When it comes to 4A track and field titles, Tahoma’s girls are tops again

The Tahoma High School girls made this very clear Saturday afternoon in Tacoma — they own the Class 4A track and field championships.

Behind a dominant three-day performance, which included state titles in five events, the Bears claimed their second consecutive team crown at Mount Tahoma High School.

Tahoma scored a mind-blowing 93 points in the team race, and held a lead that was nearing 50 points midway through the final day.

Its next closest competitor was runner-up Issaquah with 51 points, while Curtis took third with 50.

“We knew if we stuck together and pulled through, we would all win,” Tahoma junior Aliya Wilson said. “I didn’t know were were going to win by that much. I’m so proud of our team.”

Early on in Saturday’s finals, Wilson successfully defended her title in the 100-meters, crossing in 11.96 seconds and just ahead of her twin sister Alisha (12.03).

“It was definitely a goal (to repeat),” Alisha Wilson said. “I knew my sister was coming up on me. I knew I couldn’t lose to her, but I want to push her.”

That seems to be what all of Tahoma’s sprinters do for each other.

Alisha Wilson won another individual title in the 200 in 24.43 seconds, and this time with Tahoma freshman Adaji Osaro-Igwe (24.55) in close pursuit.

“At practice we push each other,” Alisha Wilson said. “We push each other to the point where we can win state, and all stand on that top-eight podium, which is great.”

Tahoma also defended its title in the 4x100 relay (46.77), which is comprised of the two Wilson sisters, Osaro-Igwe and sophomore Alaina Brady.

The Bears topped Kentwood by more than a second, and just missed breaking the all-time Washington record (46.07) their squad set a season ago.

Brady and Alisha Wilson won Tahoma’s other two individual titles Friday.

Brady upset defending champion Karlee Stueckle of Emerald Ridge in the 100 hurdles (14.16).

And Alisha Wilson picked up a big win over favored Monroe freshman Hannah Ganashamoorthy in the long jump (19 feet, 2 inches).

Get used to it. The Bears don’t lose any of their heavy-hitters to graduation.

“It’s amazing,” Alisha Wilson said of the back-to-back team title wins. “It feels great. And we want to do it next year.”

Curtis made a late push in the 4A triple jump — sending four of the top five jumpers in the event to the podium — but Tahoma was far out of reach by then.

Though, Vikings senior Lexi Ellis reset her own all-time Washington record in the triple jump, popping off for 43-6 on her first attempt.

“It just felt really smooth — that’s always the word I use when it goes well,” Ellis said. “It was a great jump.”

The Oregon signee passed her previous meet record in the event (41-8 1/4) on all six of her jumps.

Ellis’ winning leap earned her back-to-back triple jump titles, and beat her previous all-time record of 43-5, set just over a week ago in Kent.

“I have no words,” Ellis said. “I’m so happy with how it turned out, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Gig Harbor swept the team titles in 3A.

The boys team put up 72 points to beat second-place Kamiakin, while the girls’ 55 1/2 points were enough to hold off North Central (49 points) and Mercer Island (46).

“This was like a wildfire,” Gig Harbor coach Kevin Eager said. “I told them, I’ve been on teams before — going back to when I coached at PLU — that would go through conference or nationals, and they would feed off each other.”

Jurrian Hering won a 110 hurdles title (14.21) for the boys, while the 4x400 relay team of Kellen Gregory, Peter Smith, Ian Steuk and Mark Kimball (3:19.24) ended the meet with a bang.

Hannah Carroll won two titles for the Tides girls in the 200 (25.0) and 400 (55.38), while Hadassah Ward won her third consecutive title in the shot put (45-5 1/2).

The 4x100 relay of Carroll, Maya Hodder, Ashley Aldrige and Tatum Griffin (48.67) also notched a win.

“It’d just be like, ‘Now it’s my turn, now it’s my turn, now it’s my turn.’ Instaed of getting nervous, they start to look at it as opportunity, not pressure,” Eager continued.

“That’s what you saw today. It’s hard to do that and have nothing go wrong. It’s remarkable.”

The Fife girls were the fourth local team winner, edging Anacortes in the 2A girls race, 45-55.

There was a four-way tie for first in the 4A boys team race between Bothell, Issaquah, Camas and Chiawana, which all scored 37 points.

Walla Walla was a not-so-distant fifth with 36 1/2.

Cheney won its second consecutive 2A boys team title with 55 points over Ridgefield.

South Sound schools produced 32 winners in individual in relay events at the 4A/3A/2A championships in Mount Tahoma, and six more at the 1A/2B/1B championships at Eastern Washington University.

The Northewst Christian of Lacey girls successfully defended their 2B team title, 70-64, over Saint George's.

This story was originally published May 27, 2018 at 5:17 AM with the headline "When it comes to 4A track and field titles, Tahoma’s girls are tops again."