Tri-Cities area athletes will be contenders for WA titles, medals in state track meets

Jeff Morrow
·4 min read

There are 12 state high school track and field championships going on around the state — the final week of spring sports involving the most participants for any sport.

So many, in fact, that the Mid-Columbia will send 132 individuals and 34 relay teams to the various meets.

Looking at the various heat sheets, it seems this region should have its fair share of potential state titles.

The 2A, 3A and 4A state meets will be at Mount Tahoma High School, while the 1A, 2B and 1B state meets are at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

All meets begin on Thursday and run through Saturday.

Here’s a look at the bigger-school meets. Tomorrow we’ll have information on the smaller-school meets.

Class 4A boys

There is only one out and out favorite — Richland’s Elijah Lynch in the pole vault. But there are plenty of contenders for a medal.

That includes Kamiakin seniors Isaac Teeples and Grayson Wilcott in both the 1600 and 3200 meters. Both of them will have some strong competition.

Other contenders include Richland’s Lex Luther (100) and Seth Shook (110 hurdles), and the Bombers’ 4x100 relay; Sunnyside’s 4x400 relay team; Chiawana’s Kade Smith (triple jump); and Hanford high jumper Ethan Henning.

Here are the other entries, which could be considered darkhorses:

CHIAWANA: Diego Avila (400), Ehzoc Chavez (800); Chiawana 4x100; Chiawana 4x400; Michael Mendoza (300 hurdles); Jayden Trevino (800); JP Zamora (javelin).

HANFORD: Elijah Cach (110 hurdles); Mason Dezember (100, 200); Easton Woods (100, 200).

KAMIAKIN: Aidan Canada (300 hurdles); EJ Hawkins (shot put); Teeples (800).

PASCO: Pasco 4x400.

RICHLAND: Keanan Humphreys (300 hurdles); Luther (200); Lance Robinson (javelin); Shook (long jump).

SUNNYSIDE: Rick Bishop (300 hurdles); Myles Newhouse (400); Kain Robledo (long jump).

Class 4A girls

The favorite in the discus is Hanford senior Katelynn Gelston, who will compete next year at Oregon State University.

But she’ll also be a podium contender in both the javelin and shot put.

There are other Mid-Columbia Conference contenders: Richland’s Hannah Chang (100 hurdles and the long jump) and Hailey Summers (400); the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams from Kamiakin and Richland; Pasco’s Taleya Maiden (javelin and shot put); and three pole vaulters in Hanford’s Landry Allen and Graison Oberman, and Richland’s Madison Castillo.

Here are the rest of the competitors:

CHIAWANA: Presly Smith (400).

HANFORD: Iliana Moran (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles); Ashley Parker (high jump).

KAMIAKIN: Devyn Chelin (javelin); Aubrey Herrin (triple jump); Emily Legard (200); Adelyn Mitchell (100, 200).

RICHLAND: Jocelyn Black (shot put); Alyssa Marsh (200); Kaylie Pearson (high jump); Jordan Perkins (discus); Richland 4x400; Natalie Ruzauskas (800, 1600).

SUNNYSIDE: Alaina Morgan (long jump).

3A boys

There are two guys to keep an eye on for this meet — Walla Walla’s Dash Sirmon and Hermiston’s Caden Hottman.

Sirmon is the favorite in both the javelin and long jump. He’s tossed the javelin 219 feet, 4 inches this season. That puts him among the best in the nation.

Sirmon’s long jump of 24-0.5 last week at the District 8 meet in Spokane is the best in the state. Sirmon should also be a contender in the discus.

Hottman is the leader in the discus with a toss of 167-9. The Bulldogs standout should also be a contender in the shot put.

Other 3A contenders should be Wa-HI’s Logan Ashbeck (javelin) and high jumper Dane Gardea; Southridge’s Albersh Kuwa (110 hurdles); Hermiston’s Ryker McDonald (shot put); Kennewick’s Boone Prock (high jump); and Walla Walla’s 4x100 relay team.

Here are the region’s other competitors:

HERMISTON: McDonald (100).

SOUTHRIDGE: Lucien Cone (100, 200).

WALLA WALLA: Brody Hartley (800, 1600, 3200); Jake Hisaw (300 hurdles), Diego Jaques (long jump), and Caleb Morehead (400).

3A girls

Southridge senior Jayden Smith (high jump) and Hermiston’s Bailey Young (shot put) look to be favorites in their events.

Meanwhile, there are some who should be contenders in other events: Walla Walla’s Crystal Kelly (javelin), Kennewick’s Macy Marquardt (3200), the 4x100 Southridge relay team, as well as all three of Walla Walla’s relay teams.

Here are the other MCC competitors:

HERMISTON: Jaquelin Garcia Sandoval (800), Cydney Sanchez (1600), Young (discus, javelin).

KENNEWICK: Chelsea Baker (400), Marquardt (1600).

SOUTHRIDGE: Kylie Gideon (100 hurdles), Diana Kuwa (100 hurdles), Smith (long jump, triple jump), Lorelei Sorenson (pole vault).

WALLA WALLA: Talia Billingsley (300 hurdles), Jennifer Huntsman (100 hurdles, long jump); Carly Martin (400).

2A boys

Two Prosser athletes — Brennan Carey (javelin) and Nehemiah Medrano (triple jump), could be contenders in their events.

Here are the other area athletes competing:

GRANDVIEW: Levi Dorsett (high jump), Noe Medina (400).

PROSSER: Kolbe Phillips (300 hurdles).

2A girls

Prosser senior Halle Wright should be the favorite in the high jump, entering the event after clearing 5-2.

Prosser’s Kambree Blair (triple jump) and Othello’s Ashley Perez (discus) should be contenders in their events, while Othello’s Madisen Douglas could be a dark horse in the 400.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.