4A TRACK: Mountain View's Rice wins high jump title

Mountain View’s Christine Rice successfully clears the bar for a state high jump title at the Class 4A state track and field championships. (Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian)

TACOMA — It was Christine Rice's turn Saturday at the 4A track and field state championship at Mount Tahoma High School.

Jacob Wilson's turn last year would have to do.

Rice matched her own state best this season in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 10 inches, to become the first Clark County female to win the 4A high jump since Skyview's Jasmine Kelly won back-to-back titles in 2005-06.

"People kept saying this was my turn," said Rice, a senior at Mountain View. "I'm glad it was my turn."

In order to get her turn atop the podium, Rice would need to go higher than Kelly had in her two state-title wins.

After taking two attempts to clear 5-8, Rice needed to clear 5-10 to keep her state-title hopes alive. Rice missed on her first two attempts, but slipped over the bar on her third attempt.

When Kent-Meridian's Melanie Vertrees missed her third try at that height, the state title belonged to Rice.

"I really tried not to think about it," Rice said about needing to make her last attempt to win state. "There are so many other things that you need to think about in the long jump, I just wanted to clear my mind and just power it up."

Heritage's Jacob Wilson was looking to repeat as 4A boys javelin champion.

But an up-and-down season ended with an uneven performance at state.

Hampered by a dislocated pinky toe and tricky breezes at Mount Tahoma High, Wilson's drive for a repeat title was done in by stand-out performances by his competitors.

Joe Zimmerman of Spokane's Lewis & Clark High set a meet record by throwing 208-4 to win the meet. Wilson as third at 203-10.

"I've been competing against Joe for three years now, and he's a great thrower," Wilson said. "That's the thing I love about javelin. You never know when someone is a going to rip off a big throw. And Joe had a great throw."

Wilson said he was happy to have one state title to his name and he was happy to be joined on the podium by teammate Steven Forgette, who placed eighth at 190-7.

"Last year, I won state and we won the team title, so that was going to be hard to top," Wilson said.

In other 4A events Saturday:

— Lynelle Decker placed fifth in the 800 (2:14.68), and Maggie Pietka was fifth in the high jump (5-2) for Mountain View.

— The Skyview 800 relay team placed fifth (1:43.08). The Skyview 400 relay placed seventh (49.44); and Rachel McQuivey of Skyview was fourth in the 300-meter hurdles (45.00).

— Kayla Smith of Battle Ground was sixth in the girls javelin (125-0).

— Evergreen's CJ Hatchett was eighth in the boys 400 (51.81).

— The Skyview boys 1,600-meter relay was eighth (3:26.11).

(Note: Headline on this story has been corrected from previous post.)