Kitsap athletes claim state track and field titles

Published 1:30 am Monday, June 1, 2026

The 4A/3A/2A Washington State Track and Field Championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma (May 28–30) delivered a packed weekend for Kitsap-area programs, with four state champions emerging across area schools.

Central Kitsap junior Mana Voss was at the center of one of the meet’s most compelling storylines, capturing two individual state titles in the 3A boys distance events. His first came in the 1600 meters, where Voss edged the field by just one one-hundredth of a second in a tightly contested finish.

Voss admitted he was aiming for a sit-and-kick finish, but the race had other plans. Early pace changes threw off his strategy, forcing him to react in the moment. “First lap I was just sitting, second lap still sitting,” Voss said. “Third lap, I thought I felt good enough to start making moves.”

Down the final stretch of the 800, the pressure intensified as competitors closed fast. Voss said he didn’t fully realize he had won until after the line.

“I didn’t expect to win,” he said. “I thought he beat me. So, I was very shocked when I saw the scoreboard.”

Two days later, he returned as the top seed in the 800 meters and delivered again, winning in 1:51.09 to secure his second championship of the meet. He won by a full two seconds.

Voss had his eyes on the state meet record of 1:49.28. He ultimately fell just short but still left as one of the meet’s standout performers.

“Mana has been locked in from a long time ago and his energy and his focus coming into this

tournament has been laser,” Central Kitsap head coach Neal Gaulden said. “And it’s evident he was committed to come out and do exactly what he said.”

In the 2A boys 100-meter sprint, Olympic senior Aidan Woods delivered a breakthrough performance, winning his first career state title in 10.92 seconds.

Although the time was slower than his personal best of 10.62 earlier this month, Woods controlled the race when it mattered most, pulling away late to secure the gold.

“I was nervous the whole day,” Woods said. “But I told myself to run my own race and not let anyone affect how I run.”

Woods said the final moments felt surreal as he realized he was ahead in the closing meters. “It was probably like the last five meters where I realized I had it,” he said.

The Bainbridge girls’ program had one of the most complete performances of the meet, highlighted by a state championship in the 2A 4×200 relay. The quartet of senior Cate Torrell, junior Ollie Tietje, junior Maya Zick, and sophomore Ema Delecki ran 1:40.81 in the final to secure the title. This was two days after setting a 2A girls state meet record of 1:40.70 in the prelims.

“We all just clicked,” Tietje said. “I love this team and…I’m excited for what we have for the future.”

Torrell, who has already committed to Lafayette College for track and field, also delivered a standout individual weekend. She placed second in the 200 meters with a time of 24.24 seconds, narrowly edged by Nathan Hale’s Kela Noji (23.99), who set a 2A girls state record in the event. Torrell also added a third-place finish in the 100 meters.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Torrell. “We’ve all worked so hard, and to end it like this is really special.”

Central Kitsap added another surprise champion when junior Penelope Holyoak won the 3A girls javelin event with a winning throw of 136 feet, 11 inches, clearing the field by more than three feet. The throw broke the West Sound record of 136 feet, 3 inches set by 2024 4A state champion Grace Degarimore of South Kitsap.

Gaulden noted that the event was tightly grouped entering the finals, but had no doubt Holyoak could deliver.

“She was poised to go,” said Gaulden. “That throw is what separated her.”

Beyond individual titles, Kitsap programs produced strong overall team finishes.

Bainbridge girls placed sixth in 2A with 44 points, while the Bainbridge boys tied for ninth with 19 points. Central Kitsap girls finished seventh in the 3A standings with 25 points.

Bainbridge head coach Jena Winger said the meet reflected both performance and culture growth within the program.

“We come here expecting to compete and score,” Winger said. “There were highs and lows, but our athletes showed up across the board.”

Gaulden echoed that sentiment, pointing to his team’s ability to execute under pressure.

“They come here to compete and win state titles,” Gaulden said. “And that’s what they did.”

Nathan Hyun is a freelance reporter for Kitsap News Group.