Submitted by Pope John Paul II High School
Pope John Paul II High School delivered one of the greatest performances in school history at the 2026 WIAA 1B State Track & Field Championships, as the Eagles captured a share of the Girls State Championship, placed third in the Boys Team Competition, and brought home four individual state titles.
Led by Washington State Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame Coach Larry Weber, the Eagles earned state championships, school records, podium finishes, and historic achievements across nearly every area of the meet. When the final team scores were tallied, the JPII girls stood atop the podium as Co-State Champions alongside Naselle, earning the title of reigning WIAA 1B State Champions.
The weekend belonged in large part to juniors Ruby Henry and Kevin Hu, who combined for four individual state championships and established themselves among the most accomplished athletes in school history.
Ruby Henry captured her third consecutive state championship in the 1600 meters before delivering one of the most dominant performances of the entire meet in the 3200 meters. Winning by more than 30 seconds, Ruby claimed her third consecutive 3200-meter state title while breaking the WIAA 1B State Meet Record. With the victory, Ruby became the most decorated state track and field athlete in Thurston County history. Her latest championships add to an extraordinary career that has seen her consistently excel on the state’s biggest stage while helping establish JPII as one of Washington’s premier distance-running programs.
“I am so grateful to God for this opportunity and experience,” Ruby said. “I could not have done it without my parents, coaches, and teammates. I’m looking forward to senior year and seeing what our team can do next.”
Kevin Hu matched Ruby’s championship performance on the boys’ side. After winning the 1600-meter title, he returned to claim the 800-meter state championship and finish second in a tightly contested 3200-meter final. Earlier this school year, Kevin also captured the Washington State Cross Country Championship, completing one of the most impressive individual seasons ever produced by a JPII athlete.
The Eagles’ success extended far beyond their two headliners. Liam Outlaw delivered one of the most exciting performances of the meet, unleashing a tremendous final lap to surge into third place in the 3200 meters. Senior Lathan Piper concluded his outstanding high school career with a seventh-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles and fourth place in the 300-meter hurdles after breaking his own school record in the event during preliminaries.The boys’ 4×400-meter relay team of Luis Cabrera Geranimo, Piper, Outlaw, and Hu earned fourth place and valuable team points.
On the girls’ side, Amy Kondrat earned state runner-up honors in the 300-meter hurdles for the second consecutive year and Lily Warne-McGraw captured third place in the 800 meters. The girls continued their dominance in the distance events, with Warne-McGraw placing sixth, Isla Valpiani finishing second, and Henry winning the 3200-meter championship. The girls’ 4×400-meter relay team of Shaina Verona, Warne-McGraw, Henry, and Kondrat capped the meet with a third-place finish that helped secure the team title.
Coach Larry Weber reflected on the historic weekend. “To watch these young men and women compete with such courage, grit, and grace on the biggest stage in our state is one of the greatest privileges of my coaching life,” Weber said. “Our girls are 2026 Washington State Co-Champions, and our boys stood on the podium with a third-place finish — I could not be more proud of either group.”
“Championships are won long before the starting gun fires. They are won in the unseen hours of preparation, in difficult workouts, in moments when faith carried them further than legs alone ever could. None of this happens without parents who believed in this program, assistant coaches who gave sacrificially of their time and hearts, and a community that lifts us every single day. And none of it — not one step, not one finish line, not one championship — happens without God. He is the source of every strength we have. Philippians 4:13 has never felt more alive than it does today.”
