Coming into this spring’s track and field season, first-year coach Joel MacDougall knew he had the fixings for a powerful team at Auburn Mountainview.

“Last year we had a really small team,” MacDougall said. “And we had two crucial injuries, Erika Lombardo’s hip and Lexi Morton’s knee.”

But with the school’s two fastest athletes back and healthy and more than 30 girls turning out, MacDougall knew he had the crucial ingredients for success. He had depth and talent.

“From the first day, we could see this team would be quick,” he said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate. We just needed to see what we had for depth.”

His first impressions definitely played out for the Lions, with the school’s 400-meter relay team scorching a path through the South Puget Sound League 3A and other Washington schools.

Last Saturday the foursome – sophomores Lombardo and Whitney Echols, senior Morton and freshman Abi Alfrey – posted a blistering school-record time of 49.67 seconds in preliminaries, the second fastest 3A time in the state, at the South Puget Sound League/Western Cascade Conference sub-district meet in Sumner. In the finals, the Lions captured the sub-district title with a time of 49.95.

“We’re peaking at the right time, and a lot of that has to do with our depth,” MacDougall said.

The Lions have used eight different runners in the sprint relay. In addition to Alfrey, Echols, Lombardo and Morton, MacDougall also has turned to senior Kylie Olenick and junior Alayna Wagers.

The team’s success does not stop at the 400 team, however. Individually, Morton has been on fire.

Last season, Morton was forced to skip the track and field season because of a knee injury suffered during the volleyball season. She also missed out on gymnastics her junior year after taking home second in the state 3A all-around as a sophomore in 2008. The injury came at the worst possible time for the aspiring collegiate athlete because most colleges recruit during a high school athlete’s junior year, which Morton spent on the sidelines.

Morton, who came into the spring track season without a college offer, was driven to succeed. She decided to showcase her skills as a potential heptathlete.

Although high school track in the state does not offer the heptathlon – a seven-event competition that includes the 100 hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 dash, long jump, javelin and 800 – most colleges do.

“She wanted to do it and just really got into it,” MacDougall said of Morton’s decision.

To show that she was ready for the next level, Morton added the 100-meter hurdles this year and even notched a respectable throw of 29-8 1/2 feet in the shot put earlier this season.

“It was scary that first day,” Morton said. “But after the first hurdle, it was OK. Pardon the pun.”

It’s been better than OK for Morton. Last week at the sub-districts, Morton set personal records in four events, including the 400 relay. She posted firsts in the long jump (18-2) and 100 hurdles (14.57) and a second in the 100 (12.39).

And it’s not just Morton who is having a big year. Lombardo also is making the most of her return from injury.

At the sub-districts, the sophomore posted personal bests with a third-place 12.53 in the 100 and third-place 25.52 in the 200.

Lombardo also anchored the Lions’ third-place 800-meter relay team at sub-districts, posting a 1:47.92 time along with teammates Echols, Maya Wagers and Alayna Wagers.

Mountainview’s 1,600-meter relay team, with Echols, Rachelle Orpillia, Maya Wagers and Silvia Wagner, also qualified for the West Central District meet with a fourth-place 4:16.18 finish.

Natasha Davis qualified for district in the high jump with a third-place leap of five feet, and Aalia Braboy tied for fourth (4-10).

In the long jump, Olenick was fifth with a 15-3 1/2 and Alfrey grabbed the final spot into districts with a sixth-place 15-1.

Maya Wagers also qualified with a sixth-place 48.66 time in the 300 hurdles.

“It’s like a perfect storm. It’s all fitting together right now,” MacDougall said of his team.

The West Central District tourney will get under way today at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

ALSO: Three Mountainview boys qualified for the district meet. Josh Melu finished fifth in the long jump with a leap of 20 5 1/4. Nick Lipinski was sixth in the 3,200 with a 10:02.79 and Shane Ferrell was sixth in the 110 hurdles with a time of 16.67.