Big PR lifts Ike senior on top of the state podium
TACOMA - Two of the top 800-meter runners in Washington all season long finally got their shot at one in another in Saturday's 4A final on the last day of competition at the 4A/3A/2A state championships at Mt. Tahoma High School.
Olympia's Katelyn Rigg was the favorite coming in with the state's best time of 2:13.16, and Mickelson was second behind her with a time of 2:13.55 - a time she hadn't hit since racing down at the Arcadia Invite.
Mickelson ran a smart, strategical race, leading to the best race of her life as she ran a three second personal best effort of 2:10.95 to claim her first state title of her high school career. Rigg was second in a personal best effort of 2:13.10.
Following her coaches plan to stay five meters behind Rigg on the first lap, Mickelson didn't make any movement until around 300 meters to go where she closed the gap on Rigg. Mickelson hung right with Rigg for another 100 meters before really making a move on the final 200 stretch and eventually taking the win.
"It's honestly been crazy," Mickelson said. "Freshman year I was here, so I got in with a 2:22 and got dead last. But now I am here, and it's just like this season has been crazy."
Mickelson, who will run for the University of Arizona next school year, also hopped into the 400 final to place second, running 57.42, concluding a solid double for the weekend.
Curtis' Ava Simms and Eliza White took home state titles of their own as they helped lead the Vikings to a state team title with a total 68 points, finishing ahead of South Kitsap's score of 68.
Simms won the 400 final in a personal best time of 57.10. White won the 3,200 final in a bounce back effort from her 1,600 loss on Thursday, running a personal best time of 10:29.66, besting Bellarmine's Ella Borsheim at the line (10:29.94).
Esther Akinlosotu of Federal Way held off Tahoma's Brooke Lyons in the 100 final, running a time of 11.96 to Lyons' 11.98. Lyons picked up a win the 200 final, running 24.90 to beat Redmond's Liv Wreggelsworth time of 25.42.
South Kitsap's Ella Hopper won a close battle in the 300 hurdles final over Lake Stevens' Chloe Pattison, clocking a time of 43.88. Pattison crossed the line in 44.12.
Bellevue's Buck Sweeps 100/200 in Dominating Fashion
Bellevue's Alex Buck has the been the best all season long when it comes to the short sprints, and the whole state witnessed her talents on display at the 3A championships when she put together two great performances in the 100 and 200.
The sophomore began in the 100 final on Saturday where she posted a time of 11.97 to win the first state title of the day beating Shorewood's Gilana Wollman (12.18). Buck then returned for the 200 final and ran a personal best effort of 24.49, winning by almost a second over Central Kitsap's Kymeal Gaulden (25.38).
"It was really exciting to be able to be at such an amazing venue and run in such a great atmosphere," Buck said. "I was really pleased with my performances, and it was so great to run with such great competition."
Meadowdale's Tresley Love held off the Garfield duo of Takiyah Blue and Lucy Richardson in the 400 final, picking up the state title win in 57.00. Blue ran 58.59 for second, followed by Richardson in third, running 58.68.
Kennewick's Macy Marquardt, a Boise State commit, ran a strong 3,200 in her final race in a Kennewick uniform, clocking a personal best time of 10:25.34, redeeming herself from Thursday's loss in the 1,600 to Bishop Blanchet's Lily LaPorte. LaPorte was second in the 3,200, running a personal best time of 10:31.76.
Auburn Riverside freshman Julia Couch put together a strong 800 in the final, clocking a personal best time of 2:13.81 en route to winning the state title. Stanwood's Leia Jones was second in a personal best time of 2:14.49.
Couch is the first freshman at the 3A level to win this event since Eastside Catholic's Kate Jendrezak won it back in 2017.
Hazen's Olivia Conklin, who will compete for Northern Arizona next school year, capped off her career with Hazen, clocking a personal best time of 43.52 in the final of the 300 hurdles to win her first state title over Bonney Lake's Brooke Mansfield (43.96).
Shelton's Carstens Breaks 2A 3,200 Meet Record
Just two days after winning the 1,600 final in her first sub-5 effort, Shelton's Alauna Carstens showed no signs of fatigue in the 3,200 final, setting a new 2A state meet record, running a time of 10:44.46 to claim her second state title.
"It feels unbelievable because this was my first time at state," Carstens said. "It just feels good to lay it all on the table and do my best."
Carstens battled it out again with Ellensburg Kate Laurent for another 3,200 race this season and the first since back in early May when the two raced each other at the Olympia 3,200 with Carstens coming out on top as well, running 10:47.76.
