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3 performances you should not have missed at Star Track, the WIAA state track and field championships in Tacoma, Day 1

Yelm's Brayden Platt, one of the state' top football recruits in 2024, set a personal-best in winning the Class 3A shot put at 61 feet, 6 inches
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TACOMA - The weather failed to fully cooperate, presenting cool and damp conditions. Still, many of the performances proved plenty warm on the abbreviated first day of the Class 2A/3A/4A state track and field meet – better known as Star Track – at Mount Tahoma Stadium on Thursday.

The first full day of competition will kick off with the Class 3A girls pole vault Friday morning, one of the early slate of field event finals that will begin Day 2. On Day 1, two meet records fell, a top qualifier got beat at the finish line, and two pairs of competitors gave the crowd a close finish for a title and set up what should be another potential photo finish.

The anticipation will have about 36 hours to marinate on that last item.

CLASS 2A RECORD BREAKERS HURDLING EACH OTHER

Andre Korbmacher already owned the all-time Washington state record in the 110 meters high hurdles when he arrived in Tacoma for Thursday afternoon’s state preliminary heats in the event. The Squalicum junior ran 13.63 seconds at the District 1/2 Championships just a week ago to lower the previous mark of 13.84 set by Daniel Zwanda of Steilacoom in 2013.

He added a new Class 2A state meet record, running away with Heat 1 on Thursday in 14.02 seconds. That beat the old meet record of 14.07, also set in 2013, by White River’s Devin Liebel.

In both cases, Korbmacher had close company from a close friend – Sehome’s Carter Birade. At the district meet, Birade went well under Zwanda’s record, as well, at 13.69. In Heat 2 at the state meet, Birade cruised into Saturday’s 11:45 a.m. finals in a Liebel-tying 14.07.

"We knew that going into this, it was going to be a good race in the finals," Birade said. "I’ve cut down like .3 in the last two weeks in my time, so before I would never have imagined I’d even be close to him."

The district rivals actually train together out of the high school season at the RSG club. This weekend, beginning Thursday afternoon, it is all about competing for a state title. And that quest began with solid, and safe, prelim performances.

"Just a nice, healthy race," Korbmacher said. "You want to get in, get a good lane and then into the finals. He was really close to me in districts. I’m a little nervous."

Both likely will go much closer to the 13.6s they ran at districts.

"The conditions aren’t the best (Thursday)," Birade said. "Don’t really waste any emotional energy on this one. Just be ready for the final."

REVERSING THEIR FORTUNES IN FEDERAL WAY

Last week at the District 3/4 meet in Kent, Federal Way’s Esther Akinlosotu finished atop the podium in the Class 4A girls triple jump, ahead of her Eagles teammate Cassandra Atkins in second place. That result was a reversal of the pair’s earlier bi-district 1-2 finish in the long jump, won by Atkins.

On Thursday afternoon at the state meet, Atkins reversed the order again. The pair of Eagles still remained ahead of the rest of the state, again going 1-2 in the triple jump.

But it was Atkins and her leap of 38 feet, 11/2 inches that grabbed away the title. Akinlosotu was just over an inch behind at 38-01/4.

"I really didn’t think I was going to win it," said Atkins, a sophomore, as she nodded toward her senior teammate. "That event is her thing."

The two will go head-to-head one more time Friday afternoon when they compete as the top two qualifiers in the Class 4A girls long jump at 1:50 p.m.

"We’re always getting better," Akinlosotu said. "We always do the same things. We go head-to-head. We like each other. We push each other so we can do our best."

"We’ve known each other practically our whole lives," Atkins added. "We’re pretty much like sisters at this point."

BRAYDEN PLATT TAKES ANOTHER STEP IN SHOT PUT

Victory already had been assured. That freed Yelm's Brayden Platt when he stepped up to take his final throw in the Class 3A state shot put competition.

The sophomore that last fall emerged as a prime football recruit for the class of 2024 followed that by reaching the semifinals at 285 pounds at Mat Classic and taking third, then threw a personal record and state-best of 59-61/2 on his second throw in the shot put Thursday.

That mark was good enough to win the 3A title as Platt stepped into the circle to take his final attempt. But Platt had one more feat in him, and he broke above the 60-foot barrier with another new personal record of 61-6.

"It’s incredible," Platt said. "As a sophomore, I came into the year wanting to do 60 (feet). I’m just going gradually keep working up, working up."

Platt has set the stage for a run at the meet record over the next two seasons. Mike Shill’s mark of 64-7 for East Valley of Spokane is one of the oldest meet records remaining, having been set back in 1980.

"I knew that I had already won," Platt said. "That adrenaline pushed me to throw that far."

Platt said it helped that the shot put was held early in the afternoon before the weather turned its ugliest and the rain started to come down steadily.

"The weather actually was pretty good," Platt said. "I was feeling it."

Platt can add to his 2021-22 haul on Saturday afternoon when he competes in the discus.

Odds and Ends

The only other record to fall on Thursday came in the Class 2A boys 1,600 meters, where Cooper Quigley from Selah ran 4:08.89. That eclipsed the previous meet record of 4:10.79 set by Marcus Dickson of White River in 2012.

In the 3A race, Arlington’s Aiden Emerson entered the final as the state leader in the event. Bishop Blanchet’s William Schneider clipped Emerson, 4:07.65 to 4:07.67, for the state title.

(All photos by Vince Miller)

PHOTO GALLERY

WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump) MAIN
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)
WIAA 2022 Star Track, state track at Mount Tahoma, Day 1 (3A boys long jump)