4A TRACK: Still the best — by far

Battle Ground’s Gabi Dixson claimed a second consecutive Class 4A state discus championship Friday in Tacoma, winning by 10½ feet. (Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian)

TACOMA — Gabi Dixson said she felt pressure in Friday’s final of the Class 4A girls discus, even though it didn’t look like it.

As her competitors took practice throws in search of that perfect throw that would seize the lead from Dixson, the Battle Ground senior sat calmly on the bench.

As it turned out, Dixson didn’t have anything to worry about. Her rivals could not find that perfect throw as Dixson outdistance the field by almost two feet — with her fourth-best mark of the day.

Her best effort of 135 feet, 4 inches was good enough to win by 10½ feet and give Dixson her second consecutive 4A discus state title.

"Oh, I felt pressure; I felt it the whole way," Dixson said. "I know these girls are good, and I would need to keep trying to get a better throw."

She did not improve on her best mark made on her second throw of the day. But that mark was never challenged. It was a big improvement over her winning mark of 130-3 last season.

"It matched my career best, so I’m happy," she said. "It feels great, and it makes up for what happened in the shot."

Earlier Friday, Dixson could not improve on her second-place showing at state in the shot put last season as she finished fifth in a hotly contested event with a mark of 39-11.

"I just need to get more consistent. That’s something I can work on in college," said Dixson, who said she is likely headed to Concordia next fall.

While Dixson kept her emotions in check, John Brenteson’s emotion were clearly on display.

The Mountain View senior celebrated with near disbelief as he personal best after personal best in the boys pole vault.

Entering the meet with a best of 14-6, Brenteson cleared 14-9, 15-0 and finally 15-3, coming within a whisker of claiming a state championship.

Brenteson cleared 15-3 on his second attempt. His chief rival, Keith Webber of Mead, cleared that height on his third attempt, putting Brenteson in the driver’s seat as the bar went to 15-6.

Brenteson missed on all three attempts at 15-6. Webber missed on his first two. A third miss would give Brenteson the title. However, Webber cleared 15-6 on his final attempt to take the title.

"Sooooooo close," Brenteson said of his second-place finish. "But I can’t really complain. I had been going 14-0 all season. Then I set the school record with 14-6 last week. I figured ‘hey, that’s a good season.’ But then to come here and go another nine inches, that just put it over the top."

For Heritage’s Steven Forgette, the decision to try the discus again after a one-year hiatus resulted in a second-place finish on Friday.

Forgette’s mark of 156-11 put him second behind Marlon Anderson of Snohomish, who won the event at 159-11.

Although his mark was more than six feet shy of his career best, Forgette also said he was in no position to complain.

"It’s second in state, so that’s great," he said. "Not bad for a football player."

Forgette was an all-league lineman for the Heritage football last fall and will take his talents to Eastern Washington in the fall.

In 4A other events Friday:

— Battle Ground’s Whitney Swenson placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.04 seconds. Coupled with Dixson’s points helped put Battle Ground in fifth place in the girls standings with 19 points after 11 events.

— Rachel McQuivey of Skyview qualified third for today’s final of the 300 hurdles; Lynelle Decker of Mountain View qualified eighth for final of the 800 meters; Skyview qualified seventh in the girls 400-meter relay.

— C.J. Hatchett of Evergreen qualified seventh in the boys 400.