Five Blaine track athletes headed to state

Porter Schmidt throws the shot puton March 15 at Blaine High School. Schmidt will throw shot put at the state championship on May 24-26. Photos by Janell Kortlever.

By Oliver Lazenby

Five Blaine athletes are going to the state track and field championships this weekend after qualifying at the district tournament on May 18 at Lakewood High School in Arlington.

Dalton Mouw, Porter Schmidt, Ben Caro, Josie Deming and Rani Prasad all qualified by placing fourth or better in their events.

Josie Deming throws the discus at Blaine High School. Deming is headed to the state championship for discus and javelin.

For the boys, Mouw placed fourth in the 200 meters in 22.77 seconds and second in 400 meters at 51.65 seconds; Schmidt placed second in shot put with a 51-foot, 4-inch throw – a personal best; Ben Caro placed first in 100 meter wheelchair in 36.26 seconds, a personal best, and first in wheelchair discus at 25 feet, 5 inches.

On the girls side, Rani Prasad placed second in shot put at 39 feet, 3.25 inches and second in discus at 135 feet, 11 inches. Josie Deming placed third in javelin with a throw of 119 feet, 8 inches and fourth in discus at 105 feet, 3 inches.

A few Blaine athletes came up just short of qualifying. Ayanna Holguin placed fifth in the 400 meters in 1:01.01, a personal best. Isaiah Russ placed sixth in the 300-meter hurdles in 43.22 seconds.

The state track and field championship is Thursday-Saturday, May 24-26 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.