Oak Harbor High School senior John Rodeheffer ensured his fourth straight trip to the state track meet by winning the 1,600 meters on the first day of the 13-team Northwest District finals Wednesday, May 20, at Shoreline Stadium.

Finals in five boys and four girls events were held Wednesday. The meet will conclude Friday, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The top three in each event move on to the state meet, which is May 28-30 at Tacoma’s Tahoma High School. Rodeheffer was the only Wildcat to capture a state spot Wednesday.

Oak Harbor was in third place among the boys in team scoring after Wednesday’s events with 21 points. Arlington leads with 44.

The Eagles are also leading the girls standings with 41 points. Oak Harbor is seventh with 8 points.

Rodeheffer edged Arlington’s Nathan beamer by .15 seconds to win the 1,600 in 4:19.42.

Tyler Adamson finished fifth in a loaded field in the shot put with a throw of 48-09. Adamson owns the ninth-best mark among 3A athletes this spring (50-07) but did not qualify for state. Four of the state’s top nine marks are from Wesco shot putters.

Other Oak Harbor athletes placing Wednesday were Mark Johnston (19-10.75) and Diangleo McKinney (19-09), who finished fifth and sixth in the boys long jump; Priya Osborne (16-01.75) and Jenna Cooley (15-09.75), who were sixth and seventh in the girls long jump; Taylor Deconzo, who was seventh in the girls javelin (104-02); and Julie Jansen, who was eighth in the girls discus (100-06).

Others who competed in final events were girls Jonalynn Horn (ninth, 1,600, 5:21.2), Samantha Hines (ninth, javelin, 91-02) and Kenna Prosch (15th, discus, 83-05); and boys Mac Nuanez (12th, high jump, 5-06), Sebastian Ceaser (14th, 1,600, 4:38.7) and Quinn Karney (16th, pole vault, 9).

(From the top, among the Oak Harbor athletes competing in the finals Wednesday were Tyler Adamson, Taylor Deonzo, Julie Jansen and Samantha Hines. Photos by John Fisken.)