Columbia girls come fourth in districts; state next

Columbia High had two individual girls champions and a first-place relay. Senior Ella Zimmerman won the 100-meter hurdles in a personal record 17.03 seconds and the 300 hurdles in a PR 49.06 to lead the Bruins. Zimmerman also won those races at the Trico finals.

The CHS girls duplicated their first place, 4x100 relay finish at the league meet with a district championship, as well. Bella Hamilton, Saylor Hauge, Sara Miller, and Piper Hicks combined to win the race in 51.45 seconds – a one-second season best - and score 10 team points. Bella Hamilton, Sequoia Cohen, Miller, and Hicks combined to place second in the 4x200 relay in a two-second, season best of 1:49.74. Hicks, Hauge, Cohen, and Ella Zimmerman placed fourth in the district 4x400 in yet another season best for Coach Jim Anderson’s team of 4:24.95.

Columbia’s other district championship was won by junior Jessica Polkinghorn, who threw the shot put 36-10.25. Polkinghorn also was second in the discus (107-6) and sixth in the javelin (103-3).

The Bruin girls had seven PRs at district, including the 100 best by Miller (sixth, 13.29) and 200 best by Hauge (third, 27.09).  Frosh Hailey Tolbert was third in the 100 hurdles in a PR 17.40 clocking and teammate Mariela Casarez was sixth in a PR 18.08. In the 300 hurdles, Bella Hamilton was fifth in 51.85.

In the field, Tolbert cleared 4-2 in the high jump (non-scoring ninth); Miller was third in the long jump at 15-5, and teammate Amya Shaw was ninth at 13-11. Shaw added a personal best in the triple jump of 30-4.25 (for eighth). Sophomore distance runner Damarys Alvarez placed eighth in the 3200 in a season best of 14:12.6.

The Columbia boys team was led by senior Camden Uffelman’s double placing; he was second in the 300 hurdles in a personal record 42.32 clocking and added a fifth-place finish in the 110 hurdles (17.39). Teammate Calvin Andrews was third in the 110s in a PR 42.45.

The Bruin 4x100 relay finished sixth in 46.94. Team members were Joshua Steele, Peter Schlegel, Wongani Schlegel, and Dylan Nortz. In the field, senior Troy Muehlbauer placed ninth in the discus at 96-8.

The top finishers last week qualified for the season culminating, WIAA state championship meet May 25-27 at Yakima’s Zaepfel Stadium. Competing in the WIAA finals for CHS are: Zimmerman and Tolbert in the 100 hurdles; Zimmerman in the 300 hurdles; the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams; Polkinghorn in the shot put and discus; Miller in the long jump; and Uffelman and Andrews in the 300 hurdles.