Finishing just a few inches back of a state championship, Black Hills’ Liam Wall started the 2A State Championships at Mount Tahoma in Tacoma Thursday afternoon with a bang, tossing the discus 158 feet, 2 inches to take the silver medal on Day 1 of the championships.
Wall led a strong group of South Thurston County standouts on Thursday, with Tumwater earning several placers and finals qualifiers.
In event finals, John Hoffer finished seventh in the 1600 meters in 4:20.20, and Aaron Paul (21 feet, 1.25 inches) and Makhi Odoms (20 feet, 4.25 inches) finished fourth and sixth in the long jump, respectively.
All three scored team points for the Thunderbirds, while Tumwater’s relay teams and a hurdler all advanced to their event finals later this weekend.
Jayden Thomas qualified for the 110-meter hurdles final, finishing with the sixth-fastest preliminary time in 15.51, while all three Tumwater relays that ran also qualified for its finals.
The girls 4x200 of Annabelle Clapp, Cassidy Hedin, Reese Heryford, and Ava Jones finished with a preliminary-best 1:44.26, and the girls 4x400 of Selly Beyene, Hedin, Heryford, and Jones qualified with a 4:06.98, the third-fastest prelim time.
The Tumwater boys 4x400 of Christian Schlecht, Blake Kirkpatrick, Josh Schlecht, and Reis Howell ran a 3:29.10 to squeak into the final field.
More events and finals are scheduled for Friday.
