Espino, Brownell set pace at state high school decathlon championship

KIRKLAND — Defending champion Erica Espino has a comfortable lead in the girls decathlon after the first day of the high-school state championships at Lake Washington High School, but, as expected, the boys decathlon is wide open.

Brandon Brownell, a junior from Yelm, held the lead after five events yesterday in the boys decathlon, totaling 3,409 points. Brenton Bodewig, a sophomore from Arlington, was second with 3,355 points.

Espino, a junior from Shelton, has 2,810 points in the girls decathlon in her bid for a second straight championship. Stacey Cowan, a senior from Ferndale, is the first-day girls heptathlon leader by a wide margin with 2,904 points.

The finals start today at 9:30 a.m.

First-day results

Boys decathlon — 1, Brandon Brownell, Yelm, 3,409; 2, Brenton Bodewig, Arlington, 3,355; 3, Cresap Watson, Woodinville, 3,290; 4, Matthew Ludwigson, Auburn, 3,235; 5, Danny Winge, Anacortes, 3,172; 6, Wes Lloyd, Capital, 3,113; 7, Nicholas Verbon, Mount Si, 3,108; 8, David Pichler, Yelm, 3,022; 9, Vinh Chung, Roosevelt, 2,948; 10, Taylor Bondurant, Columbia River, 2,921.

Girls decathlon — 1, Erica Espino, Shelton, 2,810; 2, Dena Robinson, Redmond, 2,409; 3, Kristi Metzger, Shelton, 2,298; 4, Haley Amos, Highland, 2,283; 5, Audrea Nolan, Seattle Academy, 2,275; 6, Cristina Dressel, Olympia, 2,098; 7, Audrey Huebner, King's, 2,089; 8, Paris Malin, Lake Washington, 1,898; 9, Susan Sifferman, Cedar Park Christian, 1,802; 10, Lauryn Claassen, Columbia River, 1,792.

Girls heptathlon — 1, Stacey Cowan, Ferndale, 2,904; 2, Megan McCauley, Bethel, 2,585; 3, Baily Cox, Wilbur-Creston, 2,490; 4, Kayla Petitt, Mount Rainier, 2,407; 5, Brittany Bekins, Cascade (Everett), 2,311; 6, Ryann Hansen, Fife, 2,273; 7, Kristina Bajema, Holy Names, 2,265; 8, Kacie Fischer, Sehome, 2,230; 9, Kimberly Pence, Stanwood, 2,157; 10, Amanda Sue Page, Peninsula, 2,152.