Foster High School will send six athletes to state tournaments this week – five to state track and field meet and a freshman to the girls tennis tournament.
And the boys soccer team under Coach Nasir Tura also made it to the 2A state tournament in Sumner, losing the first round 4-1 on May 17 to Renton’s Lindbergh High School, which is still in the hunt for the state title.
“It’s just exciting. I think coming here you hear people say “Oh, you’re going to Foster. Their athletic program is not so strong,” said Harvard Jones, who’s in his first year as Foster’s athletic director.
“But, hey, in my first spring here, we’ve have three groups at state. That’s a success, I think. We’re moving forward. I think it’s exciting,” he said.
Freshman Ana Rios won her trip to the state tennis tournament in Seattle by placing second at the Class 2A West Central District championships May 19 in Bremerton. She lost to last year’s 2A singles state champion, North Kitsap’s Danya Willis, 6-1, 6-2.
Rios will play Hunter Wilmovsky from Tumwater High School Friday in her opening match.
At the West Central District 2A track and field meet May 20-21, Foster senior Shakila Omar won the 400 meters with a time of 59.04 seconds and placed fifth in the 200 meters with a time of 26.27 seconds at the West Central District 2A track and field meet May 20-21. She will compete in both events at state.
Foster senior Zane Jacobson won district title in the javelin with a throw of 162 feet.
Senior Eric Teng placed sixth in the javelin with a throw of 155 feet 4 inches. He will not compete in discus at state, placing 11th with a throw of 109 feet 11 inches.
Senior Kassandra Esparza placed third in the discus with a throw of 103 feet 4 inches. She also placed 15th in the shotput with a throw of 28 feet 9 3/4 inches
Junior Aolani Medrano placed fourth in the long jump with a jump of 16 feet 8 1/4 inches.
The WIAA-sponsored state track and field meet is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School, 4634 S. 74th St., Tacoma. The WIAA state 2A girls tennis tournament is Friday and Saturday at the Nordstrom Tennis Center at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Two Foster athletes competed in the finals of the district track and field meet but did not advance to the state meet:
• Junior Isaiah Ferrer, ninth, long jump, 19 feet 7 3/4 inches
• Junior Desiree Terrell, 10th, shot put, 31 feet 6 3/4 inches