Eagles send nine athletes to Class 5A state meet (photo gallery)

Automatically qualifying for state for Coach Brandon Bertram’s team were senior Jackson Bullock, who added his name to the top of the school’s all-time list in the 800 meters; senior Simone Tillman, who won the girls 400 meters; and senior Micah Castro, who won the boys pole vault.

Bullock won a stellar 800 in a personal-record 1 minute, 54.8 seconds, as the first five finishers raced to lifetime bests. He surpassed Elliot Hawley on HRV’s all-time list; Hawley ran 1:56.35 a season ago.

Tillman’s quarter-mile championship came in similar fashion, as the second through sixth finishers ran personal records, including runner-up Canby sophomore, Abella Leder. Tillman’s winning time of 58.56 was just shy of her lifetime best of 56.26 — which she set in the 2023 state meet. Leder was close behind in the May 10 final in 58.64.

Tillman’s day was just getting started after her 400-meter win. She later finished second (also qualifying for state) in the 200 in 25.47 seconds and then anchored Hood River’s first place 4x400 relay. The team of Sadie Baumann, Sutton LeFevre, Abby Kelly, and Tillman won in 4:07.39 over Canby in second at 4:08.40. Tillman opened the meet running the anchor leg of HRV’s 4x100 relay, which finished third in 50.43 (and also earned a state meet berth). Also on that team were Sydney Barrs, LeFevre and Kelly. Less than a second separated 4x100 champion Canby (50.33) and fifth place La Salle (51.07).

Castro, who took a baseball detour last spring after competing in track and field as a freshman and sophomore, won the pole vault in a personal best 13 feet, 3.5 inches (4.05 meters).

The top two placers in each individual and relay event automatically qualify for the May 17-18 Class 5A state championship at Hayward Field in Eugene. There are five additional wild card spots for the next fastest times/marks from 5A district meet finals statewide.

Hood River sophomore Syl Perrin earned two of those wild card berths, in the girls 3000 on May 8 and 1500 on May 10. Perrin battled La Salle favorite Maya Crimin and Putnam’s Gabriella Salvione in the 71/4 lap race. Perrin was third in 10:31.56 — a personal record by 13 seconds. Perrin finished third on May 10 in the 1500 in 5:02.0 — which earned her another wild card berth.

Castro’s pole vault teammate, Francisco Solberg, also earned a wild card berth. He was fourth in the event at 12-6.75 (3.83 meters). Teammate Jack Miller qualified in the boys javelin with a PR throw of 150-6 (45.88 meters), which placed him third at district.

Also earning a wild card berth was girls high jumper Abby Kelly, who cleared a personal record 4-10.25 (1.48 meters) at district.