Daphne Evenson got an unexpected surprise on Thursday.
Facing Eliisa Marshall of Camas, the Skyview junior didn’t think a win was likely in the 4A girls 800 meters at 4A/3A Greater St. Helens League district track and field meet Thursday at McKenzie Stadium.
“I wasn’t expecting to win, but I really wanted to,” Evenson said. “There was Eliisa from Camas, and I always lose to her when I race her. And I usually lead when I race her. And I was like ‘I’m not going to lead this time.’ ”
Evenson let Camas’ Bethany McKinstry set the pace for the first 600 meters.
“And then I kicked,” she said. “I don’t like doing that (letting another runner set the pace), but it worked.”
Evenson raced past McKinstry on the final turn, then fended off Marshall to win the 800 in 2:15.92.
Thursday’s win followed a win Wednesday in the 1,600, where Evenson beat McKinstry in a time of 4:59.00. It was the second time she has broken five minutes in the event.
“That was my season goal,” Evenson said of breaking five minutes. “I did last week at Union. And I was really hoping it wasn’t a fluke and I could do it again.”
Earlier Thursday, Will Foster of Prairie and Juan Pasillas-Stanton of Mountain View put on a clinic in the boys shot put.
Ranked first and second in Class 3A in the state coming into the meet, Foster and Pasillas-Stanton kept one-upping each other, with both setting personal bests by breaking 57 feet on their third attempts.
In the finals, Foster went event farther, winning the event with a mark of 58 feet, 10.75 inches. On his final throw, Pasillas-Stanton got another PR to finish second at 58-2.5.
Union freshman Leilani Mays, who took a hard spill in warmups before winning the 100-meter hurdles on Friday, was a scratch in both the 300 hurdles and the 200 meters on Thursday.
The hope is that with a week to heal, she can compete in the 100 hurdles at the bi-district meet next Wednesday and Friday in Kent.
Camas had five boys earn double district titles — Jack Macdonald of Camas (100, 200), Caden Socquet of Camas (400, 800), Cohen Butler (1,600 and 3,200), Max Ensinger (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Ethan Linerud (shot put, discus). Camas boys eased to the team title.
Noah McBroom of Union earned a double in the long jump and triple jump. Union’s Grant Harris won the high jump on Thursday.
Will Foster earned two wins Thursday, adding a win in the discus to his shot put win. Other district champions included Evergreen’s Josiah Alanis (long jump), Mohid Khan (3,200) and Ryder Keplar (high jump), Heritage’s Luke Melvin (pole vault) and Kelso’s Aden Mintonye (300 hurdles).
Prairie boys won the team title, picking up wins Thursday from Solomon Ogbeama (200) and Ayden Walker (800), plus a win late Wednesday from Ethan Cabral (400).
The Camas girls also breezed to the team title. Autumn Dobbs won the 200 on Thursday after a 400 win on Wednesday. Gabriella Thompson picked up a second title late Wednesday in the high jump. Other Camas winners included Bryn Yoes (long jump), Natalie Grajeda (discus) and Amara Harris (300 hurdles).
Union got district titles from Ella Koch in the 3,200 and Ava Pawlowski in the pole vault.
Kelso beat out Heritage for the 3A girls title 116-89.
Kelso’s Avery Ness won the 300 hurdles to go with a win in the triple jump. Kelso also got a win from Macy Swanson in the pole vault.
Prairie’s Julie Ogbeama pulled up a big jump of 16-8 to win the long jump.
Mountain View’s Zamorah Frazier won the 200 to go with a title in the 400.
Other winners Thursday were Margarita Mahei of Heritage (800), and Evergreen’s Claire Rogge (3,200) and Christine George (discus).
