After strong performances Friday, Aidan Wilson is guaranteed to win two state meet medals at the 2B championships. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
Ayden Wyman (left) and Lyla Stuurmans made it to the big dance as just freshmen.
Cheney is once more the promised land.
After the pandemic shut things down for two springs, the state track and field championships returned to Eastern Washington University, and Coupeville High School athletes are back to setting PR’s and winning medals.
Friday was a mix of finals and prelims for 2B schools, with the Wolves shining in both.
Senior Logan Martin earned Coupeville’s first medal, finishing 2nd in the shot put, trailing only Rainier standout Jeremiah Nubbe, who shattered the meet record.
Martin joins a select group, becoming the 72nd CHS track athlete all-time to win a state meet medal, and the second in his family.
Older brother Dalton earned four as a thrower — but also didn’t lose two seasons to Covid — and Logan gets a crack at a second medal Saturday in the discus throw.
Coupeville has six finals Saturday and is guaranteed to medal in at least two events — the boys 800 and 4 x 100 relay.
Wolf junior Aidan Wilson punched his ticket to the 800 final by running the fastest time of the day among 12 runners in Friday’s prelims.
If he repeats that feat Saturday, he will become the 10th state champion in school history.
Wilson will be busy, as he is also slated to run a leg in the 4 x 1, joining senior Caleb Meyer, and juniors Reiley Araceley and Dominic Coffman.
That unit finished 3rd in the prelims, despite running in ferocious rain.
“Of course, as soon as the boys team hit the track … DOWNPOUR!!,” said CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting.
“My first thought and accurate thought was, ‘Oh COUPEVILLE must be running!’ Mother Nature hates us!” she added with a big laugh.
But the Wolves, and not the weather, spoke loudest, guaranteeing Meyer, Araceley, Wilson, and Coffman will join Martin as medalists.
Saturday’s other finals feature junior Carolyn Lhamon in the shot put, Martin in the discus, and junior Ryanne Knoblich pulling double duty in the long jump and high jump.
While running events feature prelims and finals, all field events are finals, with the full field (12 boys and 16 girls this year) competing for eight medals.
Friday was a busy day for all the Wolves, with freshman Lyla Stuurmans missing out on advancing to the 400 finals by only a hair, and Ja’Kenya Hoskins wrapping up her stellar career.
The Wolf senior, who won a 3rd place medal as a relay runner her freshman season, came back around to compete in three different events in her second crack at state.
Hoskins ran in the 200, 4 x 1, and 4 x 2 Friday.
As the Wolves headed back to the hotel, with one day down and one to go at the big dance, Coupeville’s coaches were thrilled with the performances of their athletes.
“Great day today!!!,” Bitting said. “All ran, jumped and threw great! They all shined brightly!! Left it ALL on the field!
“This is state, baby!!!!”
Complete Friday results:
GIRLS:
200 (Prelims) — Ja’Kenya Hoskins (14th) 29.09
400 (Prelims) — Lyla Stuurmans (9th) 1:06.12
4 x 100 Relay (Prelims) — Ava Mitten, Issabel Johnson, Carolyn Lhamon, Hoskins (11th) 56.15
4 x 200 Relay (Prelims) — Ayden Wyman, Stuurmans, Ryanne Knoblich, Hoskins (10th) 1:59.60
BOYS:
800 (Prelims) — Aidan Wilson (1st) 2:03.70 *PR*
4 x 100 Relay (Prelims) — Reiley Araceley, Caleb Meyer, Wilson, Dominic Coffman (3rd) 45.20
Shot Put (Finals) — Logan Martin (2nd) 46-02
High Jump (Finals) — Coffman (10th) 5-08
