also-ran until the first meet, in which he simply outran everyone and set a school record of 12.35.Maybe it was just the competition, he says.In the eighth grade, he won the 60 and 100 in the league meet and placed second in the 400 despite having run the distance just once before. His 100 time dipped to 11.96, and he turned a 56.6 4×400 relay leg.He began making his mark as a Spartan freshman, running 11.51, 23.63 and a 53.5 relay leg.As a sophomore, his times improved to 11.02, 22.56, and 51.6, and he just missed a trip to State when he was third in district in the 200.He began his junior year playing football, which he’d also done as a freshman, blocking a last-second field goal to preserve a Spartan win.But I decided I wasn’t big enough (he’s 5-11 and weighs less than 150 pounds) to play in our league, he says.So he decided to concentrate on running.In the spring, he again came close to qualifying for state, finishing third in the 400 to athletes who went on to place second and sixth at Star Track. His 50.7 was faster than seven qualifiers from other districts, including several from Metro.To prevent another near-miss this season, he’s combined his natural sprinter’s speed with demanding hill and over-distance road workouts.Last year, all my workouts were on the track, he says. Getting off the track has helped me out quite a bit.All the work has paid off in some impressive early season times: 11.06, 22.88 and a 50.9 relay leg split.Preble’s goals this year are as articulate and well thought out as his 3.63 grade point average:I want to be the district’s number-one seed at state for the 400, and I think I can make it in the 200 as well. In addition, he thinks that the 4×400 relay – which also includes sophomores Michael Wauters, Tim Freeman and Christian Lucier – has an excellent shot at state.His aspirations, though, extend beyond merely showing up in Tacoma: He hopes to place in the top four or five in the 400 and make the finals in both the 200 and relay. And at some point, to see his name written in the Spartan record book for all three events (currently 22.2, 49.88 and 3:29).After opening the season with an easy win against Klahowya and Sequim, Preble and his teammates have their first home meet tomorrow as they host Port Townsend and Olympic. Preble faces a major test in the 400 against Port Townsend’s Kolby Riley, who defeated him last year.But barring injuries, Preble figures to be packing late next month for Star Track. He’ll be sure to include jersey, shorts, warmups, shoes and track spikes.And a camera. “