Camas creates distance after first day of districts

Caleigh Lofstead only needed two vaults to become district champion Monday, at McKenzie Stadium.

The Camas High School junior set her sights on a personal best height of 13 feet, but came up just centimeters short.

“I barely hit the bar coming down,” Lofstead said. “I’ve been trying to get to 13 feet for the last few meets. This is the closest I’ve been to it all season. For it to come at state would be a good time.”

Lofstead is a three-time district champion in the pole vault. She hopes to improve on her third-place finish at state this weekend, at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

“Back when I started pole vaulting, I never thought this could be possible,” Lofstead said. “My goal has always been just to make it to state. Becoming district champion is the cherry on top.”

Alissa Pudlitzke and Emma Jenkins clinched the top two seeds to state in the 3,200-meter run. Pudlitzke won with a time of 10 minutes, 51.79 seconds. Jenkins followed in 11:07.20.

“It’s been such a cool senior year running with these younger girls and seeing how much they have improved,” Pudlitzke said. “I kept thinking that this was my last district meet. I wanted to leave it all on the track.”

Jenkins said she never thought she would be going to state as a freshman. She hopes to push Pudlitzke and Union High School senior Alexis Fuller in the 1,600 final today.

“I want to stay up with Alissa and Alexis for as long as I can and work together with them,” Jenkins said.

Jordan Davis and Tamaki Murata set the fastest preliminary times in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Murata, Karsyn Quade, Rachel Gray and Davis took second place in the 800 relay finals (1:44.12) to qualify for state.

Murata and Davis are determined to finish in first and second place in both hurdle races today. They also hope to help the Papermakers get to state in the 400 relay.

“That’s the plan,” Murata said.

Nikki Corbett notched second place in the shot put (37-3) and third place in the javelin (109-9). She competes in the discus today.

Ryan Gunther set the fastest prelim times in the 110 and 300 hurdles. Cole Zarcone earned the quickest times in the 100 and 200 dashes. Adam Ryan gained the best time in the 400. They will try to make it to state in these events, and in the relay races, today.

Maddie Woodson beat Fuller at the finish line for the best time in the 800 girls prelim. She will be joined by teammates Ellie Postma, Emily Wilson and Alexa Jones in the finals.

Said Guermali set the fastest time in the 800 boys prelim. Dustin Zimmerly and Cade Greseth will race with Guermali in the finals.

Yacine Guermali took third place in the 1,600 finals (4:22.03). Said Guermali followed in fourth place (4:23.10). Jacqueline Purwins placed fourth in the girls triple jump (32-0.75). William Ephraim earned fifth place in the boys triple jump (40-5.25).