3A/4A District Track: Fort’s Phelps reigns in 3A girls 3,200

Just as Emily Phelps finished the 3,200 meter race, rain started to fall in heavy drops.

Within a few minutes, rainwater was cascading off the McKenzie Stadium roof in a mini waterfall.

Raindrops weren’t the only thing in abundance Thursday at the 3A/4A District 4 Track and Field Championships. Phelps was among a handful of athletes who won multiple titles at this year’s meet.

Phelps, a Fort Vancouver junior, added the Class 3A 3,200 meter title to the 1,600 meter championship she won Wednesday.

For a first-time district champ, winning two in the same meet carried a special thrill. As the downpour continued, Phelps fittingly used a water analogy to describe becoming more comfortable at bigger meets this year.

“This is the year I really started swimming in the water and getting my feet out there,” she said. “I’ve started to improve and see my hard work pay off.”

This week’s district meet is where the track and field season begins to culminate in titles and personal-best performances. Each event’s top three finishers in 4A and top four in 3A advance to the bi-district meets next weekend. The state championships follow May 24-26 in Tacoma.

Camas senior Emma Jenkins is heading into those meets as a double district champion for the second straight year. The Washington State-bound runner won the Class 4A 3,200 meters one day after winning the 1,600, both in season-best times.

“I’m super proud of everybody,” she said. “I think we’ve all worked really hard this season. For a lot of us, it’s our last race all together.”

The downpour that started when Phelps finished was a full deluge when Jenkins’ race began. By the time she finished, the rain was done.

“I don’t remember running in that much rain before,” she said. “In those situations, you just have to have fun with it.”

Valerie Schmidt wasn’t expecting to have fun during the 300 meter hurdles. But the Prairie senior surprised herself by holding off Mountain View’s Katherine Kadrmas for her second 3A district title of the meet. She won the 100 hurdles one day earlier.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” Schmidt said. “Having Katherine right next to me, we were just pushing each other the whole time.”

Union won the 4A title with 139.5 points, five ahead of Camas. The Titans wrapped up with title with a win in the final event, the 1,600 relay, where anchor Drew Lobis held off Skyview down the final stretch. Kelso won the 3A girls title with 141.5 points, seven ahead of Prairie.

Camas freshman Lucy George became the only athlete this year to win three individual events. She added the 300 hurdles title to the 100 hurdles and high jump crowns she won Wednesday.

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
4A District Meet
At McKenzie Stadium
Thursday’s finals
Bi-district qualifiers (top 3)
Team scores — Union 139.5, Camas 134.5, Skyview 53, Heritage 28, Battle Ground 18.
200 — 1, Logan Nelson (U) 26-14; 2, Brinley Jackson (U) 26.60; 3, Vanessa Nicacio (U) 27.10.
800 — 1, Krystal Kaufman (S) 2:17.56; 2, Presley Timmons (S) 2:18.33; 3, Ellie Postma (C) 2:18.55.
3200 — 1, Emma Jenkins (C) 10:54.26; 2, Madison Child (C) 11:13.31; 3, Halle Jenkins (C) 11:15.80.
300 hurdles — 1, Lucy George (C) 45.38; 2, Annaliese Ward (U) 48.87; 3, Kayden Anderson (BG) 49.12.
1600 relay — 1, Union (Vanessa Nicacio, Brooklyn Jackson, Alex Taylor, Drew Lobis) 4:07.47; 2, Skyview 4:13.62; 3, Camas 4:14.46.
Shot put — 1, Maggie Wells (C) 36-0; 2, Genina Carey (U) 34-5.5; 3, Erika Addy (U) 33-4.
Discus — 1, Maggie Wells (C) 110-6; 2, Lexi Raymore (U) 103-8; 3, Elle Raunig (S) 99-9.
Long jump — 1, Lexie Klinkhammer (H) 16-6; 2, Lucy George (C) 16-0.5; 3, Alexandra Stott (C) 15-10.
Pole vault — 1, Anna Bedont (C) 9-6; 2, Andy Scalberg (U) 7-6; 3, Envee Sakhoeun-hem (U) 7-6.

3A District Meet
At McKenzie Stadium
Thursday’s finals
Bi-district qualifiers (top 4)
Team scores — Kelso 141.5, Prairie 134.5, Mountain View 104, Fort Vancouver 94.25, Evergreen 68.5, Hudson’s Bay 8.25.
200 — 1, Carlee Sams (K) 26.04; 2, VAnessa Brunkow (E) 27.08; 3, Anna Neal (P) 27.68; 4, Molly Packer (P) 27.91.
800 — 1, Katie Vroman (P) 2:23.44; 2, Anna Harrison (FV) 2:26.62; 3, Jessica Fidler (MV) 2:27.87; 4, Paige Darley (P) 2:28.82.
3200 — 1, Emily Phelps (FV) 11:15.46; 2, Meri Dunford (P) 11:33.58; 3, Kahler Kirk (K) 12:18.46; 4, Lauren Sautter (P) 12:32.86.
300 hurdles — 1, Valerie Schmidt (P) 47.51; 2, Katherine Kadrmas (MV) 47.96; 3, Sarra Soladey (K) 48.59; 4, Hailey Graham (K) 50.61.
1600 relay — 1, Prairie (Mary Lynn McLeod, Anna Neal, Molly Packer, Meri Dunford) 4:15.31; 2, Fort Vancouver, 4:28.58 3, Kelso 4:30.43; 4, Evergreen 5:05.40.
Shot put — 1, Abigail Brotherton (P) 37-3; 2, Jasmine Tiatia (E) 36-9; 3, Jodania Salavea (FV) 32-11.5; Ally Harman (K) 32-0.5.
Discus — 1, Mykala Preston (MV) 104-2; 2, Jocelyn Salavea FV) 91-0; 3, Jasmine Tiatia (E) 90-3; 4, Ally Harman (K) 88-10.
Long jump — 1, Reymi Shelton (E) 16-7; 2, Katherine Kadrmas (MV) 16-4; 3, Tayla Beavers (K) 15-11; 4, Valerie Schmidt (P) 15-6.
Pole vault — 1, Tayla Beavers (K) 11-6; 2, Tally Connors (K) 7-6; 3, Kiara Mueller (MV) 7-6; 4, Christina Starts (HB) 7-6.