Brayden Colombo, left, and Tyler Kirkman have been head-to-head in a friendly rivalry in the throwing events all season during their final year at Naselle High School. Both earned state medals last year, helping Naselle boys win the second-place team trophy. They qualified this year in the discus.

TACOMA — Naselle track coach Scott Smith is taking a busload of athletes to the WIAA state 1B championships this week.

Leading the charge are junior Derek Suomela and freshman Mylee Dunagan, who both qualified in four events.

At the regional 1B meet at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma on Thursday, Suomela won the 400 meters in a personal best time of 52.42. He placed second in long jump with 18-06.5, third in high jump with 5-06 and fourth in the 800m in 2:11.90.

Dunagan was second in high jump with 4-08, second in triple jump with 31-05.5 and fourth in long jump with 14-09; her fourth event is a relay.

In the discus, Comet seniors secured three of the top four places. Tyler Kirkman won with 121-09. Elmer Toftemark, a three-sport athlete at NHS in his final season, attended state as a relay alternate last year. This year he will compete in the discus, having placed third with a PR of 116-10. Fourth was Brayden Colombo with 116-09.

Junior Jacob Pakenen placed second in the pole vault with 11-0, close to his PR of 11-06 that he achieved the prior week. He set a PR in the long jump for third place, jumping 18-05.75.

Andy Rosas, an eighth grader, qualified in the triple jump with a PR of 35-07 and freshman Jason Gardner cleared 8-0 in the pole vault.

One boys relay team, the 4x100m, will appear at state featuring Toftemark, Pakenen, Gardner and senior Arvid Ross.

Senior Bella Colombo was second in pole vault with a PR of 8-09 and fourth in javelin with 105-05, also a PR.

Bella Dunagan, also a senior, tied for third in high jump with 4-6 and was fourth in pole vault with 7-0.

The Dunagan sisters teamed with Colombo and junior Desirae Gifford to place sixth in the 4x200m relay.

In team scores, Naselle boys placed third behind Evergreen Lutheran and Mossyrock; Comet girls were sixth out of 19 schools.

Last year at Cheney, Naselle boys earned the state second-place team trophy. This year’s WIAA 1B State Track Meet will be held at Eisenhower High School in Yakima May 25-27.

Viking pride

At the same meet, Willapa Valley High School girls had good performances, tying for first in team scores with Mount Vernon Christian.

Senior Lauren McGrath won the pole vault and placed second in javelin (she is the defending 1B champion in both events). Classmate Brooklyn Patrick won the 100m, 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles. Junior Emily Wilson won the 400m and was third in the 200m. Sophomore Sam Sheary won the shot put and was second in discus.