Freshman Lilah Zimmerman and senior August Lorincz will represent Columbia High at the 2023 WIAA state cross country championships in Pasco, Wash.
They qualified for the state meet with their finishes in the District IV 1A championship meet Oct. 26 at Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland. Zimmerman was fourth in the 5,000-meter girls race, finishing in a lifetime best of 19 minutes, 47 seconds. The Bruin girls, who won the Trico League championship Oct. 18, were fourth at district, behind champion Montesano (48 points), runner-up Seton Catholic (63), and third place Castle Rock (119).
The Columbia girls won the 2022 Trico League and District IV team championships.
Also figuring in Columbia’s team score of 121 points were: Sophomore Maisy Kollman (23rd, 22:39, a nearly three-minute PR); junior Damarys Alvarez (30th, 23:07); junior Raina McAllister (35th, 23:30); and sophomore Reyna Pinchot (37th, 23:41). Senior Leah Swanson was 40th in 23:53, and teammate junior Nina Hartmann was 52nd in 26:46 (PR).
The Columbia boys were fifth as a team with 145 points, led by Lorincz’s 14th place in 17:23 (5,000 meters). Lorincz ran a personal record (PR) in the race by 17 seconds. Junior Noah Slayton was 21st in 17:47; junior Cole Wooding was 31st in 18:55 (PR); senior Nathaniel Chambers was 37th in 19:07 (PR); and freshman Carter Smith was 42nd in 19:25 (PR). Sophomore Ethan Hayes (45th, PR 19:37) and senior Henry Wilson (47th, 19:47) completed the Bruin varsity at district.
Seton Catholic won the boys meet with 57 points.
The 2023 state meet is Nov. 4 in Pasco at Sun Willows Golf Course. The Class 1A girls race is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.; the 1A boys race starts at approximately noon.
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