Emerald Ridge’s JaiCieonna Gero-Holt runs to a state title in the 4A girls 100-meter hurdles during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Just minutes earlier, Gero-Holt won the high jump state title, giving her three state championships in two days.
Two more events, two more state titles for Emerald Ridge High School sophomore JaiCieonna Gero-Holt.
After winning the Class 4A girls championship in the javelin on Thursday’s opening day of the track and field state meet at Mount Tahoma Stadium, Gero-Holt earned repeat titles in the 100 hurdles and high jump Friday.
Gero-Holt has now competed in seven state events in her high school career. She’s won six of them, and reached the podium in all seven.
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“I feel good,” she said following her second win of the day in the hurdles early in the evening. “I’m learning each and every second that I step on this track. I’m happy that I have the opportunity to be able to be given the gift to come out here and do what I do.”
Gero-Holt entered the meet as the top high jumper statewide this spring at 5-11 3/4 — and also ranks fourth in the nation — and won Friday afternoon’s title at 5-10.
Emerald Ridge’s JaiCieonna Gero-Holt clears the bar en route to a state title in the 4A girls high jump during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Gero-Holt followed up the high jump victory with a state championship in the 4A girls 100-meter hurdles, her third state title of the weekend so far. Tony Overman [email protected]
Less than an hour later, she also defended last season’s title in the 100 hurdles. She entered the week as the top-ranked competitor statewide in the hurdles, too, posting a personal-best 14.44 earlier this month.
Gero-Holt took the top qualifying time from Thursday’s preliminaries into the finals, and was the only competitor in the 4A race to run sub-15 seconds Friday, repeating as the state champion with a winning time of 14.45.
That win brought her championship tally for this year’s meet to three following the win Thursday in the javelin with a personal-best 139-3, which also leads the state this spring.
Emerald Ridge’s JaiCieonna Gero-Holt throws the javelin en route to the 4A girls javelin state title during the opening day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Thursday, May 25, 2023. Tony Overman [email protected]
Gero-Holt has one event remaining Saturday in the 4A girls long jump. She is the defending champion in the event, and is ranked second statewide this spring, at 18-9 3/4.
“I’m going to go home, eat good, sleep well and I’m going to go out there and just do my best and leave it out there on the track,” she said.
Emerald Ridge leads the 4A girls team competition with seven of 18 events scored through two days of competition, including the three individual championships from Gero-Holt.
Capital’s Hana Moll goes up and over the bar en route to a a state title and new meet record of 14’ 7” during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Tony Overman [email protected]
MOLL SETS MEET RECORD
Capital senior Hana Moll already set the national outdoor record in the pole vault earlier this spring.
She posted a historic vault of 15-0 in April at the Arcadia Invitational in California, and her name has remained atop the national high school rankings since.
Friday afternoon, Moll added another record to her stellar season — resetting the 3A state meet best in the event, which was last set by her twin sister Amanda in 2022.
Moll entered Friday’s competition — which was without her sister and Bainbridge junior Ellie McRitchie, who are also ranked in the top 10 nationally — as the final competitor, and cleared 13-6, 14-0 and 14-7 on consecutive attempts.
“I’m really grateful for the season I’ve been able to have,” Moll said.
Capital’s Hana Moll goes up and over the bar en route to a a state title and new meet record of 14’ 7” during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Tony Overman [email protected]
The final vault was an inch higher than her sister’s state-record vault of 14-6 last spring, and lifted Moll to her first state championship in the event her final appearance at the state meet in Tacoma.
“It means a lot to me,” she said. “I’m really grateful to end in Washington.”
Moll has two more events ahead Saturday, running legs of the Cougars’ 4×100 and 4×200 relays.
Capital’s 4×100 relay was the top qualifier in Friday’s preliminaries at 48.64, and the 4×200 relay the No. 3 qualifier in Thursday’s preliminaries at 1:44.04.
Squalicum’s Andre Korbmacher runs to a state title in the 2A boys 110-meter high hurdles during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Tony Overman [email protected]
ALL-TIME STATE LEADER REPEATS
Make that five rings of the bell for Andre Korbmacher.
The Squalicum senior wrapped up his high school career Friday evening with a second consecutive championship in the 2A boys 110 hurdles, breaking the meet record in the event for the fourth time in two years.
“It’s really fun,” Korbmacher said. “I love how they ring the bell.”
He first posted a meet-record time in the event in last season’s preliminaries at 14.02, resetting the previous best set by White River’s Devin Liebel (14.07) in 2013.
Then he broke his own record in last year’s finals, winning the title at 13.83.
He reset it again in his preliminary heat Thursday with a top qualifying time of 13.8.
And again Friday evening in the final, repeating as the 2A champion in the race at 13.74.
Add in his record-setting run of 36.3 seconds in his 300 hurdles victory last season, and that makes five historic performances for Korbmacher the past two seasons in Tacoma.
Korbmacher, who is headed to Florida State, is only competing in the 110 hurdles at the state meet this season after returning in late April from injury, but finishes his career with four titles — two in the 110 hurdles, one in the 300 hurdles and one as a member of Squalicum’s 4×100 relay team last spring.
“Being able to come out and run the state meet record, and just be able to compete again is really special to me,” he said.
