Effort leads to league title

Alissa Pudlitzke knows her high school track career is coming to an end in a month.

Every race has meaning, which she demonstrated in the 800-meters against Molly Beaman and Krystal Kaufman, of Skyview, and Savannah Craig, of Mountain View April 28, at Skyview High School.

Although she had already won the 1,600 an hour earlier, Pudlitzke wasn’t satisfied with her standing in fifth place after the first lap in the 800. The Camas Papermaker kicked it up a notch, passed Craig and caught up to Kaufman and Beaman on the final turn. With her legs on fire and still 100 meters to go, Pudlitzke found a fifth gear and crossed the finish line in first place with a personal best time of 2 minutes, 18 seconds.

“I wanted to give all I had left for my team. Two points could be the difference between winning and losing this meet,” Pudlitzke said. “You think about how bad it hurts, but once you cross that finish line, you feel nothing but happiness. The pride of it all is worth more than the pain that you feel.”

Effort by all of the Papermakers helped the Camas girls track and field team beat Skyview 78-71 and Mountain View 100-37. The girls went undefeated in league meets.

Jordan Davis won all four of her events for the Papermakers April 28. She clinched first place in the 100 hurdles, with a personal best time of 14.43 seconds, and the 300 hurdles, in 53.98 seconds. Tamaki Murata, Karsyn Quade, Rachel Gray and Davis finished first in the 400 relay (50.56) and the 800 relay (1:47). Nikki Corbett took first place in the discus (128 feet, 9 inches) and shot put (35-11). She also snagged second place in the javelin (95-3).

Kaylee Merritt earned first place in the 3,200 (11:53) and Caleigh Lofstead leaped 11 feet to win the pole vault. Quade snatched first in the 100 dash (12.77) and second in the 200 (26.91).

Murata took second in the 100 hurdles with a personal best time of 14.83 seconds. Madison Peffers finished second on the high jump (4-10) and Jacqueline Purwins placed second in the triple jump (29-2.5). Maddie Woodson grabbed third place in the 1,600 (5:12) and fourth place in the 800 (2:23).

The Camas boys beat Mountain View, but suffered their first loss to Skyview. Ryan Gunther won three of his four events. He finished in first place in the 110 hurdles (14.64) and the 300 hurdles (41.28). Alex Davis, David Monarrez, Gunther and Cole Zarcone clinched first place in the 400 relay (44.64).

Adam Ryan snagged first place in the 400 (50.60). Ryan, Cade Greseth, Dustin Zimmerly and Said Guermali gained first place in the 1,600 relay (3:30). Guermali (1:56.68) and Zimmerly (1:57.45) earned first and second place in the 800. Yacine Guermali claimed first place in the 3,200 (9:58) and second place in the 1,600 (4:29). Isiah Ephraim placed second in the 300 hurdles (42.0), Greseth took third in the 400 (52.56) and Zarcone notched third in the 100 (11.13).

The Camas girls rose to second place at the 36-school Jesuit Relays Friday, in Beaverton, Ore. Emma Jenkins earned first place in the 1,500 with a time of 4:42.66. Woodson took third place (4:45.95) and Emily Wilson claimed fifth place (4:48.73). Lofstead soared to first place on the pole vault (12-6).

Davis gained second place on the 100 hurdles (15.11). Murata, Quade, Gray and Davis snagged second place in the 800 relay (1:45.48). Woodson, Ellie Postma, Jenkins and Pudlitzke took second place in the distance medley relay (12:16.42). Corbett notched second place in the discus (127-11) and fifth place in the shot put (37-10.5).

The Camas boys settled for 10th place against 47 other schools. Ryan, Greseth, Said Guermali and Zimmerly won the 3,200 relay with a personal best time of 7:52.31. Yacine Guermali grabbed second place in the 3,000 run (8:40.20) and Gunther took third place in the 110 hurdles (14.68). Taryk Boyd, Ephraim, Greseth and Yacine Guermali earned eighth place in the distance medley relay (10:47.70).

Camas hosts Columbia River Wednesday. Events start at 3:30 p.m.

The 4A district meet is May 10 and 11, at McKenzie Stadium. The top two athletes and relay teams in each event advance to state May 28 to 30, at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.