The Washington boys automatically qualified three events for the state meet. ake Redlinger qualified in the high jump, winning the meet with a jump of 6’2”, while Alex Coker qualified in the long jump placing second.

The Demons 4×100 meter relay team also punched their tickets to Des Moines finishing second. Head coach Steve Roth said he thought the team ran a great meet qualified or not.

“Outstanding meet, we had PR’s in like seven or eight events and that’s all we cam do,” Roth said. “That’s all you can ask for.”

Roth added that the shuttle hurdle team finished third and has a good chance of making it to state as well as the 4×400 meter relay team.

This is the first year that the boys have tried the system of the top two finishers in each district go on, and then the state takes the next best eight times. Roth says it is something that a year of experience will help with, but that track is always about competition.

“If you want to compete, you can come out for track, because you’ve got to compete,” Roth said. “You can’t have a bad at a district track meet, and it wasn’t lack of effort because we got fourth fifth and sixth last night. People just put too much pressure on themselves and you just have to relax and know your just as good as the team you’re running against.”

The final 3A state roster will be out later this afternoon.