TACOMA – Five Spartans finished in the top 10 in their respective events at the recent track & field WIAA State Championship in Tacoma.

More than a dozen athletes from Bainbridge High placed in the top five of their respective events at the 3A/4A District 2 Championships, thus advancing to the state meet.

Bainbridge High School senior Emma Chee became the first Spartan to win an individual medal at the state meet this year, when she placed third in pole vault (12-foot, 6-inches).

“The mark shattered her previous best — and school record — by 9 inches,” said BHS assistant coach John Bierly. “Her finish came against the strongest field in state meet history, which saw four vaulters still competing at the 12-foot, 6-inch level, and which was eventually won by West Seattle’s Chole Cunliffe with a state all-time record for girls of 13-foot, 8 1/2-inches.”

Chee will reportedly study nursing at the University of Connecticut next year, and will compete for the Husky track team in pole vault specifically.

Several other Spartans snagged top finishes as well.

Carlo Ruggiero took fourth place in the 800-meters (1:54.89), and Emma Brundige took seventh place in the 100-meters (12.52), ninth place in the 200-meters (25.93) and 14th place in the long jump.

Two relay teams finished in the top 10 as well.

The Spartan boys 4×400 (Carlo Ruggiero, Carter Hall, Leander von Specht and Kyle Hammer) took fifth place (3:24.65), and the BHS girls 4×400 (Kenzie Korican, Liz Messinger, Natalie Taylor and Emma Brundige) managed sixth place (4:05.63).