TACOMA – Once was nice for four Clark County state track and field champions.
So why not twice?
Union twin sisters Dai’lyn and Jai’lyn Merriweather each defended their titles Saturday at the state track and field championships.
Camas senior Caleigh Lofstead repeated as state pole vault champion.
And Hudson’s Bay senior Erykah Weems won her second state title in two days, adding the 300 hurdles to her 100 hurdles championship.
The Merriweather twins have left many people seeing double during their three seasons in high school track and field. Now they each have double championships.
Jai’lyn Merriweather repeated as 4A champion in the 400 meters. She pulled ahead on the final corner and held her lead into a stiff headwind on the homestretch.
“It’s a great feeling,” she said. “All that hard work. All that training. When I crossed the line it was like ‘finally, I did it.’”
About an hour later, Dai’lyn Merriweather defended her title in the 200 meters.
Unlike last year, when she surged from behind in what she called “my out of body experience,” Dai’lyn led from the start. She credited that to running more 100-meter races this season.
“It helped me be a lot more explosive,” she said. “My strategy for the 200 was to get out fast. I did that really well today.”
Last year, the Merriweathers celebrated their twin titles with ice cream. What would they do for an encore?
“I heard a rumor about milkshakes,” Dai’lyn said. “Fingers crossed.”
Lofstead had her fingers crossed headed into the 4A pole vault Saturday. She strained a ligament in her back shortly before last weekend’s bi-district meet and barely practiced since then.
“I only made maybe four or five jumps this past week before coming up here,” Lofstead said. “I didn’t know what to expect, especially if it was going to rain or be windy.”
But Lofstead handled the windy conditions better than anyone. She won by clearing 12 feet, 3 inches, one foot higher than anyone else.
Lofstead tried to go two inches higher than her 4A meet record of 12-7.
“I’m a little disappointed to have not jumped the meet record, but it’s still awesome to be a two-time state champion,” she said.
Shot put – 1, Samantha Bourdeau (Bonney Lake) 41-11; 8, Yaiydenn Lopez Perez (Columbia River) 35-10.
Triple jump – 1, Chinne Okoronkwo (Mountlake Terrace) 40-7; 7, Tiarra Ringold (Columbia River) 35-10.25.
Pole vault – 1, Chinne Okoronkwo (Mountlake Terrace) 13-0; 7, Sarah Ellis (Columbia River) 10-0; 11, Lindsay Marshall (Columbia River) 9-6.
Class 2A State Championships
At Tacoma
Saturday’s Finals
Winner and local athletes
Team scores – 1, Shorecrest 60; 2, Burlington-Edison 55; 3, Olympic 47; 4, Woodland 35.
100 meters – 1, Wurrie Njadoe (Shorecrest) 12.17; 4, Julia Stepper (Woodland) 12.68.
200 – 1, Wurrie Njadoe (Shorecrest) 25.01; 2, Julia Stepper (Woodland) 25.59.
400 – 1, Madeline Liberg (West Valley-Spokane) 57.66.
800 – 1, Waverly Shreffler (Sequim) 2:19.11; 6, Chloe Lindbo (Ridgefield) 2:22.58.
3200 – 1, Brittany Aquino (East Valley-Spokane) 11:24.83; 16, Sophie Miller (Ridgefield) 12:29.32.
300 hurdles – 1, Erykah Weems (Hudson’s Bay) 44.25; 4, Alyssa Chapin (Hockinson) 46.29.
400 relay – 1, Olympic 48.86; 6, Woodland 51.20.
800 relay – 1, Granite Falls 1:45.38.
1600 relay – 1, Lynden 4:02.
Shot put – 1, Angel Nkwonta (Pullman) 43-6.75; 12, Kate Cochran (Woodland) 33-2.25; 16, Kiersten De La Rocha (Washougal) 29-2.75.
Long jump – 1, Wurrie Njadoe (Shorecrest) 20-0.25; 2, Julia Stepper (Woodland) 18-2.5.
Class 1A State Championships
At Cheney
Saturday’s Finals
Winner and local athletes
Team scores – 1, Naches Valley 55, 2, Cascade-Leavenworth 46.5; 3, Northwest 44.5; 4, Lynden Christian 42.5.
100 meters – 1, Lexi Rolan (Medical Lake) 12.46.
200 – 1, Lexi Rolan (Medical Lake) 25.58.
400 – 1, Maya Jackson (Northwest) 56.74.
800 – 1, Mikayla Shuler (Lakeside) 2:16.15.
1600 – 1, Erin Mullins (Cascade-Leavenworth) 5:07.31; 4, Jenna Melanson (La Center) 5:12.80.
100 hurdles – 1, Maggie Delay (Royal) 15.72.
300 hurdles – 1, Elli Kimes (Cashmere) 45.79.
400 relay – 1, Naches Valley 49.77.
1600 relay – 1, Cashmere 4:02.64.
Javelin – 1, Kaelyn Shipley (Kalama) 152-6; 4, Sierra Block (La Center) 129-2.
Discus – 1, Ellie Laizure (Lakeside) 118-7; 6, Shelby Vermeulen (La Center) 113-6.
Triple jump – 1, Summer Welch (Naches Valley) 38-2.25; 15, Kennedy Lake (Seton Catholic) 30-10.5.