Cardinals send six to state meet

YAKIMA - Medical Lake is sending six athletes to the state 1A track meet at Zaepfel Stadium this weekend.

But it could have been a bigger number, lamented head Coach Gene Blankenship following the District 7 meet May 17 and 18 at Riverside High School.

The Top 2 finishers from each event qualified to compete at Eisenhower High School's Zaepfel, but had a state qualifying number been attained they, too, would have been able to attend.

As it stands the Cardinal girls are represented in five events and the boys in two.

Chiche Okemgbo won a pair of throwing events, the discus at 112 feet, 11 inches and shot put with a 37-6.5. Okemgbo was also the MVP for throwing events at districts.

She also qualified in the triple jump with a second place - by just 3 1/2 inches - to Freeman's Nicole DuPont landing at 33 feet, 6 1/2 inches.

Strong winds may have hampered Okemgbo's effort in the javelin where she won multiple times during invitational and league competition.

Autumn Trout will race in the 200 meters following a second place at 27.10 seconds to Lakeside's Lainee Higgins (26.96). Trout also was named the most valuable sprinter in the Northeast A League.

And while Makalia McKenny finished fourth in the 100 meter hurdles her PR of 16.47 seconds was exactly on the state standard, earning her the state trip.

Hayden Luzier's personal record 2 minute, 4.44 second time in the 800 meters qualified him for state as did Chuks Okemgbo in the high jump with a runner-up 5-10.

Those on the outside looking in included Trout in the 100 who was third in a time of 13.35 but needed a state standard 12.97 to still qualify.

Mya Gardner was third in the 800 with a 2:31.22 PR where a 2:23.06 would have qualified her. Kaylee Denler had a pair of thirds in both the 1,600 (5:38.54 PR) and 3,200 meters (12:23.22) where 5:15.47 and 11:24.90​​ were required to advance.

Nakai Ornelas finished third in the 3,200 with a PR of 9:57.45, needing a 9:54.70 to reach state. His 4:36.74 and fourth place in the 1,600 needed to be trimmed to 4:31.19.

Aiden Murillo's 53.09 and a PR, good for third in the 400 but needed a 51.73.

"Some of those kids were just inches away from state with their finishes," head coach Gene Blankenship said.