Rice won the girls high jump during Saturday’s Class 4A bi-district meet at McKenzie Stadium, a victory that sends her to state for a showdown against Ferris of Spokane’s Kelly McNamee. The state track meet takes place Friday and Saturday at Pasco High School.

McNamee is Washington’s prep queen of high jumping, having won state last year by clearing 5 feet, 10 inches, a mark she has matched this season and earlier in May was tied for the national lead.

Rice, a Mountain View junior, looks like she has something to throw at McNamee. Last week at the district meet, Rice cleared 5-8, a personal best. Saturday, she won the bi-district meet with a mark of 5-6.

High jump isn’t one of those events where extra effort can pay off. It’s a finicky event, where timing and steps mean everything.

“It’s a mental event, for sure. If your steps are off, or you think too much, things don’t go right,” said Rice, who last year placed fourth at state. “You just hope you don’t have your bad day at state.”

High jump was the highlight for Clark County schools at the bi-district meet. Rice led a 1-2-3 finish for the locals, as Evergreen’s Melissa Howard placed second, and Mountain View’s Maggie Pietka third.

Aside from Rice, the only other Clark County winner during the second day of the two-day meet was Battle Ground’s Gaby Dixson, who claimed the discus with a personal best throw of 123-8. Dixson won the shot competition Friday. Battle Ground swept the weight events, as the Tigers’ Kayla Smith won javelin Friday.

The first four placewinners from bi-districts, which includes the top performers from the Greater St. Helens League and KingCo Conferences, advance to state. Inglemoor was the team champion with 104 points. Battle Ground had the highest local placing, finishing fourth with 64 points.

Four Clark County athletes qualified for multiple individual events at state — Evergreen’s Kayla Wilkins (100 and 300 hurdles), Pietka (triple jump, high jump), Heritage’s Lateashea Currie (100, 200) and Dixson (shot, discus).

Currie didn’t win an event, but she was a workhorse Saturday. Currie is off to state in four events, as she ran the anchor legs for Heritage’s state-qualifying 400 and 800 relays.

Competing on a hot, taxing day, Currie ran four events in less than three hours, taking on some of the state’s fastest girl sprinters. She nearly won the 100, coming up a nose short in losing to Garfield’s Bianca Greene.

Currie said her thigh muscles were starting to tighten up toward the end of the meet, which didn’t surprise her.

“It seemed like I’d get a 10-minute break, and then I’m off for another event,” Currie said.