Ephrata senior Anthony Evans ranked third in the state overall in the 400 meters

EPHRATA — It took Ephrata senior Anthony Evans less than a month to become the fastest 2A 400-meter runner in the state, and now he has his sights set on taking his game to the next level on Friday at the Region IV 2A Track and Field meet at Kiwanis Field.

Last week at the district meet, Evans finally made that significant drop under 50 seconds, winning with a spectacular time of 49.39 seconds. That time puts him in special company, third in the state among all classes behind Tony Pizzillo (48.00) of Shadle Park and Spencer Barrera (49.02) of Mt. Spokane.

It has been a steady decline in time and increase in running motion for the Tiger senior, who opted not to play football this year to focus on his track efforts. Evans won the first CWAC meet of the season on April 12 in 52.20. Two days later, he was eighth in Pasco in 51.32 in a race where 49.79 won.

By April 19 he was closing in on 50 seconds, winning the second CWAC meet in 50.00.

Evans will see a strong field on Friday with Selah’s Cameron Ditter and Jon Watkins, and Anthony Veliz from Othello.

Tiger senior Brad Flanigan won the district championship in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.70 and goes into the regional race as one of the favorites. The Ephrata 4x400 relay, which consists of Gabriel Green, Aaron Evans, Jayden Lopez and Anthony Evans, won a district championship in 3:31.10.

The top four discus throwers at the district meet came from the Columbia Basin. Ephrata senior Gavan Allen (139-feet-6) won, followed by Gabriel See (137-2) of Ephrata and Othello’s Elijah Roylance (123-0) and Isaiah Perez (122-8). A repeat performance on Friday will get them all in the state meet.

The javelin is also loaded with Basin throwers. Hunter James put up a personal best 167-4 to win the district title, followed by Tyson Thornton (162-11) of Quincy and Tiger sophomore Ethan Montano (155-2). Thornton is also a contender in the high jump and triple jump.

On the girls’ side, look for another showdown between Ellensburg senior Tia Hill and 2A 100-meter hurdles defending state champion McCall DeChenne of Ephrata. Hill won both the 100 and 300 hurdles at districts.

Ephrata senior Katelyn Ostrowski won the javelin by 13 feet. Tiger junior Mya Spencer competes in the 100, 200 and 400-meter races. She has some work to do if she wants to race at the state level. She was fourth in the 100 and the 400 at the district level. Quincy freshman Jane Kennedy ran a personal best (5:29.89) to finish fourth in the 1,600 last week.

Quincy thrower Taylor Thomsen goes in as a contender in both the shot and the discus.