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Call Blair Collins the accidental champion, if you will.
Collins, a Royal junior, didn't turn out for the track team until this year, forsaking his preferred sport -- golf -- because he figured running and jumping would better prepare him for football next fall.
He still isn't a big fan of his newly adopted sport, but he is liking his results. Collins won SCAC district titles in the 100 meters, long jump and high jump last week and will be a favorite in all three events at the 2A/1A state meet starting Friday in Tacoma.
"I really didn't know how well I was going to do," Collins said. "I just figured I'd try it out and see what happens."
Collins averages shooting around 100 at Royal City Golf Course and was the No. 4 golfer for the Knights last year.
A 6-foot, 150-pound receiver on the football team, he caught 18 passes for 444 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season (second-best on the team) and had five catches for 87 yards and a TD in Royal's 28-16 victory over Connell in the 1A state championship game.
"He's just an incredible athlete," said Royal track coach Lyndsy Roberts. "He could do just about anything he wanted on the track and be successful."
Roberts and a couple assistants worked on convincing Collins that track was the best thing for his burgeoning football career. Having his girlfriend, Erika Guerrero, running middle distances didn't hurt, either.
"She really didn't try to convince me too much," Collins said. "She just thought I'd like it and should try it out."
Collins didn't have an idea of which events he should try but quickly gravitated toward the 100 and the two jumps. He's lost only once all year in the 100 and the long jump.
He jumped 21 feet, 9 inches to win the district title in the long jump -- the best mark in the 1A field for this week's state meet.
His season-best of 11.18 seconds in the 100 is No. 2 in the 1A state rankings, and he's also among the state leaders in the high jump with a best of 6-0.
Still, success hasn't made him fall in love with track.
"No, not really," he said matter-of-factly. "All the events aren't that exciting. The practices, all that running is not my favorite thing to do. I'm just doing it to stay in shape for football."
But he's quick to add, "Yeah, I'll probably do it again next year."
* Rene Ferran: 582-1526; rferran@tricityherald.com.
2A/1A track
When: Friday and Saturday.
Where: Mount Tahoma HS, Tacoma.
State qualifiers
2A Boys
Grandview (3): Jose Mendez, jr. (3200); Joseph Babcock, jr. (triple jump); Keagan Christensen, sr. (discus).
Othello (2): Alvaro Barajas, soph. (discus); Robert Valdez, sr. (javelin).
Prosser (4): Cody Bruns, sr. (200, 400); Cade Wandling, sr. (200, 400); 4x100; 4x400.
2A Girls
Grandview (2): Anna George, sr. (shot, discus, javelin); 4x200.
Othello (3): Courtney Kirkwood, sr. (200, 100H, long jump, javelin); Allison Walker, jr. (high jump, triple jump); Tiffany Martinez, soph. (shot, discus).
Prosser (3): Jordan Brown, sr. (100, long jump); Sara Galliway, jr. (300H); Ana Zapien, jr. (discus).
1A Boys
Columbia (Burbank) (2): Tim Maine, sr. (100, 200, 400); 4x400.
Connell (7): Brett Clyde, sr. (200); Jase Eskildsen, sr. (400); Reid Empey, soph. (800); Colton Riner, jr. (long jump); Spencer Hadley, sr. (shot, discus, javelin); Daniel Cuello, sr. (javelin); 4x100.
Kiona-Benton (6): Cameron Robertson, sr. (1600, 3200); Jose Marcial, jr. (1600, 3200); David Tobin, jr. (pole vault); Troy Cunningham, sr. (pole vault); Ryan Wolfe, sr. (discus); 4x400.
River View (3): Luke Conley, sr. (110H); Cody Pierce, jr. (300H); Mike Ledgerwood, sr. (javelin); 4x100.
Royal (6): Blair Collins, jr. (100, high jump, long jump); Luke Tonnemaker, sr. (1600); Ethan Tonnemaker, fr. (3200); Jordan DeLay, jr. (300H); Austin Allred, sr. (pole vault, long jump); 4x100.
