The Spudder Classic track and field meet on Friday in Ridgefield wasn’t exactly the sub-district tune-up many were expecting, but a few distinguishable performances mixed in among sometimes nasty weather may indicate the Columbia High girls team is ready to make a season-ending trophy run.
The Class 1A Bruins finished second to Class 2A Washougal, 74.5-72, and were led by some season-best times and marks despite the conditions. Sophomore Jessica Polkinghorn finished third in the shot put at 35 feet, 2 inches — a personal best — and also was third in the javelin at 112 feet, less than a foot off her PR. She will be a key part of Columbia’s chances to win this week’s Trico Sub District meet at Vancouver’s Seton Catholic — as well as next week’s District 4-1A team title. Polkinghorn is ranked first in those events among Trico athletes and is second in the discus.
Field events at the sub district meet begin at 3:45 p.m. and running events start at 4 p.m. The latter races will feature a number of top-ranked Bruins, including senior Chanele Reyes, who raced to a season-best 300-meter low hurdles time at Ridgefield of 49.65 seconds. Reyes is ranked first in that race and the 100-meter high hurdles. Teammate Ella Zimmerman is ranked second in both races, attesting to the Bruins’ depth, which will be on full display at the sub district meet.
Especially in the relays, as the Bruins will attempt to sweep the three races for the second year in a row. Columbia set season bests in each race at Ridgefield, though league rival Seton Catholic beat the Bruins by a second at the Spudder.
The 4x400 team of Zimmerman, Hannah Polkinghorn, Saylor Hauge, and Reyes won in 4:22.21. The 4x200 team of Piper Hicks, Maribeth Fries, Hauge, and Sequoia Cohen was fourth in 1:53.18. The 4x100 team of Reyes, Cohen, Hicks, and Polkinghorn won in 52.26. Polkinghorn won the 200 meters and was second in the 100.
Columbia won a close 2021 sub district meet with 109 points, four more than distance-race heavy Seton Catholic and six more than La Center. Montesano and Hoquiam bested the Bruins in the 2021 District 4 meet. Reyes in both hurdles races, and Jessica Polkinghorn in the shot put, are Columbia’s defending sub district champions returning this week to attempt to defend their titles.
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