Postseason continues for a second week here in Washington as multiple athletes will be competing for state births in all six classifications from Wednesday, all the way through Saturday.
Let's have a look at some potential match-ups in the district meets that could also be previews for what is to come at the state meet the following week.
Callahan Yale and Arie Smidt - Boy's 1A Bi-District 800 & 1,600
The top runners from District 1 and 2 meet again in the 800 for a third consecutive year in South Whidbey's Callahan Yale and University Prep's Arie Smidt. Smidt has beaten Yale in all three Bi-District meetings with the most recent one being a three second victory last season, where he ran 1:56.52. At the Emerald City League Championships, Smidt won his third 800 title and second 1,600 title. The South Whidbey senior won the District 1 800 race in a personal best time of 1:58.91. He also won the 1,600 race in a personal best time of 4:27.6, and then finished second in the 400 45-minutes later in 52.06 seconds. Will they meet in the 800 finals this week? Yes. Do we know the outcome? Might as well flip a coin. Same goes for the 1,600.
Outcome: Smidt wins 800, Yale wins 1,600
Rafe Holz and Luke Knoblich - Boy's 2A Bi-District 1,600
About a year ago at this point, Liberty's Luke Knoblich would have obliterated Sedro-Woolley's Rafe Holz in the 1,600 as there was a 24 second difference between the two with Knoblich running 4:21 and Holz running 4:45. This time around, Holz is behind Knoblich by 4 seconds. Both runners are currently ranked in the top 10 at the 2A level as Knoblich is 3rd at 4:21.31 and Holz is 7th at 4:25.49. For Holz, this will probably be his biggest race of the season, and probably his career. The work Holz has put in this offseason has carried over to his success this season with 4 invites wins and a 20 second drop in his 1,600 time. As a matter of fact, Holz ran against Knoblich at the Eason Invite, but finished in 13th behind the Portland-bound runner, who was 7th. Close race this time around, same finish though.
Outcome: Knoblich wins 1,600
Charlotte Bentz and Lillian Visser - Girl's 3A District 1 1,600
With her recent win at the WESCO 3A North Championships in the 1,600, Stanwood's Charlotte Bentz jumps Shorecrest's Lillian Visser in the district 1 rankings with her personal best time of 5:12.18 and goes into this week's meet as the No. 1 seed. Visser has more 1,600 wins this season than Bentz does at 3 to 1. Visser has also run a faster time in her high school career standing at 5:02.86, which she ran last season at the state track meet. Experience is a big factor in this race as Visser, a senior who will run for Gonzaga next fall, has made more state appearances than Bentz has and knows what it takes to get there when the season is on the line. I'm not saying Bentz won't get the to state meet, I'm sure she will. But, Visser is ready to win her first district title after having finished second last year in this race.
Outcome: Visser wins 1,600
Other Match-Ups to Watch:
1A Girl's Bi-District 3,200
4A Boy's District 8 1,600 and 3,200
Eliason Kabasenche and Giovanni Raskell - 2A Boy's District 6/7 3,200
4A Girl's WCD/SWD District Meet 800
Rosalie Fish and Clare Kondrat - Tri-District 1B Girl's 1,600 and 3,200
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