Sych’s big finish helps Union girls track win
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| 3A track & field |
District meet
Girls meet: Brina Sych and Sarah Takayoshi win two individual events each to help Union capture the team title.
Boys meet: Late wins help the Camas boys pull away for the team title. Page B6
What’s next: Athletes will compete in the West-Central sub-regional meet next Saturday in Sumner. |



Union’s Brina Sych, left, chases down Alyssa Turner of Hudson’s Bay to win the 300-meter hurdles on Friday. (N. SCOTT TRIMBLE/The Columbian) |
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Saturday, May 03, 2008 By Paul ValenciaColumbian Staff Writer CAMAS — Brina Sych is sick.
Sick as in good. Real good, and real fast.
Sych, a sophomore from Union, won two individual titles and was part of a winning relay squad Friday, leading the first-year Titans to a team championship at the Class 3A district girls track and field meet.
Her win in the 400 meters came less than 20 minutes after she won the 300 hurdles, a dazzling display of stamina.
“I can’t feel my legs,” she said soon after that second race.
“I had a big smile on my face, to know I could do that back-to-back,” Sych said. “That was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”
She would later anchor the 1,600 relay team to a win.
Unfortunately for the Titans, the district meet was the last for Sych this season. Union coach Mike Burdick confirmed that Sych has a prior commitment and will not compete at the sub-regional next week, missing out on a chance to go to regionals, then state.
The Titans will have plenty of other athletes moving on, though.
Sarah Takayoshi also took part in three titles, claiming the sport’s glory sprint events — the 100 and 200 — and anchoring the 400 relay team to victory. Takayoshi, a junior, was the top seed in the sprints coming into the meet.
“I tried not to look at it as pressure, but as excitement,” said Takayoshi, who was timed at 12.51 seconds in the 100 and 26.54 in the 200. “I don’t do well with pressure, but exciting is always good.”
Union, a school with no seniors, claimed titles in nine of the 18 events in the meet, scoring 160 points. Kelso was second with 134.5 points, and Camas took third at 110.5.
Columbia River has the second most victories, with four titles.
This was Union’s day, though.
Maureen Ojukwa, whose brother Kinsley won three events in the boys meet, won the shot put with a throw of 35 feet, 11 inches.
“I was jumping up and down, and I called my friend and said, ‘I’m the district champion.’” she said.
Maureen, a junior, was just as thrilled with being part of the team title.
“It’s so exciting of being in the first year,” she said. “Just because we don’t have seniors doesn’t mean we can’t come out strong.”
Carolina Siofele, another junior, claimed the discus with a distance of 119-3.
Union’s Katherine Cochrane, a freshman, topped her personal best by 10 seconds to win the 1,600 run in 5:28.93.
“I just really wanted it,” she said, adding that she hopes to make it to state and run a 5:22 by the end of May.
Sarah Bobbe, a sophomore from Columbia River, opened the running events with a victory in the 3,200, clocking in at 12 minutes.
“It wasn’t the most intense race, but it was alright,” she said. “It was a nice pace, relaxed. The goal is to get to state.”
River claimed three field event titles: Karah Ambrose cleared 5-2 to win the high jump, Amanda Alvarez traveled 37-23/4 to win the triple jump, and Anna Adamko threw the javelin 130-7 to victory.
Alyssa Turner of Hudson’s Bay navigated the 100 hurdles for a win in 16.48 seconds. The junior later would finish second to Sych in the 300 hurdles.
“It’s amazing because last year I wasn’t doing very well,” Turner said, adding that she has dropped a second from her time in the 100 hurdles since her sophomore season. “This is the first year I’ve ever improved this much.”
Camas’ lone title came in the 800 relay.
The top six individuals qualify for the bi-district meet next week. Regionals are May 16-17, and state is May 23-24. |