For much of two seasons on the Skyview track and field team, sophomore sprinter Dea Covarrubias always had something to chase.
Or, to be more specific, someone — Camas sprinter Madison Hubbard.
Hubbard currently owns the second fastest time in the Class 4A girls 100 meters (12.05 seconds), is the defending District 4 champion and has bested Covarrubias in every previous head-to-head 100 dash.
On day one of the district 4A/3A track and field meet at McKenzie Stadium, the Skyview sophomore broke through. Covarrubias set a personal record of 12.41 seconds to take first place in the 100 against the likes of Hubbard (12.86) and Camas’ Savannah Garden (13.02) in second and third, respectively.
“I was shocked that I got first because of Maddie,” Covarrubias admitted, “but, it pushed me a lot more to win because of her.
“I look up to her a lot, I mean, she’s so good. … I just tried my best, just tried to tell myself to win and even if you can’t, get a PR.”
Along with running the anchor leg on Skyview’s winning 400-meter relay team, which crossed the finish line in 50.55 seconds to edge Camas (50.70), Covarrubias qualified for next week’s 4A bi-district meet, where her goal is to reach state for the first time in the 100 and contend.
As a freshman, Covarrubias suffered an ankle injury while playing soccer and was less than 100 percent throughout the spring track season. The beginning of her sophomore season wasn’t the start she wanted, either, but a result like Wednesday could be a turning point. On day two Thursday, Covarrubias is also slated to run the 200, an event she placed seventh in at state last season.
“I had a rough start this season. It was really bad,” Covarrubias said. “But I think, again, going against somebody so good, it just has to help you. You need to win. You need to be better. … I just always try to think that there’s somebody behind me, and just beat everybody, just go acting like someone’s attacking you.”
Other multi-event winners from day one included Kelso senior Josie Settle, who claimed first in the 3A girls 100 hurdles and triple jump. The defending state champion in the 3A triple jump, Settle recorded a season best in the event — 37 feet, 31/2 inches — after hovering in the 36-foot range for much of the season.
“I wanted it,” Settle said. “I know can do it; it’s more just executing it. I’m like, OK, I’ve been pretty much muscling my 36-foot jumps, I know I can do a 37, so I just went for it.”
In addition to earning a state title in the triple jump last season, Settle placed in three other events — the high jump, long jump and 300 hurdles. The 100 hurdles, however, wasn’t a regular event.
But during one of her summer heptathlon events, where she earned AAU All-American honors, Settle had an encouraging result in the 100 hurdles and was determined to keep going with the event.
“I kept practicing with my coach, just worked on speed. He was assessing all my angles and he’s like, ‘you’re a really good hurdler, but you just need to keep up with your speed and you’re going to be phenomenal,’ ” Settle said. “I’m like, ‘OK, I want to keep with this, because I want to see how far this can go.’ ”
Settle currently has the fastest 100 hurdles time in the state for 3A girls, and the second best among all classifications.
Settle, an Idaho State signee, will also compete in the 300 hurdles and long jump on Thursday. In addition to defending her state title in the triple jump, Settle said she’s motivated to go after titles in the other three events as her decorated prep career gets closer to the finish line.
“I’m just really hoping I can make it in all four of my events again, because that’s such a big goal to me,” Settle said. “Looking at my marks now, it’d be a good possibility that I can (be) a state champ in multiple events. So, I’m like, ‘if I can keep that mentality and I keep putting that work in, I think that could happen.’ I’m stoked.”
In the 4A boys meet, Camas had five individual winners — Joshua McKinstry in the 400 (50.96), James Puffer in the 1,600 (4:26.13), Max Ensinger in the 110 hurdles (15.61), Jared Williams in the javelin (178-7) and Chase McGee in the pole vault (14-7). Williams and McGee’s marks in their respective events were both PRs and rank second in the 4A boys state leaderboard.
Union got wins from Devin Lippert in the shot put (45-1) and Taeven Hill in the triple jump (42-2).
Skyview’s Eric Botnen took first in the 100 (11.18) and also anchored the Storm’s winning 400 relay team, which clocked a time of 42.64.
In the 4A girls meet, Skyview’s Emem Ntekpere was a two-time winner, placing first in the 100 hurdles (15.68) and high jump (5-4). Ntekpere ranks in the top 10 of both events among 4A girls statewide.
Other winners included Union’s Charlotte Wilson in the 1,600 (5:05.10), Union’s Rose Lappavong in the triple jump (35-5), Battle Ground’s Danielle Arn in the javelin (103-10) and Camas’ Kalei Moravitz in the 400 (58.37).
Evergreen’s Jonathan Landry won the 3A boys 100 in 11.23 seconds, and was also part of the Plainsmen’s 400-meter relay team that recovered from a fall on the second leg to take second and qualify for the 3A bi-district meet.
Mountain View, which won the 400 relay (44.28), also got wins from Kyle Chen in the 110 hurdles (15.66) and Juan Pasillas-Stanton in the shot put (51-6).
Prairie had three individual winners — Ethan Cabral in the 400 (50.65), Alex Juhl in the javelin (156-11) and Evan Davis in the triple jump (40-11.75).
Kelso’s Kamren Mattison won the 1,600 (4:37.02) and Bannick Allen won the pole vault (11-6).
Mountain View freshman Zamorah Frasier won two events in the 3A girls meet — the 100 (12.79) and high jump (5-0).
Kelso’s girls team also got wins from Karsyn Ross in the 400 (1:01.51), Rielee Gourde in the javelin (12-1) and the 400 relay team (52.31). Evergreen’s Claire Rogge won the 1,600 (5:34.97) and Prairie took first in the 800 relay (1:50.82).
