Tacoma - 4 Whatcom County distance runners competed in the 2A 1600 State Final yesterday and 4 more competed today in the 2A/3A 800 prelim at Mount Tahoma High School.
Hutchins PR's for 4th Place Finish in 1600
Lynden's Tate Hutchins placed 4th in the 2A final of the 1600 running a personal best time of 4:22.65, the Lions top finisher in a distance event since Nathan Seely when he finished 2nd in the 800 in the 2008 2A State Meet.
Hutchins was battling back and forth between multiple runners throughout the race switching from 3rd place, to eventually being in 6th. Hutchins was excited about the opportunity to go out and run against some great competition in Cedarcrest's Grant Van Valkenburg and the eventual champion, Daniel Callahan from Selah.
"That was the highest I have ever finished at any State competition." Hutchins said. "To be able to hold on 4th for the final lap was really good for me despite moving around the entire race."
Hutchins also competed in todays 800 prelim and advances to tomorrow's final. He ran 1:57 in the prelim to put him as the 4th seed.
Bellingham Brings Home Two 1600 Medals
Junior Annika Reiss and Senior Cade Brown both made the podium yesterday after placing in the top 8 of the 2A 1600 State Final.
Reiss ran 5:06.41 to finish 5th in the girls race, while Brown ran 4:24.35 to finish in 8th in the boys race. This would be a personal best time for Cade Brown in his final high school 1600 meter race.
Earlier this off season, Annika Reiss suffered a stress fracture injury. Once she was cleared to train again, the junior caught strep throat and was out for another week. The likelihood of her competing this season was not very high.
"I haven't had much training this season, but I decided I would try my best to make it here rather then sit on the sidelines and watch." Reiss said in an interview after her race.
Reiss has no intentions to key on anyone in her 3200 race on Saturday. Her main focus is to run the best race she can and hope for the best.
"I have had so many hardships this year, that I really don't care what place I get. I'm just going to put forth my best effort."
Sehome's Cunningham and Hodges Advance to 800 Final
The top 800 runners, from the boy's and girl's side, in the county will be advancing to Saturday's final in the 2A 800 State. Ironically they happen to be from the same school.
Sehome's Lucas Cunningham ran 1:56.14, a personal best time, in the boy's prelim race and Cameron Hodges ran 2:19.3 in the girl's prelim race. Hodges comes in as the 2nd seed in the girl's final and Cunningham comes in as the 3rd seed in the boy's final. The 800 races begin at 10:50 a.m. tomorrow with the boy's going first and girls at 11:15 a.m.
In the 3A girl's 800 prelim, Squalicum's Grace Oswin missed out on making it to the final as the senior ran her final high school race. Oswin, who committed to run for the University of Portland next fall, placed 10th running 2:19.68.
Live coverage of the 2A state track meet begins tomorrow at 10:50 a.m. on Facebook on The Runner page.
For more results from the 2A/3A/4A State Track and Field Championships, check out: http://wiaa.com/results/track/2018/2A3A4A/index.htm
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