Magee wins third straight Class 2B state high jump title

The Bear Creek School senior Maddie Magee won her third straight Class 2B state high jump title over the weekend — and she did it in record fashion.

The Bear Creek School senior Maddie Magee won her third straight Class 2B state high jump title last weekend — and she did it in record fashion.

Magee uncorked a new Class 2B- and school-record mark, clearing a personal-best 5 feet, 9 inches in her final jump in a Bear Creek jersey at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

“As she got to her final attempt at 5-9 I had never seen her look so aggressive,” said Bear Creek track and field coach Scott Wright. “She didn’t even brush the bar. And for the first time I saw her burst with joy. What a way to end your high school career: Setting a state record on your last attempt.”

Magee also medaled in the long jump with a sixth-place finish (15-10.75) and ran a leg on Bear Creek’s bronze-medal 800 relay team.

“Maddie has been such a great athlete to coach,” Wright said. “Never to up or down, as I like to call it, she is just Maddie.”

Magee’s teammate Morgan Rial brought home four state medals with fourth-place finishes in the 300-meter hurdles and the 400 — considered two of the most grueling races. Rial ran a personal-best time of 1 minute, .36 seconds in the 400 and then about a half hour later raced to a personal-best time of 46.62 in the 300 hurdles. Rial was also a member of the 800 relay team and the 400 relay team, which placed fifth.

“It was just awesome to watch,” Wright said of Rial’s state-meet performance. “Morgan has been such a hard worker and one of the best overall athletes I have had the honor to coach.”

Seniors Elizabeth Fernandez and Danielle Isbell were the other two members of the all-senior 800 relay team. Fernandez, Rial and Isbell, along with sophomore Bridget Daugherty ran legs on the 400 relay team.

The Bear Creek boys’ 400 relay team earned a podium finish, placing seventh with a time of 45.54. The team featured Kerry Culbert O’Leary, Jesse Leuenberger, Mark Phillips and Lucas Fernandez.