Wahluke (2): Lalo Mendoza, jr. (110H); Lars Leland, sr. (110H).
1A Girls
Columbia (Burbank) (2): 4x100; 4x400.
Connell (10): Melissa Gibbons, jr. (3200); Brianna Casper, soph. (100H, 300H); Jessica Casper, sr. (100H, 300H); Kendall Taylor, fr. (high jump); Sarah McGary, soph. (pole vault); KieOsha Avery, jr. (shot, javelin); Maci Whitby, fr. (discus); Kaitlan Eppich, sr. (javelin); 4x100; 4x400.
Kiona-Benton (6): Whitney Leavitt, jr. (100, 200, high jump); Emily Blizard, soph. (400); Katharine Lotze, jr. (100H, 300H, triple jump); Giselle Kauer, sr. (pole vault); Alice Meroni, sr. (pole vault); 4x200.
River View (1): Becky Flores, jr. (800).
Royal (3): Cierra Miller, jr. (200, 400); Lydia McCubbins, sr. (800, 1600, 3200); 4x400.
2B/1B track
When: Friday and Saturday.
Where: Eastern Washington University, Cheney.
State qualifiers
2B Boys
Dayton (1): Eric Fulbright, sr. (long jump).
DeSales (2): John Notturno, jr. (pole vault); Mike Gibbs, sr. (pole vault).
Lind-Ritzville (12): Alex Pfeifer, sr. (400, 800); Jordan Bilodeaux, jr. (110H, 300H); Erik Hille, sr. (shot, discus); Casey Rios, jr. (discus); Matt Saetre, sr. (javelin); David Ortiz, jr. (javelin); Cory Whitmore, jr. (high jump); Steven Steinberger, fr. (pole vault); Micah Brown, fr. (pole vault); Marshall Fryberger, soph. (pole vault); 4x100; 4x400.
Waitsburg-Prescott (12): Jace Zuger, soph. (100, 400); Zac Alexenko, soph. (200); Otis Montgomery, soph. (1600, 3200); Chris Carpenter, jr. (3200); Morgan Baker, jr. (110H, 300H); Josh Smith, soph. (300H); Ben Kiefel, soph. (shot); James Lehr, soph. (shot, discus); Tyson Cole, sr. (javelin); John Gertsch, sr. (javelin); 4x100; 4x400.
2B Girls
Dayton (3): Kellisa Owens, sr. (400, 100H, triple jump); Kelsey Warren, jr. (long jump, triple jump); 4x100.
DeSales (1): Beth Notturno, jr. (pole vault).
Lind-Ritzville (9): Courtney Flynn, jr. (200); Suzanne Gust, jr. (300H); Heather Hunt, sr. (discus); Kelsey Arlt, soph. (discus); Jillian Pflugrath, jr. (high jump, pole vault); Andrea Cox, soph. (pole vault); Lauren Gust, fr. (pole vault); 4x100; 4x200.
Walla Walla Valley (1): Laura Jacobsen, jr. (high jump).
Waitsburg-Prescott (9): Stacy Potter, jr. (100, 200); Maya Garcia, soph. (800); Isabela Benito, fr. (3200); Alyssa Hafen, fr. (300H); Caris Cole, jr. (shot, javelin); Genesis Pearson, fr. (discus); Sara Lapape, fr. (pole vault); 4x200; 4x400.
1B Boys
Bickleton (4): Andrew Venema, jr. (110H, 300H, high jump); Cody Loomis, sr. (long jump); Eric Hess, sr. (shot, discus); Patrick Maeder, jr. (pole vault).
Columbia Basin Secondary (5): Josh Conner, soph. (400); Ari Santiago, jr. (1600, 3200); Fabian Camacho, 8th (shot); Marcos Essex, sr. (800, discus); 4x400.
1B Girls
Bickleton (1): Star Kibby, fr. (pole vault).
