YAKIMA — The queen of the Class 2B girls discus had four contenders to wear the crown. And all were from the C2BL.
Onalaska’s Kiley Talley, Rainier’s Janess Blackburn and the Adna duo of Lillian Boyd and Karsyn Freeman had the four farthest throws of the season. They’ve been competing at various league meets before the three most important ones in May.
The competition, like the sun beating down on Zaepfel Stadium on Friday afternoon, was heating up.
“It is cool to see all of us up there, that is amazing,” Freeman said.
It was Blackburn, like ten previous times this season, that ended up on the throne.
The Mountaineers senior went from third place last spring to the undisputed state champion with a best toss of 138 feet, 3 inches for her first career title in any sport on day two of the 1B/2B/1A state championships.
“It honestly feels surreal,” Blackburn said. “I knew I had the ability to do it, but it is like are you mentally tough enough to make it possible?”
It marks the first Rainier girl to win a state title in the throws since Peyton Dungan won the shot put in 2016. What it took for Blackburn to realize her potential was the very same ring from a year ago that served as the breakout moment.
She won once as a junior in a league meet in April. Her best throw entering state was a 103-7 in the C2BL championships. Then seemingly out of nowhere, she uncorks a then-lifetime best of 121-7 to secure a medal.
That following offseason changed everything.
“Going through leagues last year, I was doing it to have a sport during the spring (and) there was no intention behind it,” Blackburn said. “I’ve been training with a private coach and my standard bar is raised high.”
Whatever transpired over the next 10 months, while balancing state tournament runs in volleyball and basketball, it worked.
Blackburn was consistently over 115 feet and claimed the league title and was runner-up at districts. She fouled on two of her first three throws, but the second attempt in the prelims ended up as the winning throw.
It hugged the inside line and just stayed in for a mark.
“I wish I would have looked at it but I was spinning too many times at the end,” Blackburn said. “I was just praying it got in.”
There won’t be any competition for Blackburn at the next level. It closes a career where she earned all-league honors in volleyball and basketball, then the cherry on top in the discus.
She leaves Rainier grateful for everything.
“Beyond proud, but at the end of the day, it is all glory to God,” she said.
Freeman, the back-to-back state champ, took second with a best throw of 134-8 and Boyd was third after a throw of 127-2. Talley also ended up on the podium in sixth at 107-6.
For Freeman, the opportunity of a three-peat fell short, but she remained positive with her fourth state medal in the event and well over double figures for her four-year prep career.
“It is OK, I am proud of myself,” she said.
Boyd went from a medal as a sophomore to fouling out of the meet as a junior. It created plenty of motivation to end her time as a Pirate with one more medal. Her best throw came on her second attempt.
“I got too much in my head and that’s why it didn’t go well,” Boyd said. “This year, I let it all relax and it paid off.”
Rainier’s Acacia Murphy placed second in the 2B high jump for the second consecutive state meet and it was just as emotional. In 2024, she lost on a tiebreaker. On Friday, she fell short due to a body part not getting all the way over.
Her final attempt at 5-4 was cleared only for the bottom of her ankle to tap the bar and it was enough for it to fall.
“Honestly going over it, it felt great,” Murphy said. “When I get to higher heights, my form tends to fall apart and I forget how to high jump when it’s like oh my gosh I’m eye level with it.”
She was in a three-way battle with Kittitas’ Jalina Blackmore and Freeman’s Logan Pecht. They all missed their first two chances at 5-4, then Blackmore cleared on her last chance. Murphy was the last of the three to jump.
Tears flowed down and Murphy still felt the disappointment after the podium awards. Yet she realized a career of a state title and two second places isn’t anything to scoff at.
Through it all, she stated it built up her character.
“It’s allowed me to realize I am a good athlete,” Murphy added. “I’m always grateful I got to experience this. It helped shape who I am today.”
Winlock’s Victoria Sancho placed third in the triple jump, saving her best jump of 34-11.75 for last. After the prelims, she was near the bottom of the leaderboard due to two jumps ruled foul and her lone mark was a tick over 34 feet.
The junior was nervous if she had three more jumps in store.
“I try not to let myself get in my head,” Sancho said. “Got lucky with my first jump.”
Her final three attempts gradually increased in distance, thanks to moving her starting mark back by over a foot. In just her second year doing the event, she’s placed top-five at state.
“I’m really proud of myself,” Sancho said.
