Weeda places second in 1A State finals

Blaine senior Josiah Weeda placed second in both hurdle events in the 1A State Championships in Yakima on May 31, turning in the best performance from a Borderite on the weekend.

Nine Blaine athletes competed in seven events at the state championship meet, capping off a year of huge improvements for the entire track and field program in Blaine.

First-year head coach Roberto Aguilera said this group of state competitors set a great example for the underclassmen behind them.

“They’re all returners, which was phenomenal,” Aguilera said of the nine state competitors who returned for a new season under a new head coach. “It shows their growth and their willingness to exceed in the sport. They’re willing to show up, commit as a group, and influence the younger generation.”

Kaitlyn Ritter Von Trautmann finished 11th in the 200-meter preliminary round with a time of 26.82. Brietta Sandell finished 15th in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 50.12.

Teia Dube placed 13th in the high jump finals, finishing with a high of 4’ 8”, and the girls 4x100-meter relay team of of Sandell, Dube, Ritter Von Trautmann and Juliana Zuzarte finished 15th overall with a time of 51.61.

The boys 4x100-meter relay team of Colby Shipp, Dylan Johnson, Jaiden Paez and Beckum Bleazard finished 11th in the preliminary round with a time of 44.7.

“We always want them to go as far as they possibly can as a team. Especially in the relays, they have to work together,” Aguilera said. “The communication with handing off a baton is so powerful. This year they had great communication and great handoffs.”

Weeda’s performance at state follows dominating the regular season and finishing with a pair of 1A District 1/2 wins in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles last week.

Weeda set a personal record (PR) in the 110-meter finals with a time of 14.74, but was defeated by junior Xander Timmons, of Bush, with a time of 14.65. In the 300-meter hurdles, Weeda set a PR in the preliminary round with a blazing-fast 39.2 time, and finished second in the final with a time of 39.8, missing first place to King’s senior Jack Stringham at 38.98.

It was Weeda’s season goal to win a state championship, Aguilera said. Watching him come fractions of a second shy of the goal was heartbreaking for the head coach, but Aguilera said he was proud of the senior for his intense commitment all year.

“We always want to strive to be a state champ. Every single morning, he would reassure himself with his head up high that he was going to be a state champ, that he has what it takes,” Aguilera said. “We feed off of that. He’s a prime example of what we would like from the majority of our athletes in track and field or any other program at Blaine.”