WASHOUGAL — The 2A Greater St. Helens League sports the top boys javelin throwers in the state at Class 2A.
And that fact provided Hockinson’s Cody Wheeler with the motivation he needed on Friday.
“Jakob Braunstein, the Ridgefield thrower, he (threw a personal best) by a couple of feet, and I was throwing just after him,” Wheeler said. “So I had the motivation to really get it out there. And even though it was raining and it a little windy, it still flew good. I put a lot of power into it. It felt great.”
The result was a throw of 196 feet, five inches, a personal best for Wheeler by almost 12 feet. That was more than enough to beat out Braunstein, who was second at 185-0, at the 2A sub-district track and field meet.
Wheeler and Braunstein now rank 1-2 in the state in 2A in the javelin. Hewson Nguyen, who ranks third, finish third at 162-9.
“It’s awesome to know that we have the most competitive district in 2A in the state for javelin,” Wheeler said. “It’s just fun to throw against really good throwers. All of us pushing each other farther and farther each meet.”
District 4 has five of the top six javelin throwers for boys in 2A, and all five will be throwing next Friday at the district meet in Shelton.
Braunstein also posted a personal best in the shot put (44-4.5), and that was good enough to get the Ridgefield senior the victory in that event. Nguyen picked up the win in the long jump (20-5.5).
Hockinson’s Enzo Oliverio and Columbia River’s Daniel Barna were both dual winners on Friday.
Oliverio won the 100 meters (11.33 seconds) and 200 (23.17). Barna won the 1,600 (4:22.75) and 3,200 (9:38.42). Other winners among the boys included Hudson’s Bay’s Adam Williams (400, 52.39), Ridgefield’s Timothy Bradshaw (800, 2:02.54), Columbia River’s Dakari Richmond (110 hurdles, 15.42) and Ryker Loukkula (discus, 124-9), Woodland’s Cole Logan (300 hurdles, 40.92), Fort Vancouver’s Nicholas Mounsavath (high jump, 5-8), R.A. Long’s Evan Prewitt (pole vault, 11-0) and Washougal’s Tucker Kneipp (triple jump, 39-10).
Washougal’s Jamie Maas and Elle Thomas, Mark Morris’ Emma Fisher and Hockinson’s Celia Racanelli were all dual winners in the girls meet.
Maas won the 400 (1:00.49) and 800 (2:22.74), Thomas won the 1,600 (5:06.71) and 3,200 (11:42.15), Fisher won the 100 (13.02) and 200 (26.86) and Racanelli took the long jump (15-9) and shared the pole vault title with R.A. Long’s Karli Kersavage and Avery Moon at 8-6.
Ada Owens of Hudson’s Bay prevented Fisher from picking up a third win when she beat Fisher out for the win in the 300 hurdles (48.01). Other winners were R.A. Long’s Breyelle Box (110 hurdles, 16.47) and Maria Sheldon (discus, 99-0), Washougal’s Savea Mansfield (shot put, 35-9.5) and Carissa DeLaRocha (high jump 4-10), Ridgefield’s Kelli Krsul (javelin, 104-6) and Mark Morris’ Erica Snyder (triple jump, 35-4).
