Mead High Wins 10th State Track Title in Thrilling Finish

When Mead High School's relay team stepped to the starting line Saturday, they trailed Olympia by six points and needed a miracle to win the Washington 4A state track championship.

They got their miracle from Aaron Pooler, whose gutsy final lap lifted the Panthers from third to second place. That was exactly what they needed to capture their 10th state title, edging Olympia by just two points with a time of 3:18.61 in the 4x400 relay.

"We knew it was going to be a dogfight," said Trevelle Jones, who ran the first leg alongside teammates Carter Williams, Jonah Wiser, and Pooler. "It came down to who really wanted it."

The championship capped an emotional day that started with senior Simon Rosselli dominating the discus competition. The Oregon-bound thrower won his third consecutive state title with a throw of 223 feet, 11 inches, breaking his own state meet record by more than 18 feet.

But Rosselli had his sights set higher. He'd been chasing Ryan Crouser's 2011 national record of 237-7 all season, and falling short stung despite his historic performance.

"I didn't do anything that I wanted to do this year," Rosselli said, wiping away tears. Still, his six throws all exceeded 209 feet, a feat no other Washington athlete has approached.

Five hours after his discus disappointment, Rosselli celebrated with his teammates as state champions. Coach James Lehr had prepared them for this moment, handing out new jerseys with a special symbol: 10 stars circling a capital M, with nine filled in and one empty.

The Panthers filled in that 10th star Saturday.

Why This Inspires

The day also brought redemption for Mt. Spokane's Nikko Alexander, who reclaimed the 400-meter title he won as a sophomore before injuries derailed his junior season. His 48.25-second victory felt "overwhelming" after two years of setbacks and prayer.

Junior Brycen Phillips won the 200-meter ambulatory title and dedicated his victory to wheelchair basketball coach Bob Hunt, who passed away earlier that week. Mt. Spokane's 4x400 relay team of hurdlers and cross country runners combined their talents to capture the 3A title in 3:20.19.

These young athletes showed that success isn't always measured by records or individual achievements, but by perseverance, teamwork, and showing up for something bigger than yourself.

Champions rise when it matters most, and on this Saturday in Tacoma, that's exactly what happened.