Crowder, Holm open league meet with a bang

June 2, 2026 by David Svien

Laurel Crowder plots a winning strategy. (Photos courtesy Kelly Powers)

Laurel Crowder is seizing the moment, again and again.

Last spring, as a Coupeville Middle School 6th grader, she celebrated a solitary win in the high jump at an early-season meet in Sultan.

This time around, Crowder is throwing down much-larger numbers, as evidenced by her performance Monday during day one of the two-day Cascade League Championships.

Competing at Lakewood High School against rivals from six other schools, the Wolf ace claimed a conference title in the high jump, her 10th win of the season.

That puts her in top company, as she’s only the third CMS girl to crack double-digit win totals in a single campaign in the last two decades.

With 10 wins and counting, Crowder joins Lindsey Roberts, who won 18 times in 2015, and Tamsin Ward, who triumphed 16 times last spring.

Both of those girls were 8th graders when they hit double digits.

Crowder, who also finished first in the 200 prelims Monday, was joined on the medal stand by fellow 7th grader Ella Holm, who claimed a title in the shot put for her second win of the season.

Monday’s events were split between a handful of finals and a lot of prelims, which sets up Thursday’s half of the season-ending meet.

CMS 7th grader Les Queen, who leads the Wolves with 14 wins this season, finished first in both the 200 and 400 prelims Monday, setting himself up for a torrid finale.

Kaleigha Millison (left), Zariyah Allen, and Addison Jacobson (front) are a talented trio.

Having reached the halfway point of the league rumble, Coupeville coach Jon Gabelein was reflective while also looking ahead.

“Today’s prelims were fun and exciting as we were competing against all of the best athletes from the Cascade League,” he said.

“Several of our athletes earned spots in the finals; many pushed themselves and earned PRs, such as Mia Goers in the 200 and Autumn Hunt in the 100 hurdles.

“We have had a great season with lots of hard work that allowed them to generate many improvements, accomplishments, and even greater confidence.”

That was a feeling shared by both the athletes and coaches.

“Mia (Goers) shared that “everybody tried their best and did amazing,” Gabelein said.

“Juniper (Dotson) and Amira (Annunciado) noticed that “everybody was supportive and cheered on other teams despite the competition.”

Wolf assistant coach Kelly Powers praised both the effort and the sportsmanship shown by her young athletes.

“Honestly, watching the camaraderie of these young men is the best part of the meet,” she said. “I love running as a sport because everyone cheers everyone else on.

“We saw a lot of that today, high fives and handshakes are the heart of this sport and I’m so glad we’re seeing our Wolves out there giving it their all with a smile on their faces.”

Henry Purdue steals a look at the clock as he hits a PR.

Monday results:

GIRLS:

8th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Ava Alford (11th) 14.87 *PR*; Claire Lachnit (16th) 15.77 *PR*; Amira Annunciado (17th) 15.94 *PR*

200 (Prelims) — Zariyah Allen (9th) 31.58 *PR*; Lachnit (19th) 34.31 *PR*; Sabrina Judnich (20th) 34.36 *PR*

400 (Prelims) — Z. Allen (4th) 1:10.50 *PR*

800 (Finals) — Anna Powers (7th) 2:57.93

100 Hurdles (Prelims) — Powers (5th) 19.97 *PR*; Kaleigha Millison (6th) 21.09 *PR*

Shot Put (Finals) — Addison Jacobson (8th) 27-04 *PR*; Millison (16th) 23-04; Annunciado (18th) 21-06 *PR*; Alford (22nd) 19-10

High Jump (Finals) — Z. Allen (5th) 4-02; Millison (7th) 4-00; Emma Green (10th) 3-10

6th/7th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Laurel Crowder (2nd) 14.10 *PR*; Josilyn McColl (5th) 14.37 *PR*; Bella Sandlin (7th) 14.49 *PR*; Ava Clark (8th) 14.72 *PR*

200 (Prelims) — Crowder (1st) 29.16 *PR*; Sophia Magdolen (10th) 31.90 *PR*; Mia Goers (15th) 32.66 *PR*; Eden Weeks (17th) 32.97 *PR*; Ruby Folkestad (19th) 33.55 *PR*; Jasmine Allen (22nd) 34.26 *PR*

400 (Prelims) — Sandlin (2nd) 1:11.74 *PR*; Magdolen (4th) 1:14.43 *PR*; J. Allen (12th) 1:17.85 *PR*; Evelyn Merino-Martinez (19th) 1:23.94 *PR*

800 (Finals) — Sarai Dangerfield (4th) 2:59.10 *PR*; Abby Hunt (7th) 3:07.93

100 Hurdles (Prelims) — Juniper Dotson (2nd) 20.25 *PR*; Hunt (8th) 21.45 *PR*; Maja Govorcin-O’Connell (14th) 24.68

Shot Put (Finals) — Ella Holm (1st) 28-04 *PR*; Sandlin (5th) 25-10 *PR*; Weeks (11th) 21-04 *PR*; Govorcin-O’Connell (19th) 18-04; Dresden Rusch (24th) 17-02

High Jump (Finals) — Crowder (1st) 4-07; Dani Halsing (5th) 4-00; Hunt (9th) 3-08

Ava Alford stays a step ahead.

BOYS:

8th grade:

100 (Prelims) — River Simpson (5th) 12.59; Aiden Wheat (12th) 13.23 *PR*

200 (Prelims) — Simpson (3rd) 25.30 *PR*; Xander Beaman (13th) 27.37 *PR*; Jacob Lujan (20th) 29.84

400 (Prelims) — Malachi Chapa (2nd) 58.02 *PR*

1600 (Finals) — Henry Purdue (3rd) 5:03.07 *PR*; Lincoln Wagner (6th) 5:42.06; Archer Schwarz (9th) 5:52.99

110 Hurdles (Prelims) — Lujan (5th) 20.03 *PR*

Discus (Finals) — Wagner (14th) 79-03.50; Sawyer Rudat (25th) 62-09 *PR*; Maverick Light (27th) 61-01 *PR*

Long Jump (Finals) — Lujan (13th) 13-04; Schwarz (18th) 12-09; Maverick Walling (19th) 12-08

6th/7th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Jesse Kehoe (2nd) 12.86 *PR*; Liam Stoner (7th) 13.59 *PR*; Logan Dees (9th) 13.86 *PR*

200 (Prelims) — Les Queen (1st) 26.03 *PR*; Stoner (8th) 28.20 *PR*; Dees (11th) 29.26 *PR*; Miles Abram (20th) 32.46; LJ Schultz (24th) 33.35 *PR*

400 (Prelims) — Queen (1st) 1:00.41 *PR*

1600 (Finals) — Abram (19th) 6:23.35

Long Jump (Finals) — Kehoe (3rd) 15-03; Stoner (4th) 14-10.50 *PR*; Dees (18th) 12-05; Henry Tierney (19th) 11-11