State 1A/2B/1B girls track and field: Colfax’s Scout Cai defends pole vault title

Scout Cai did a little pole shopping this week.

The purchase paid off for the Colfax junior, who repeated as State 2B girls pole vault champion Friday at Eastern Washington University’s Roos Field.

Cai soared a personal-best 11 feet, 6 inches, one-half foot higher than her winning mark in 2014.

Cai used her newest pole, a heavier and stiffer variety.

“I have five poles now and I have to get more,” Cai said.

Cai attempted a state-record 11-10.

“I almost had it on the third try, but I think I might need a little bit more experience because I’ve never gone up that high before,” she said.

Lind-Ritzville senior Heidi Hennings placed third at 10-0. Cai’s freshman sister, Piper, took fifth at 8-9.

In another final, Liberty senior Alyssa Rhoads placed second in the triple jump at 36- 1/2. Rhoads entered as the state leader at 36-4.

The meet, which began Thursday, wraps up today. Lind-Ritzville leads the team race with 20 points. Defending state champion Colfax is fourth with 14.

1B

Valley Christian junior Hannah Fields reached a personal-best 5-1 in winning the high jump. Fields, who didn’t attempt the event as a sophomore, had never topped 4-10, even in practice.

“I wanted to jump 5 foot,” Fields said. “I told myself, ‘5 foot is my goal,’ and it just happened.”

Christian Faith freshman Ciera Zimmerman bowed out after hitting 4-11. Defending champion Lindsay Brown of Bickleton tied for fifth.

Fields passed on a chance to reach 5-2.

“I got really tired,” Fields said. “My legs kind of just died, so I was like, ‘I’m good. This is pretty good.’ ”

Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore Berlyn Hunt had a similar feeling after placing second in the long jump. Hunt, on her final attempt, uncorked a personal-best 16-8 1/4 after entering the meet with a mark nearly 2 feet less.

“After I landed in the pit and looked back, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m kind of in the sand that hasn’t been raked in a while. It must have been good,’ ” Hunt said. “I went back expecting a high 15, so I was really shocked.”

Hunt, who placed fifth at state last year at 14-10, appeared to have won the event, but Crosspoint Academy senior Des Doty aced her out by one-fourth inch.

“After (Doty) jumped it, it was kind of a shock, but I’m content with second and PR-ing by quite a bit,” said Hunt, who will also compete in the 100, triple jump and javelin.

Hunt’s good friend, Odessa-Harrington junior Lanessa Simon, placed third at 15-9. Simon entered the meet as the state leader at 15-9 3/4.

Mt. Vernon Christian leads the team race with 22 points. Republic (17.5) is third and Valley Christian is sixth because of Fields’ 10 points.

1A

Chewelah’s Kaitlyn Krouse, the defending state champion in the discus, placed third in the shot put at 37-7 1/2. The Cougars senior placed sixth in the shot put last year.

Krouse will attempt to defend her discus title this afternoon.

Naches Valley leads the team race with 18 points. Deer Park is tied for seventh with 10.