West Valley's Lauren Matthew highlights GSL girls final day at state with 2A 400 meter title | Track and field
May 30-TACOMA - Lauren Matthew didn't have to say anything.
Her face told the story that she finally won the 2A state 400-meter championship she had been chasing for three years.
The West Valley senior cruised, winning in a time of 55.89 seconds as the 4A/3A/2A state championships concluded Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School.
Matthew took a long-awaited step to the top of the awards podium, after finishing runner-up to East Valley's Veronica Garcia the last two seasons.
"This was a long time coming," Matthew said. "I definitely could have gone faster, but it was a little windy on the backstretch. I put my race together pretty well and I just wanted to go out and win."
It was a family affair. Sister and sophomore Aubrey Matthew took third (57.51).
"I think having someone in the race that I've run against so many times was really helpful," the older sister said. "As long as I'm in the race with my sister I know how it's going to go."
They were bookends on the West Valley 4x400 relay that was out to win for a second year in a row. But the Eagles finished second (3:54.62) as Sehome broke the meet record (3:51.62).
"That was our season best (time)," Lauren Matthew said. "The race didn't go as well for me personally. I mean, I ran fine. I was just a little tired. It's been a really long day."
Lauren Matthew was looking for a second individual title, but she was third in the 200 (24.71). Aubrey took fourth (24.87) and she also took fourth in the 100 (12.34).
"My reaction time was really terrible," Matthew said of the start. "The race itself was actually not bad at all. I just didn't react to the gun. So I was a step behind."
Lauren Matthew will run sprints and relays at the University of Montana.
West Valley captured the second state trophy for the Greater Spokane League. The Eagles took fourth with 48 points, well behind repeat winner Sehome (101).
The GSL had quality athletes in all three state meets, but the teams lacked quantity.
A runner-up finish for Wycoff
Mt. Spokane senior long-distance standout Jane Wycoff wanted a second state title after capturing the 1,600 on Thursday.
Wycoff settled for second, running a season best time of 2:11.65.
Ciana Johnson of Ballard won by nearly three seconds.
Wycoff made a late charge but couldn't overcome Johnson's lead that she built in the first half of the race.
University senior Kyla Roberts was fourth (2:15.24).
-Other area medal winners were: Weather Salinas-Taylor of East Valley, third in the 2A 300 hurdles (44.62); EV's 4x200 relay took fourth (1:43.24); EV's 4x100 relay was fourth (49.14); Hana Tanaka of Pullman, tied for second in the 2A high jump (5-4); Arkayla Brown of North Central, fourth in the 3A javelin (125-10); Sami Lopez of Cheney, eighth in 3A javelin (118-11); Ella Shammo of EV, sixth in 2A pole vault (9-6); Aubrey Harvey of Central Valley, eighth in the 3A 3,200 (11:07.96); Kali Rothrock of Ridgeline, sixth in the 3A triple jump (36-1 1/2 ); Kara Ritter of Mt. Spokane, eighth in the 3A 400 (57.88).
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 11:42 PM.