4A/3A/2A State Track and Field: Kelso's Jordyn Robarge caps career with 3A girls shot put title
May 28-TACOMA - Under the blazing afternoon sun at Mount Tahoma High School, Kelso High senior Jordyn Robarge saved the best performance of her career for the biggest stage.
The future Western Washington University thrower delivered a dominant and consistent series Thursday at the opening day of the 4A, 3A and 2A Washington state track and field championships in the 3A girls shot put, uncorking a competition-best throw of 41 feet, 9.75 inches to capture her first state title. She's believed to be the first Kelso girls shot putter to be crowned a state champion in program history.
"It just feels great," Robarge said afterward. "It feels like all the hard work I put in to get to this moment."
The top three throwers in the competition all surpassed 41 feet, and Robarge's best throw topped runner-up Suri Sardinia of Peninsula by 5 inches (41-4.75). For Robarge, it's the third time this spring the senior surpassed the 41-foot barrier, but not since March. She said improved speed work in practice leading up to state helped unlock one of the best meets of her life. All six of her attempts were 40 feet or better.
"I just felt good the whole day," Robarge said. "I felt like it was going to be a good day."
Robarge's title highlighted a strong opening day filled with a number of standout performances.
Camas' Ella Thompson closed out her final high school meet with a runner-up finish in the 4A girls javelin after launching a throw of 136-3 in the preliminaries. It's just short of her all-time best set last season, and the second time she's surpassed the 130-foot mark this spring.
Thompson, a University of Miami volleyball signee, admitted the emotions of her final high track and field meet only fueled her breakthrough throw. Her mark pushed her from eighth place to second. She'll also compete in the 4A girls high jump Friday.
"I really just did it for my coach," Thompson said. "He's coached me since sixth grade."
Her Thursday performance was even more impressive considering Thompson spent the days leading up to the state meet at an adult nationals volleyball tournament in Orlando, Fla., where she and her sister won a championship together.
In spite of missing track practice all week because of volleyball, Thompson said she felt that gave her an edge.
"It's just switching between volleyball to track," she said, "I think honestly it prepared me mentally to compete out there with everyone."
Koch hits 4-second PR, places third in 4A girls 1,600
Ella Koch was all smiles after crossing the finish line in 4 minutes, 53.13 seconds in the 4A girls 1,600 meters to place third. Her time is a nearly 4-second personal best, surging past two runners over the final 80 meters to earn a top-three placing.
Koch had not raced on the Mount Tahoma track since competing in both the 1600 and 3200 as a sophomore. Last year, she missed the second half of the season because of a stress fracture, making Thursday's breakthrough performance even more meaningful.
"So it's really cool to come back and compete at such a high level," she said.
Koch will return Saturday for the 3200, where she owns the second-fastest seed time in the field.
AROUND THE TRACK (AND FIELD): Camas' Cohen Butler's second-fastest 1,600 time earned the University of Washington-bound senior a third-place finish in the event (4:07.42). He'll also compete in Saturday's 3200 one week after running an 8:44 at regionals. The 4A meet record is 8:46. .... Washougal's Travis Lundberg earned fourth place in the 2A boys discus behind a 164-7, his second-best throw of the season. The Washougal school record holder threw 167-3 earlier this spring. Three of Lundberg's throws surpassed 160 feet and called his senior season rewarding. "It's been awesome. That was the goal - the school record - and fourth at state tops it off."
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