Led by the performances of standout juniors Amanda and Hana Moll, the Capital High School girls’ track and field team claimed first place at the Class 3A West Central District 3/Southwest District 4 championships at French Field in Kent.
The talented twins both cleared 14 feet in the pole vault to grab the top two spots in the event. Hana, who earned the pole vault title following tie-breaker procedures, also took home first in the 100 hurdles before later teaming up with her sister and sophomores Kora Landers and Adison Harrington to win the 4×100 relay.
The Cougars finished with 76 points. Capital’s 3A South Sound Conference rival Central Kitsap was second with 66 points. Kelso (56), Gig Harbor (53) and Bonney Lake (52) completed the top five in the girls’ team standings.
Yelm easily captured the overall boys’ team championship with a combined 95 points, getting individual titles from sophomores Isaiah Patterson (discus) and Brayden Platt (shot put), and dual titles from junior Trevontay Smith (high jump and triple jump).
The Tornados finished 20 points in front of runner-up Gig Harbor (75 points). Lakes (53), Silas (47) and Central Kitsap (41) rounded out the top five teams in the boys’ standings.
The top placers at the district meet advance to the state championship meet, which will be held May 26-28 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.
The Molls enter the 3A championships as the heavy favorites in the pole vault as the duo currently rank as the nation’s top two competitors in the event. Amanda holds the country’s top mark at 14-feet, 9.5 inches, set at the 94th annual Texas Clyde Littlefield Relays in March, while Hana is second national with her best performance of 14-feet 5.25 inches coming in April at the Oregon Relays.
Despite both clearing the 14-foot mark at the district championships, Hana earned the title after being the last to successfully clear the height.
Both will have a shot at breaking the state meet record of 14 feet, which was set by West Seattle’s Chloe Cunliffe.
“It’s so much fun to see how much of team athletes they are even as individual superstars,” Capital girls head coach Margret Dallas said about the Moll sisters. “They just bring a really positive culture to our team. They want to be part of that team unity. They want to ride the bus with their teammates. They want to hang out after practice. They are just so encouraging with everyone on this team, and we’re lucky to have them.”
The Molls will also challenge for individual state titles in two other events as Hana Moll added the 100 hurdle district title with a 3A state-best time of 14.69 seconds, while Amanda Moll placed second in the long jump (17-07.00).
“I think it’s really nice to have our own events because we’ve always been competing against each other,” Hana said. “This really is the first year we’re actually competing in different events.”
“It just kind of worked out that way,” Amanda said about the two each competing in different individual events this season. “Hurdles were hurting my shins earlier in the season so we just decided to divide and conquer.”
And they’ve done just that.
Hana’s third district championship came in the 4×100 relay as the Molls, Landers and Harrington stopped the clock in a state-best 49.12 seconds.
“I think it’s cool that I get to mix it up and participate in a team event as opposed to just being in an individual event,” Amanda said. “I love all the people in the relay.”
Landers also finished second in the 100 with a time of 12.37. Central Kitsap senior Kymeal Gaulden was first (12.11) and Timberline senior Destinee Robertson was third (12.47).
The Cougars will also send their 4×200 relay team to the state meet after Landers, senior Karina Greenlee, junior Lucy Heminway and sophomore Lilly Geuin placed third at districts (1:47.04).
Timberline senior Abigail Pedro was second the girls’ shot put (38-01.75) and fourth in the discus, while Yelm senior Isabelle Wright-Cloran finished third in the triple jump (35-08.50).
Over on the boys’ 3A championship meet, Yelm’s Smith won the high jump after clearing 6-01.00 before adding the triple jump crown with a jump of 44-10.00 to defeat runner-up Gage Pedro of Timberline who was second at 43-04.50.
Platt continued his stellar second season by winning the shot put (58-02.25) and finishing third to winner Patterson and runner-up Nathan Ivey of Capital in the discus. Patterson and Ivey both connected on PRs with Patterson winning the event with a throw of 146-01 and Ivey collecting second with 135-09. Platt, who posted 134-03 in the discus, also placed third in the javelin (166-03).
Yelm junior Kyler Ronquillo was second in both the 110 hurdles (14.62) and long jump (22-06.00). The Tornados also received a third place from senior Ryan Lange in the 800 (1:57.07) and a third from senior Pyreness Loertscher in the pole vault (13-03.00).
Capital junior Sean Jackson was first in the 400 (49.91) and joined Braxton Claridy, Oliver Suhrbier and Solid Heaston to place third in the 4×400 relay (3:28.08).
