McRitchie, Degarimore, Tupolo add state track and field titles for West Sound schools

TACOMA — Not even a rain delay could dampen the spirits of Bainbridge senior pole vaulter Ella McRitchie during a record-setting Friday at the state track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School.

McRitchie looked every bit like the top female pole vaulter in the state while capturing the Class 3A title with a West Sound record mark of 14 feet, 3 inches. The winning height came after rain showers closed the jumping pits and sent McRitchie and eventual runner-up Ava Enriquez of Shorewood into the locker rooms for nearly 30 minutes.

"I knew I could jump high," McRitchie said. "The weather was a little unexpected, but I kind of like having a challenge like that. I think it keeps me focused."

Once competition resumed, McRitchie secured her title by clearing 13 feet, a height Enriquez failed to clear after three tries. That left McRitchie to see if she could better her winning mark and surpass her previous PR of 14 feet. She cleared 13-6 and 14-3 on her first attempts, respectively.

Then McRitchie had a decision. Try to clear 14-6, which would be the No. 1 mark among high school competitors across the nation this season, or try to break the state meet record of 14-7, set last year by former Capital High School and current UW pole vaulter Hana Moll.

McRitchie decided to aim high: "I'm going to go (14-8)."

She tried to clear 14-8 three times, but knocked the bar off on each attempt.

"The pole I used to get over 14-3 got too small, so I went for a bigger one," McRitchie said. "That pole didn't quite work unfortunately. The bend didn't quite work for me at the time."

There were no regrets from 3A's newest state champion, who'll compete at Harvard University after graduation.

"I just want to learn what I can improve upon," McRitchie said. "I think I do that when I'm at my limit."

McRitchie wasn't the only West Sound athlete to reach the top of the podium Friday. South Kitsap senior Grace Degarimore added her second state title in as many days, while North Mason junior Adrianna Tupolo became a first-time champion.

Following up on Thursday's record-setting performance in the 4A girls discus, Degarimore took first in the girls javelin by setting a new West Sound record. It wasn't a straightforward victory for the event's top seed as Degarimore was ranked eighth after three throws at 115-2, more than 16 feet behind the leading mark from Richland's Brooklyn Wroble.

"She scared us a little," South Kitsap track and field coach Paul Zimmer said.

Degarimore rebounded with a PR in the fifth round, reaching 136-3 break her own West Sound record of 135-5 achieved last week at districts. Entering the season, former Central Kitsap javelin thrower Grace Schenk owned the top West Sound mark at 134-6, set in 2021.

Only one throw rivaled Degarimore's winning mark as Eastlake's Addison Kapur came through with her best attempt of the day in the sixth and final round: 136 flat. Kapur finished second, while South Kitsap's Rylee Filbert placed eighth at 117-10.

In the 2A girls discus, Tupolo led after the first round as the event's top seed and topped out with her best throw in the third round: 121-5. The Bulldogs' standout, who set a PR of 125-2 at last week' district meet in Belfair, became the first North Mason female to win a state title since Leah Francis won a javelin title in 1994.

Other West Sound placers Friday at Mount Tahoma were Central Kitsap's Savannah Fourier in the 3A girls high jump (3rd, 5-2); Bainbridge's Claire Hungerford in the 3A 100 hurdles (4th, 16.02), Kingston's Leighton Menge in the 2A girls long jump (8th, 16-2.5) and 100 hurdles (7th, 16.97);

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: McRitchie, Degarimore, Tupolo grab Day 2 state track and field titles