WOODLAND — She’s never ran cross country, let alone do a fall sport. She ran track and field for the first time in the spring. Athletics weren’t in the cards when she entered W.F. West High School two years ago.
Azami Bortoletto hadn’t even pondered running 5,000-meters before the Swamp Cup meet in September. Four days prior, she got through the two-mile Olympia XC Classic in the season-opening meet.
“I was very sore, it took me a while to adjust,” Bortoletto said. “The team is so loving and nice, it kept me coming back. The fact that everyone is nice and competitive, made me happy.”
The unquestioned top runner for the Bearcats achieved plenty of firsts this season. Yet nothing topped what transpired in the penultimate race of the season.
Bortoletto was in the top-15 during the majority of Thursday’s Class 2A District 4 Championships and she crossed the line in 12th with a new personal record of 20 minutes, 53 seconds attached at Lewis River Golf Course.
It was more than enough to claim her spot in the state meet next weekend in Pasco, one of five area individuals from the Evergreen Conference to finish inside the top-21.
Beginner’s luck?
“They (must) have a lot of faith in me,” Bortoletto said when asked if this was even a thought at the start of the year. “
Bortoletto primarily was a mid-distance runner for W.F. West in the spring. Her best event was the 800-meter run, placing ninth at districts. She also dabbled in a pair of throwing events and a couple sprints.
When a coach brought up the idea of running cross, there was some interest.
“You know what? Why not,” Bortoletto said. “There’s no harm in trying new things. The worst that can happen is I don;t end up liking it. Why not go for it?”
One change the Bearcats junior experienced was her diet. She admitted there isn’t a lot of desire to eat, but ate three meals a day to get her in shape and boost her metabolism. It led her first time going under 23 minutes on October 1, then under 22 two weeks later.
It all led to running sub-21 minutes in, to this point, the most important meet of the year. When she was told about the time, her immediate reaction was shock.
“I’m really happy about that; that is crazy,” Bortoletto said. “Eating more apparently makes you less sore? Shocker there.”
Tumwater’s Alexandra Broome was the highest finisher amongst the contingent, fourth in 19:57. It’s the highest finish at districts in her three years and the first time she’s broken 20 minutes on the course.
She sat out the league meet with minor hip tightness. She returned to slot herself in the top-five and didn’t waver.
“Just wanted to make sure I was super fresh,” Broome said. “It was nice getting out fast.”
What remains as an unchecked box in her resume is a state medal. Broome went from 45th as a freshman to 40th a year ago. After mentioning how mentally stronger she was as a sophomore, she’s caught up physically as a junior.
“I put in a lot more miles than I have in past years,” Broome said. “My aerobic fitness is definitely (better).”
Centralia will have two state qualifiers in senior Elyse O’Dell and freshman Liesl Stout. For O’Dell, it’ll be her third trip to Pasco and the final race of her prep career.
The Tigers finished fifth in the team race, 34 points behind Columbia River who nabbed the third and final team spot at state. Still, after back-to-back EvCo titles, O’Dell is filled with pride.
“I’m very grateful,” she said. “It is such a joy (to see) everyone push themselves.”
Black Hills’ Maddie Knight registered a 15th place performance in a new lifetime best of 21:12. A year ago, the sophomore came in 54th in her slowest time of the season. It was a prime motivating factor this time around.
Better conditions and a well-timed taper led to a happier Knight.
“I was very disappointed last year,” Knight said. “I was fairly comfortable, but I knew I had to maintain what I was doing. Lots of girls and a competitive district.”
Class 1A: Smith, Huber return to state meet
Tenino’s two seniors in Haley Huber and Samantha Smith placed 11th and 14th, respectively, and notched new PR’s in the process to return to Pasco. It’s Huber’s third trip to Sun Willows GC and Smith’s second.
“I was so nervous for her; I couldn't do it without her so I’m glad she’s here,” Huber said.
They’ve been close on and off the course, but they were separated when Smith dealt with an achilles ailment in both legs. It required physical therapy and she didn’t return until the Beavers’ home meet 14 days ago.
After a 27-minute showing, she returned to form with a 10th place finish at leagues in 23 minutes.
“I couldn’t even run a mile without stopping at one point,” Smith said. “League is when I knew I was getting back.”
Huber called it “character building” to figure out her own race strategy without her best friend having to push her. She ran 23:02 at the loaded John Payne Invite, then followed with back-to-back top-three finishes.
“I never got to run by myself before,” Huber said. “It took me until our home meet, it wasn’t clicking for me.”
They get to have a swan song moment together and neither are ready for it to end. Tenino placed seventh in the team race with 155 points.
“We have a really close team, going to miss it,” Smith said.
Rochester freshman Kenzie Blankenship placed 21st to qualify for state and ran a new lifetime best of 22:24.
