2A TRACK: Hockinson's Dunn, Porter; Washougal's Wade, Woodland's Coons runners-up

Hockinson’s Colton Dunn, Washougal’s Elle Wade and Hockinson’s Shannon Porter, from left, each placed second in events at the Class 2A state meet Saturday. (Photos by Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian)

Hockinson's Ryan Dunn, second from left, runs hard but comes up short in the 2A boy's 400 meters at the state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma on Saturday May 30, 2009. (The Columbian/Zachary Kaufman)

TACOMA — When it was over, when he had crossed the finish line in second place for the fourth year in a row, Colton Dunn let out a primal scream, knelt down, and slapped the track.

The frustration was understandable, but it could not overshadow Dunn’s impressive high school track career.

"I’m not going to let a few races define my career," the Hockinson senior said after finishing second in the 400 meters at the Class 2A state track and field meet. "I know a lot of people are proud of me."

Dunn won 11 state medals during his high school career, including one championship and six runner-up finishes. Four of those second-place results came in the 400 — behind four different champions.

The latest was Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School as Dunn finished in 49.52 seconds. Adam Candland from Cedarcrest of Duvall won in 49.25.

"There’s no feeling like first place," said Dunn, who has signed a letter of intent with the University of Washington. "Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that in the 400."

Dunn also finished fourth in the 100 and third in the 200 on Saturday. Only a disqualification in the 100 his freshman year kept him from placing in all three events all four years.

"A race is a race, you know," Dunn said. "I have a lot to be thankful for, having a state title. It’s been a crazy four years, something I’ll never forget."

In other action from the final of three days at the Class 2A state meet:

— Shannon Porter of Hockinson finished second in the girls 1,600, succumbing to the impressive kick of Bellingham’s Becca Friday.

"I’m depressed," Porter said. "But it’s a season best, so I can’t be too disappointed. I’m happy with how I ran."

Porter surged to the front at the start of the final lap in the four-lap race. She extended the lead for three-quarters of a lap, only to be run down by Friday, who earlier won the 800 meters.

"I knew Becca has a great kick, so I wanted to get a bit of a gap," Porter said. "But it wasn’t enough."

On Thursday, Porter won her third Class 2A title in a row in the 3,200.

— Shelby Williams of Ridgefield finished fourth in the girls 100 and fifth in the 200, giving her medals in four individual events.

"My goal was not to come here and win a state title," the junior said. "I just wanted to get a whole bunch of PRs; I got three yesterday."

Williams set personal records during qualifying in the 100, 200, and 100 hurdles. She also placed in the shot put.

— Elle Wade of Washougal finished second in the girls 400, becoming one of many people at the meet who couldn’t keep up with freshman Cherish Morrison of Blaine. Morrison won the 400 in 57.53, while Wade ran 59.07. Morrison also won the 100 and 200 and led Blaine to victory in the 800 relay.

"I knew I had a shot to get second," Wade said. "Winning? I’d have to pull off something drastic."

Emily Allison of Hockinson finished seventh in both the 400 and the 800.

— Alex Coons of Woodland finished second to Morrison in the girls 200, and also helped the Beavers to a fifth-place finish in the 400 relay.

"I actually choked in the 100," Coons said of a seventh-place finish, "so I was like, ‘I’ve gotta do it in the 200.’ "

Coons said her time of 25.82 broke the school record she set last week.

— Kelly Towne of Hockinson was fifth in the girls 300 hurdles, finishing in 47.45 seconds.

— Charity Arn of Woodland finished sixth in the girls long jump with a distance of 16-0¾.