Along with Laurent and Carstens in the field were the defending 2A cross country state champion Jessica Frydnelund of Anacortes and cross-country runner-up Logan Hofstee of East Valley (Spokane), headlining a race that would shape up into a back-and-forth effort from all four runners.
"It was definitely a little intimidating going against all these amazing runners," Carstens said. "I know my coach had prepared me for where I am at now and I can hold my ground with these amazing people."
Carstens 10:44.46 effort led four girls under 11 minutes in this 2A final, as Laurent was second in a time of 10:46.23, followed by Hofstee (10:49.78), and Frydenlund (10:52.26).
Sequim's Riley Pyeatt pulled away from Washougal's Jamie Maas to win the 800 final in a personal best time of 2:14.23. Maas ran a close second in a personal best 2:15.01.
It took a personal best effort from Bellingham's Chayse Flick-Williams to win the 100 final as the sophomore ran 12.34 to beat Rogers' (Spokane) Ellabelle Taylor (12.41). Flick-Williams also won the long jump on Friday with a personal best jump of 18-07.
Henry Foss's Rhonda Newton edged out Sehome's Jayda Darroch time of 25.74 in the 200 final, winning in a time of 25.49. Darroch picked up a win in the 400 final in a time of 58.29 over Tumwater's Annabelle Clapp's time of 59.24.
Enumclaw's Ellie DeGroot completed the hurdle double as she won the 300 hurdle final by over second in a personal best effort of 44.69. Mark Morris' Emma Fisher was second to DeGroot in a personal best 46.85.
Bear Creek's Baker Lights up the Track, Wins Three State Titles
Braelyn Baker used her athleticism to carry her to three state titles on Saturday at the 1A state championships held at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.
The Bear Creek sophomore kicked things off in the 100, winning that final in a time 12.39 beating Medical Lake's Sophie Salinas-Sanders (12.59). The 300 hurdle final was next for Baker as she won that race by over a second in 45.20 as she beat Blaine's Eleeshiyah Faulkner's time of 46.69. Baker finished her busy day in the 200 final with a winning time of 25.18, defeating Columbia's (White Salmon) Hannah Polkinghorn (26.25).
La Center's Shaela Bradley led from start to finish in the 400 final, eventually winning by almost three second in a personal best time of 57.57. Montesano's Jaiden Morrison was second in 60.23.
Blaine's Faulkner won the 100 hurdle final, clocking a time of 16.09 to beat Colville's Jordyn True's time of 16.20.
Seton Catholic's Alexis Leone completed the distance triple crown, winning the 3,200 final in a personal best time of 10:45.57. Meridian's Kayla Aalpoel was second to Leone in a personal best time of 10:53.27.
Morton White-Pass's Jordan Koetje won three races in the 2B championships, winning the 100, 200, and 300 hurdles finals. Koetje ran personal best times of 12.60 in the 100, 26.16 in the 200, and 46.20 in the 300 hurdles.
Finishing in second in those races were St. George's Fair Niven in the 100 (12.83), Reardan's Ayden Krupke in the 200 (26.71), and Okanogan's Afton Wood in the 300 hurdles (46.46).
Stevenson's Olivia Fauth held off St. George's Niven in the 400 final, crossing the tape in 61.67. Niven ran a season best time of 61.98.
Raymond's Kyra Gardner ran a personal best effort of 15.92 to win the 100 hurdle final over Okanogan's Wood's personal best time of 16.79.
Asotin's Chloe Overberg won the 3,200 final by 20 seconds, running a time of 11:28.06. Liberty Bell's Leki Albright took second in 11:48.37.
Josie McLaughlin won her second state title of the meet in the 800 final by eight seconds, running a personal best 2:20.13. River View's Skyln Munson ran 2:28.52 for second place.
DeSales' Emmalya Jimenez won two state titles in the 1B championship, winning the 200 final in a personal best 26.36 and the 800 final in 2:25.02. Kennedy Cook of Garfield-Palouse took second in the 200, running 27.14, and Crosspoint's Brooke Berens was second in the 800 in a personal best 2:27.99.
Cook took home the 400 final title, clocking a time of 59.41 to beat Oakesdale's Marilla Hockett's time of 61.61.
Evergreen Lutheran's Natalie Schwartz ran 13.07 to win the 100 final over Mossyrock's Teaguen Weise, who ran 13.33.
Odessa's Hayden Schuh won the 100 hurdle final in a time of 17.12, beating Oakesdale's Olivia Booth's time of 17.66. Schuh then took second in the 300 hurdles, running 49.71 as Muckleshoot Tribal's Lillianna Ramirez won in a time of 48.44.
Pope John Paul II went first and second in the 3,200 final led by Clare Kondrat placing first in a personal best time of 12:16.63. Catelin King followed behind, running 12:30.69.