Korbmacher ends the season ranked sixth in the nation in the 110 hurdles after running a season-best 13.55 at the 2A Northwest District championship meet last weekend.
His personal-best 13.44 from last summer remains the top time for a high school hurdler in state history.
during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Tony Overman [email protected]
SOUTH SOUND CHAMPIONS
There were 22 event finals completed in the 4A, 3A and 2A competitions on Friday’s second day, and eight South Sound athletes won individual state championships.
▪ Olympia sophomore Cameron Downing won the 4A boys javelin at 176-0.
▪ Federal Way senior Roman Hutchinson won the 4A boys triple jump with a personal-best 47-7 1/4.
▪ Emerald Ridge sophomore JaiCieonna Gero-Holt won the 4A girls 100 hurdles at 14.45 and 4A girls high jump at 5-10.
▪ Lincoln senior Jonathan Frazier won the 3A boys 110 hurdles with a personal-best 14.23.
▪ Yelm junior Isaiah Patterson won the 3A boys discus with a personal-best 177-4.
▪ Yelm junior Jordan Lasher won the 3A boys pole vault at 15-6.
▪ Capital senior Hana Moll won the 3A girls pole vault with a meet-record 14-7.
▪ Orting sophomore Myquela Pride won the 2A girls 100 hurdles with a personal-best 15.68 and 2A girls triple jump with a personal-best 36-10 1/2.
Orting’s Myquela Pride leaps to a state title in the 2A girls triple jump during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Later in the day, Pride added a surprise state championship in the 2A girls 100-meter hurdles. Tony Overman [email protected]
LOOKING AHEAD
Six South Sound athletes and four relay teams posted the top qualifying times in their preliminary heats Friday.
Tahoma’s Brooke Lyons has the top qualifying times in the 4A girls 100 (11.9), 200 (24.59) and 400 (57).
Federal Way’s Marina Velasco Bono, Soukhanya Waters, Kira Angel Marshall and Cassandra Atkins have the top qualifying time in the 4A girls 4×100 relay (48.05).
Bonney Lake’s Cooper Wilson is the top qualifier in the 3A boys 100 (10.67) and 200 (21.8), while Frazier has the top qualifying time in 300 hurdles (38.4).
Gig Harbor’s 4×100 relay of Ayden Fink, Ben Stevens, Josiah O’Neill and Nick Grover has the top qualifying time in the 3A boys race (42.01).
Capital’s 4×100 relay of Lucy Heminway, Amanda Moll, Lily Geuin and Hana Moll has the top qualifying time in the 3A girls race (48.64).
Pride enters Saturday’s finals with the top time in the 2A girls 300 hurdles (45.72), while Tumwater’s Ava Jones (200, 25.63) and Annabelle Clapp (400, 59.1) also posted top times in the preliminary heats.
Clover Park’s Tyger Willingham, Isaac Lavelle, Eli Peters and Zakai Abdullah have the top qualifying time in the 2A boys 4×100 relay (42.66).
Burlington-Edison’s Bennett Howe lets out a roar after clearing the bar at 6” 7’ in the 2A boys high jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Howe earned the third-place medal on missed jumps after tying with Lynden’s Porter White and Tumwater’s Jayden Thomas at 6’ 7”. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Emerald Ridge’s JaiCieonna Gero-Holt clears the bar en route to a state title in the 4A girls high jump during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Gero-Holt followed up the high jump victory with a state championship in the 4A girls 100-meter hurdles, her third state title of the weekend so far. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Federal Way teammates Jaylon Jenkins (from left), Julian Gene Fortin and Roman Hutchinson leave the field after sweeping the top three spots in the 4A boys triple jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Hutchinson won the event, with Jenkins second and Fortin third. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Capital’s Hana Moll goes up and over the bar en route to a a state title and new meet record of 14’ 7” during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Yelm’s Trevontay Smith leaps to a second-place finish in the 3A boys long jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Emerald Ridge’s JaiCieonna Gero-Holt runs to a state title in the 4A girls 100-meter hurdles during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Just minutes earlier, Gero-Holt won the high jump state title, giving her three state championships in two days. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Orting’s Myquela Pride leaps to a state title in the 2A girls triple jump during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Later in the day, Pride added a surprise state championship in the 2A girls 100-meter hurdles. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Federal Way’s Roman Hutchinson leaps to a state title in the 4A boys triple jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Tumwater’s Jayden Thomas clears the bar en route to a second-place finish in the 2A boys high jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. Thomas earned the silver medal off missed attempts after tying with Lynden’s Porter White and Burlington-Edison’s Bennett Howe. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Capital’s Hana Moll goes up and over the bar en route to a a state title and new meet record of 14’ 7” during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Capital’s Hana Moll goes up and over the bar en route to a a state title and new meet record of 14’ 7” during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Squalicum’s Andre Korbmacher runs to a state title in the 2A boys 110-meter high hurdles during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Federal Way’s Roman Hutchinson leaps to a state title in the 4A boys triple jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Federal Way’s Jaylon Jenkins jumps to a second place finish in the 4A boys triple jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Federal Way’s Julian Gene Fortin jumps to a third-place finish in the 4A boys triple jump competition during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Lincoln’s Jediah Darrell throws the discus during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
Yelm’s Brayden Platt throws the discus during the second day of the WIAA state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Friday, May 26, 2023. By Tony Overman[email protected]
