Pictured above, left: Coach Tori Sharpe and wrestler Hikaru Abe. Top right: Coach Alicia Green and gymnast Sarah Ellis. Bottom right: Coach Alyssa Manlow and swimmers Isaac Wooten, Rob Mead and Josh Bottelberghe.
Students from around the district earned spots in the top 10 at recent winter sport state championships. Congratulations to these student-athletes and their coaches!
Bowling
Madison Mollahan, bowling for Columbia River High School, finished ninth in the 1A/2A girls’ state tournament. River took home fourth place in the team competition, thanks to the efforts of Mollahan, Maddy Getz, Becca Gunderson, Emma McLean, Quinn Allen, Jenika Taylor and Mikayla Munger. Their varsity coach is Logan Burnett.
Reagan Lorey of Hudson’s Bay High School rolled to second place in the 3A girls’ state bowling tournament. Bay also captured second place in the team competition. Joining Lorey were Shaylie Westmorland, Erica Morley, Michayla Garden, Halie Martin, Jazzie Martin and Annalees Birchfield. The varsity coach is Pam Brisby.
Bailey Peters, bowling for Fort Vancouver High School, took fourth in the 3A tournament, followed by Fort teammate Maddison Durr in sixth place. Julie Pagel is their varsity coach.
Gymnastics
Columbia River High School’s Sarah Ellis captured the gold medal in beam and seventh in vault at the 2A/3A state gymnastics competition. Coached by Alicia Green, the team of Ellis, Morgan Fitzer, Samantha Hixson, Hanna Dyer, Julie Fergus, Natalie Garcia and Sierra Hayden landed in fifth place.
Wrestling
Hudson’s Bay High School also was represented at the state meet. In the 130 weight class of the girls’ competition, Allison Blaine grappled her way to third place. Her varsity coach is Kory Kanekoa. In the 3A boys’ championship, Jon McMillan of Hudson’s Bay finished in seventh place in the 138 weight class. Chad Ortiz is the boys’ wrestling varsity coach.
Three grapplers from Skyview High School found success in their respective weight classes. Hikaru Abe claimed the championship in the 105 weight class of the girls’ tournament. Jackson McKinney was second in the 182 weight class of the boys’ 4A tournament. Jennesee Sayler was sixth in the 170 weight class of the girls’ tournament. Dave Armstrong is the boys’ varsity coach. The girls’ varsity coach is Tori Sharpe.
Boys’ swimming and diving
In one of the school’s strongest showings at a boys’ state swimming meet, Columbia River High School darted to a fourth-place team finish in the 2A competition. Coached by Alyssa Manlow, the team also saw individual and relay wins and top finishes:
- Josh Bottelberghe: first in 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke, 2A swimmer of the meet
- Rob Mead: first in 100-yard freestyle and second in 100-yard backstroke
- Sam Walker: seventh in 500-yard freestyle
- Bottelberghe, Mead, Ben Phelps and Isaac Wooten: first in 200-yard freestyle relay
- Mead, Bottelberghe, Walker and Phelps: second in 200-yard medley relay