Gardner makes program history as Raymond claims second state trophy

Also: Led by Idso brothers, Ocosta boys edge Raymond for fourth place in state

By Ryan Sparks • May 29, 2022 6:30 pm
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAYMOND ATHLETICS The Raymond girls track and field team pose with their third-place trophy at the conclusion of the WIAA 2B State Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAYMOND ATHLETICS The Raymond girls track and field team pose with their third-place trophy at the conclusion of the WIAA 2B State Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

Led by a groundbreaking performance from Kyra Gardner, the Raymond Seagulls girls track and field team placed third overall to win the program’s first state trophy in more than 30 years at the 2B State Track & Field Championships on Saturday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

The Seagulls finished with 58 points to place third overall, claiming the program’s second state trophy and first since 1990.

As she has been throughout the prep year in multiple sports, Gardner was once again outstanding, becoming the first Seagull athlete to win four state titles in a single state-championship meet.

Gardner started on Thursday, where the senior leapt 36 feet, 4.5 inches on her first attempt to win the 2B triple jump state title by nearly two feet.

On Saturday, Gardner brought her A-game. The senior standout, who will attend Washington State University in the fall on a basketball scholarship, won the 100-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 15.92. She followed that up winning the state high jump crown with a mark of 5-06, repeating as state champion after winning the event as a freshman in 2019 (the previous two state championship meets were not held due to COVID). Gardner completed her history-making day with a state championship in the long jump, leaping a personal best 17-03.5 on her final attempt and final time competing in a Raymond uniform.

“Kyra Gardner was at her Kyra best,” Raymond head coach and athletic director Mike Tully Said. “She’s been a joy to coach and watch over the years and it was a great way for her to close out this chapter of her career.”

Raymond freshman Karsyn Freeman picked up three state medals, placing third in the pole vault (9-00), fourth in the discus (121-10) and fifth in the 100 hurdles (17.99).

Lisa Finne (pole vault, 8-06, 7th) and Jolie Dunn (100 hurdles, 18.25, 8th) also won state medals for the Seagulls girls team.

In the boys competition, Ocosta edged Raymond for the fourth and final team state trophy led by state-championship performances from twin brothers William and Matthew Idso.

Ocosta totalled 42 points to place fourth, a half-point better than Raymond (41.5), which placed just outside of the top four spots and a state trophy.

The Wildcats were led by seniors William and Matthew Idso.

William Idso won the 100 with a time of 11.50, took second in the 200 (23.02) and placed sixth in the high jump (5-10).

Matthew Idso won the 400 state title (51.17), placed fifth in the 100 (11.56) and eighth in the 800 (2:10.95).

Ocosta’s Dylan Todd placed seventh in the 3200 (10:38.32), ninth in the 1600 (4:48.78) and joined the Idso brothers and Michael Reynolds on the Ocosta 4×400 relay team that placed third with a time of 3:36.01.

Raymond’s points came from senior Tre’ Seydel and junior Morgan Anderson.

Anderson (15.88) and Seydel (16.33) placed second and third, respectively, in the boys 110 hurdles as the duo placed in the top three in multiple events.

Seydel took third in the 300 hurdles (42.05) and second in the high jump (6-01) while Anderson placed second in the triple jump (41.02.75) and third in the pole vault (12-00).

Full meet results can be found on athletic.net.

Other state placers at the 2B State Championship Track & Field meet are as follows:

Boys

North Beach — Westin Fruh (300 hurdles, 43.14, 4th), Asher Baggaley (1600, 5:10.19, 12th); Josh Bighead (triple jump, 41-02.50, 3rd).

South Bend — Judah Milton (300 hurdles, 43.17, 5th); Robby Stigall (discus, 142-00, 6th).

Girls

North Beach — Malia Cox (200, 27.52, 7th; long jump, 15-11.25, 6th); Skyler Langston (3200, 13:35.54, 9th); Kaci Osborne-Hansen (triple jump, 32-01.25, 7th); 4×100 relay (Osborne-Hansen, Abigail Conn, Isabella Faris, Cox), 53.52, 7th. 4×400 relay (Conn, Osborne-Hansen, Cox, Faris), 4:27.96, 3rd.

