Solid Bruin girls team advances to district finals

Columbia and the rest of the Trico League schools enjoyed a respite from weeks of drizzly weather at a sunny La Center High School on May 10, when the sub-district meet was held. Coach Jim Anderson’s deep team qualified athletes for district in 16 individual events and two relays.

The Bruin girls 4x200 relay qualified for district with its second-place finish last week behind favored La Center. The Bruin team of Bella Hamilton, Sequoia Cohen, Sara Miller, and Saylor Hauge finished in a season best 1 minute, 48.90 second clocking behind La Center’s 1:48.02. The same Columbia team won the 4x100 in 51.35 and will be favored to equal that finish at district.

Miller finished second in the 100 in 13.19 seconds and 200 (27.42); Hauge qualified in the high jump at 4-8 and finished first in the 300 hurdles (49.88). Freshman Lilah Zimmerman placed first in the 1600 in 5:37.06. Senior distance runner Esther Kline qualified for district with her fourth-place, 14:10.55 clocking at sub-district.

Jessica Polkinghorn, the state leader in the 1A shot put, won that event at sub-district in a PR 43-9.5, and added another PR and first-place finish in the discus at 123-5.

Sophomore Hailey Tolbert was second in the 100 hurdles in 17.41 seconds; Samantha Evans and Tolbert cleared 4-10 in the high jump and were first and second (and advanced to district in those events). Senior Madeline Allen, ranked No. 6 in district in the discus, finished fifth at sub-district, and also added another district qualifying effort in the 800 of 2:47.07. Junior Amya Shaw qualified for district with her season best 28-11.75 mark at sub-district in the triple jump.

Team-wise, the Bruins will be tested by Seton Catholic, La Center, Montesano, and Castle Rock at the district finals. Montesano won the girls crown in 2023 and 2022, while Columbia was fourth and second those seasons.

District 4 includes the Class 1A Trico and Evergreen leagues. Athletes qualified for sub-district by meeting standards; the top finishers in sub-district advanced to this week’s state-qualifying District 4 championship. The top three finishers at district and those who meet standards qualify for the 2024 state meet, May 23-25 in Yakima, Wash.

Seton Catholic’s girls scored 145 points at sub-district; Columbia was third with 131, two points behind La Center. Seton scored 208 to win the boys meet; Columbia scored 70 and was sixth.

The Columbia boys thrower Luke Harrison was second in the discus (132-9) and fourth in the 100 meters (PR 11.83 seconds). Harrison’s throwing teammate, Ezekiel Wilson Ramirez, was third in the discus at 116-0, and also qualified for district. Also in field events, junior Garrett Kock was fourth in the triple jump and advanced to district with his sub-district mark of 35-4.

On the track, distance runners Noah Slayton and Luther Thomas finished second and fourth at sub-district in the 1600 to move on to district. Slayton ran 5:10.14 and Thomas 5:25.61.