The Tahoma High track and field team fought off rain, wind and cold to bring home a bag full of medals and memories from the 4A state track and field meet at Mount Tahoma High May 27 through Saturday.
Derek Eager won two gold medals and a silver in throwing events.
Eager took his second state title Saturday in the javelin event. He threw 207 feet, 10 inches to take the top spot.
“I have wanted to win state for a long, long time,” Eager said. “It was all good.”
Eager won the discus May 28 with a throw of 179-10. Despite a ferocious wind and rain storm, Eager won the event by more than 10 feet. He took the silver in the shot put May 27 hitting 56-10.75.
Eager said he did better in the discus than he thought he might throwing into a rain and wind storm.
“You have to be happy winning state,” Eager said.
Eager, a senior, will be joining the UCLA track and field team next season.
Tahoma’s 400-meter relay team took the state crown in a race won at the wire in 48.43 seconds.
Anchor Mande McKinney was behind by a couple of jumps at the handoff, but she accelerated down the lane and caught the Inglemoor girl at the line.
“I still thought she might be ahead,” McKinney said after the race. “I was freaking out.”
Kassie Jensen was the first one out of the blocks for the Tahoma relay team, Cassidy Richmond was second and she handed the baton to Paige Hammock with McKinney at the anchor.
Senior Bianca Walton was beaming Thursday evening after winning her first state gold medal in the triple jump.
Walton’s winning leap was her last attempt in the preliminary flight when she pegged 39-5.25 inches.
“I felt good, but I was nervous because the one girl went 38 (feet),” Walton said.
After her winning leap Walton said, “I was still nervous. Even on my last jump.”
Her nerves melted into a wide, happy smile when it became clear she was the best in the state.
Tahoma’s Tate Latimer took second in the 100 hurdles in 15.14, fourth in the 300 in 45.19. Latimer will be running for the University of Washington next year.
Latimer with Jensen, Hammock and McKinney took the silver in the 800-meter relay in 1:42.62. Skyler Rubadue was fifth in the discus at 142-09 for Tahoma.
As a team the Tahoma girls finished third with 42 points. Mead took first with 65 and Rogers-Puyallup second with 47.
The Tahoma boys team finished fourth with 32.
Mead also won the boys side with 82.5. Skyline was second at 38 and Wenatchee third with 35.