Ocosta — Mataya Straka (discus, 123-09, 3rd).

South Bend — Dayna Estle (discus, 79-10, 14th); Hannah Jewell (javelin, 107-01, 5th); Brooklynne Johnson (shot put, 30-08.50, 13th).

Straka adds state discus title to trophy case

Hoquiam’s Tyara Straka led the way for Harbor athletes, winning two state titles at the 1A State Track & Field Championships at Eastern Washington University in Cheney over the weekend.

Straka repeated as girls shot put champion with a throw of 42-08.50 on Thursday added more state-title hardware with a victory in the discus. The Oklahoma-bound senior had a personal-best 148-02 discus throw to win the event by nearly 23 feet to claim the third state title of her prep career.

Led by a second-place finish from senior Jaiden Morrison and the 4×200 relay team, the Montesano girls track and field team placed ninth overall at the state meet.

Morrison ran a personal-best 1:00.23 in the 400 to place second and anchored the girls 4×200 relay team, joining Alayna Olson, Lilly Causey and Sierra Birdsall to finish with a time of 1:48.06 to take second in the state.

The Bulldogs also got a podium placement from junior Ashlyn Devereaux, who threw the javelin 106-06 to place third.

Devereaux (32-03) and Olson (32-0.75) placed 12th and 13th, respectively, in the triple jump while Hannah Bruland took 13th in the discus (98-03).

Montesano’s girls 4×100 relay team of Birdsall, Causey, Dekotah Parks and Morrison placed fourth with a time of 52.56.

Hoquiam sophomore Jane Roloff placed 11th in the 3200 (12:10.77) and teammate Katrina Jones took 11th in the pole vault (7-06).

Elma’s Meara Baxter places 14th in the girls high jump (4-08).

In the boys competition, Hoquiam’s Gio Foster placed second in the 200, posting a PR time of 22.39 to miss a state title by 0.01, and took fourth in the 100 (11.24).

Elma’s Elijah Flores (triple jump, 40-04.25, 7th; long jump, 20-00.75, 9th), Montesano’s Aric Jacklin (3200, 10:25.04 PR, 12th; 1600, 4:45.68 PR, 14th) and Gabe Bodwell (javelin, 133-09, 15th) also placed at the state meet.

For full meet results, visit athletic.net.

Willapa Valley’s McGough wins two state titles

Willapa Valley junior Lauryn McGough had an outstanding weekend at the 1B State Track and Field Championships this past weekend in Cheney.

After winning the pole vault title with a 1B meet-record 10-06 earlier in the week, McGough took home the javelin title with a personal-best throw of 127-09.

Other local placers at the 1B meet are as follows:

Boys

Pe Ell — Carter Phelps (110 hurdles, 16.62, 2nd; 300 hurdles, 43.16 PR, 3rd); Owen Little (shot put, 36-08 PR, 12th; javelin, 109-10, 16th); Wyatt Marrs (shot put, 34-09, 15th);

North River — Jesse Doll (long jump, 18-01 PR, 9th); Cesar Mena (long jump, 16-11, 13th).

Willapa Valley — Connor Deniston (shot put, 34-09.75, 14th); Chris Western (discus, 115-01 PR, 9th; pole vault, 13-00, 2nd).

Girls

Pe Ell — Charlie Carper (100, 13.36, 3rd; 200, 27.39, 5th; 100 hurdles, 17.71, 3rd; long jump, 15-01.5, 9th).

North River — Eliza Gumaelius (discus, 73-04, 12th).

Willapa Valley — Emily Wilson (400, 1:03.38, 5th; javelin, 88-03, 10th); Hannah Hamilton (shot put, 32-08.75, 5th; pole vault, 8-09, 2nd), Lanissa Amacher (shot put, 32-05.75, 7th; discus, 85-01, 9th); Lauryn McGough (javelin, 127-09 PR, 1st; pole vault, 10-06, 1st); 4×200 relay (Brooklyn Patrick, Brooklyn Strozyk, Hamilton, Wilson), 1:57.46, 8th.