State track preview: Mead boys to try for 4A trophy after winning 3A championship last year
4A, 3A, 2A
When: Thursday-Saturday
Where: Mount Tahoma HS, Tacoma
Defending team champs: 4A – Eastlake (boys), Emerald Ridge (girls); 3A – Mead (boys), Walla Walla (girls); 2A – Anacortes (boys), East Valley/Spokane (girls).
Noteworthy: Mead’s boys won in 3A last year and could contend for a trophy in 4A. The Mt. Spokane girls will challenge for a title in 3A. The Mt. Spokane boys, second last year, should contend for a trophy.
Area defending champs: Boys – 4A: Nikko Alexander, Gonzaga Prep, 400 meters; Colin Sheehan, Romin Saleki, Elijah Nelson, Lewis and Clark, 4x100 relay; Jaeland Leman, Eamon Gamon, Matthew McShane, Mead, 4x100 relay; Simon Rosselli, Mead, discus. 3A: Tyler Bissell, Joseph Demers, Aaron Wright, Central Valley, 4x400 relay. 2A: none. Girls – 4A: none. 3A: Addy MacArthur, University, shot put and discus; Josie Anselmo, Shadle Park, pole vault. 2A: Veronica Garcia, East Valley, 400; Hayden Andersen, Weather Salinas-Taylor, A’Niya Shaw, Ashlynn Deaton, EV, 4x100.
1A, 2B, 1B
When: Thursday-Saturday
Where: Zaepfel Stadium, Yakima
Defending team champs: 1A – Cedar Park Christian (boys), King’s (girls). 2B – St. George’s (boys), St. George’s (girls). 1B – Valley Christian (boys), Garfield-Palouse (girls).
Noteworthy: Freeman, which moved to 2B this year, will challenge the St. George’s boys and girls for state titles. Valley Christian’s boys are favored to repeat. St. George’s junior Regan Thomas, the State 2B champ in cross country last fall, suffered a foot injury and missed the district meet. But she received an injury waiver into state.
Area defending champs: Boys – 1A: none. 2B: Braydon Bayless, StG, 200; Shawn Jones, StG, 400 and 800; Bayless, Jones, Elliot Hill, StG, 4x100 relay; Hill, Jones, Per Sande, StG, 4x400; Trenton Sandborn, Freeman, high jump; Colby Shamblin, Northwest Christian, javelin. 1B: Westin Madden, VC, 800, 1,600 and 3,200; Madden, Connor Simonds, Wesley Hendrickson, Jack Siderius, VC, 4x400; Joseph Steinbach, VC, shot put. Girls – 1A: none. 2B: Glenna Soliday, Davenport, 200, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Josie McLaughlin, StG, 800 and 1,600; Regan Thomas, StG, 3,200; McLaughlin, Edie Wolff, Kaylee Clark, Savvy Briceno, StG, 4x200; Wolff, Thomas, McLaughlin, Sarah Harbaugh, SG, 4x400; Clark, StG, triple jump. 1B: Kyra Brantner, Gar-Pal, 100; Choloe Waddell, St. John-Endicott-Lacrosse, shot; Emery Molina, SEL, pole vault.