State Girls Track and Field -- Star in the field: Jacoby triumphs in discus, takes second in long jump

May 29-YAKIMA - Challenge: Compete in all six field events during the 2026 season.

Challenger: Onalaska High School's Emalie Jacoby.

Side quest: Qualify in four field events for the state track and field championships.

Jacoby, to her own admission, is not a bad runner. Just last year she was a part of the Loggers 11th place 400-meter relay. She just enjoys what the field events have to offer.

"They're more my comfort zone," Jacoby stated.

She's found a cozy corner in Eastern Washington.

Jacoby became the first girls discus state champion in Onalaska history with a winning toss of 127 feet, 4 inches on Friday's day two of the Class 2B state meet at Zaepfel Stadium on the campus of Eisenhower High School.

It came after she finished runner-up in the long jump. It's the first time she's ended up on the podium in the Palm Springs of Washington with the triple jump and high jump still to come on Saturday.

"It felt really good," Jacoby said.

As a freshman at Davenport, Jacoby didn't do the discus much. She picked it up with four meets to go last season and missed qualifying for state by a handful of inches. Turns out, it ended up as the start of falling in love with the event.

It became a mainstay this spring, backed by a quench for knowledge, her coaches playing a significant role in her development and even teammate Ethan Thayer lending a hand.

As the results were finalized, Jacoby and Thayer stood next to her winning mark displayed on the board.

"It felt natural, felt smooth," Jacoby said. "The more I learned, the more I liked it."

In her last four victories - a league meet in Napavine, the C2BL and District 4 Championships and Friday - her best toss was over 120 feet.

"I finally relaxed and was like 'I don't have anything to lose,'" Jacoby said.

The long jump came down to the wire.

NW Christian's Rylie Rettedal claimed a half-inch triumph over Jacoby, 17-feet even to 16-11.50. A year after not making the finals in the long jump, Jacoby left with the silver medal.

Plus, all of her recorded jumps were over 16 feet, a mark she didn't hit at all as a sophomore.

"I felt a lot more calm that I can do this," Jacoby said. "That's the goal for next year is to consistently get into the 17s."

Rainier's Zaylee Bravo was the discus runner-up with a PR throw of 120-02. It's been a mark that's eluded her in meets despite routinely hitting it in practice. It caps her prep career with a second state medal.

"I was very happy, I am glad I got to experience this and placing top-two is super exciting," Bravo said. "I just wanted a PR. It was so rewarding, like a breath of fresh air. It is so nice to see my hard work pay off."

Up next for the Mountaineers standout post-high school is getting her master's degree at Olympia School of Advanced Skincare and a potential six-month mission trip. She is grateful for the track and field plus Rainier communities for making her the person she is today.

"It is such a close community," Bravo said. "I love that track provides that."

Also in the discus, MWP's Karah Fairhart took eighth and in the long jump, Toledo's Lily Cooper placed seventh. In the pole vault, Rainier's Emma Mankowski finished sixth.

The Timberwolves' Samantha Lougee launched an eight-foot PR throw in the javelin, 120-09, to register a fourth place performance. It's the first-ever state medal for the junior.

When the year started, she was at 90 feet and placed seventh at the Rainier Icebreaker. She had never come close to 120 until her third throw of the day.

"(My family) pushed me to be the best," Lougee said. "It was just in the moment. It showed that I can be better than what I was."

She'll be with White Pass next year and compete in the 1B's. Still, Lougee isn't viewing the change in competition any differently.

"It is just another track meet," Lougee said.

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