The Columbia High School cross country teams showcased their skills at the 2025 WIAA state meet held on November 8 at the Sun Willows Golf Course in the Tri Cities. Competing in the 1A classification, the boys and girls teams aimed for strong finishes against a diverse field of competitors.
The Bruin girls’ team finished in 11th place out of 16 teams, accumulating a total of 255 points. The victory in the girls’ meet went to Meridian, which scored 107 points. Leading the Columbia girls was junior Lilah Zimmerman, who crossed the finish line in 21st place with a time of 20 minutes, 23 seconds on the 5,000-meter course.
Following Zimmerman was sophomore Kathryn O’Connor, who secured 29th place with a time of 20:28. Other contributing runners included Maisy Kollman in 95th at 22:26, Maya Tama in 99th at 22:40, and Eda O’Connor in 134th at 24:31. Sophomore Jana Deinhofer finished in 138th place with a time of 25:13, while senior Reyna Pinchot came in at 142nd, clocking 25:42.
The Bruin girls qualified for this state meet by achieving a second-place finish at the District 4 meet, improving from their eighth-place finish at the previous year’s state meet.
In the boys’ competition, the Columbia team concluded the event in 16th place after securing fourth place at the district level. The boys’ team total was 400 points, with standout performances from several runners. Colby Clark led the team, finishing in 98th place with a time of 18:21. He was followed closely by Carter Smith in 113th at 18:36, and Jack Brooks in 117th at 18:38.
Other notable finishes for the Bruin boys included Ethan Hayes in 127th with 18:53, and Luther Thomas in 136th at 19:12. Rounding out the team’s performance were Everett Coyner, who placed 145th with a time of 19:36, and Oliver Brokenshire, finishing in 147th at 19:48. The champions of the boys’ meet were Cedar Park Christian, who dominated with a score of 50 points.
The participation of both the boys and girls teams at the state meet highlights the strength and dedication of Columbia High School’s cross country program, marking a significant achievement for both teams in the competitive landscape of high school athletics.
