“Once you step into that circle, it’s just you and your throw.” So says Kolton Auxier, the Mount Si High School junior who took first place at the SeaKing district track and field tournament, held Wednesday and Friday, May 18 and 20, at the Southwest Athletic complex in West Seattle.

Auxier led the shot put event with a 51-foot, 10-inch put. He was among 11 Mount Si boys and three girls to earn berths at the state championships; the top five placers at districts go on to state.

The Mount Si boys took fifth as a team, while the girls took ninth.

Auxier went to state as a sophomore; the team only lost a few state competitors last year, and Auxier credits the team’s throwing coaches and teammates for success.

There’s also a lot of new talent, he said.

“Having a team behind you to cheer you on… inspires you to do your best and to come to practice every day,” he said. “I’ll be honest, when it’s pouring rain outside, practice doesn’t sound like a great idea, but if you know your team is counting on you.”

Joining Auxier at state are fellow throwers Zach Storm, Doc Derwin and Bradly Stevens. At districts,  Storm took third at discus with a 136-foot, 10-inch throw, and third at javelin with a 179-foot, one-inch toss. Bradly Stevens followed at fourth with a 172-foot, seven-inch throw. Derwin took fourth at shot with a 46-foot, seven-inch put. Brian Copeland took sixth with 44 feet, 10 inches, just missing the cut.

Representing field events, Jimbo Davis took fifth in pole vault with a 12-foot vault, earning his ticket.

Boys runners also sent a big contingent. Mason Bragg took fourth in the 400 meter dash, and Nate Chase took fifth in the 300 meter hurdles. Mount Si’s 4×100 meter relay team of Kaleb Huerta, Bragg, Shane Blankenburg and Tyler Button took third, while their 4×400 relay squad of Bragg, Levi Botten, Huerta and Button took fourth.

Also of note, freshman Jon Proctor took 11th at high jump with a five foot, six inch leap.

For the girls, three will attend state.

Leslie Stevens took fourth in the triple jump with 43 feet, 9.25 inches, and fourth in javelin with a 105-foot, three-inch toss. Ashley Jackson took third in 300 meter hurdles, and Lexi Swanson took third in the pole vault with nine feet, six inches.

Several Mount Si runners narrowly failed to make the cut. Christina Volken took seventh in the 800 meter race after finishing fifth in the prelims, while Bailey Scott took ninth in the 1600 meter run.

The Mount Si 4×100 relay team of Sophie Rockow, Abbey Bottemiller, Jesse Guyer and Kristen Kasel took eighth. The 4×200 relay team of Rockow, Guyer, Bottemiller and Sydney Dore took seventh. The 4×400 relay team of Lindsay Kirby, Volken, Madeleine Hutchison and Bottemiller took sixth.