The Definitive Guide to the 2026 Washington State 3A 3200m Championships: Rankings and Race Previews
Sophia Rodriguez of Mercer Island competes in the 3200m race at the South Sound Classic. Rodriguez is a top contender heading into the 2026 WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mt Tahoma High School in Tacoma, WA. Photographed by Russell Moore.
The 3A 3200m is where tactical intelligence meets absolute physical exhaustion. As the 2026 WIAA State Championships return to Mt Tahoma Athletic Stadium, the eight-lap grind is set to deliver some of the most compelling storylines of the post-season.
The girls' field is defined by a singular, stratospheric performance that has the rest of the state playing catch-up, while the boys' field is a violently competitive war of attrition knocking on the door of the elite sub-9-minute barrier. Here is your complete breakdown of the current top 5 leaderboards and an expert preview of the impending 3A state showdown.
2026 Season Leaderboards: The Top 5 Contenders
These marks represent the fastest times recorded this season within the 3A classification heading into the championship series.
Elite 3A Girls 3200m Leaderboard
| Rank | Athlete | Grade | School | Time | Date | Meet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cassidy Armstrong | 12 | Ballard | 10:08.71 | Mar 28 | Issaquah Icebreaker Invite |
| 2 | Sophia Rodriguez | 11 | Mercer Island | 10:40.16 | May 02 | South Sound Classic |
| 3 | Lejla Carlsson | 12 | Gig Harbor | 10:52.42 | Apr 04 | Oregon Relays |
| 4 | Eva Kalabova | 10 | Mt. Spokane | 10:57.64 | Apr 24 | Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays |
| 5 | Jane Wycoff | 12 | Mt. Spokane | 10:58.29 | Apr 30 | GSL #4 vs. GPrep |
Lejla Carlsson of Gig Harbor High School competes in the 3200m race at the UW Indoor Mile City meet. Carlsson is a top contender heading into the 2026 WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mt Tahoma High School in Tacoma, WA. Photographed by Russell Moore.
- 2026 Outdoor (Grade 12) 10:52.42 PB
- 2025 Outdoor (Grade 11) 11:10.16
- 2024 Outdoor (Grade 10) 11:09.73
- 2023 Outdoor (Grade 9) 11:07.21
Elite 3A Boys 3200m Leaderboard
| Rank | Athlete | Grade | School | Time | Date | Meet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leroy Lozano Mejia | 10 | Hermiston | 8:59.22 | Apr 04 | Oregon Relays |
| 2 | Henry Herb | 11 | Seattle Prep | 8:59.97 | Apr 24 | Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays |
| 3 | Matthew Lawrence | 12 | Mercer Island | 9:01.46 | Apr 24 | Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays |
| 4 | Max Billett | 12 | Shorewood | 9:05.52 | Apr 04 | Oregon Relays |
| 5 | Elijah Graves | 11 | Shorewood | 9:07.61 | Apr 04 | Oregon Relays |
3A State Championship Outlook: Attrition and Dominance
Girls’ Preview: Armstrong in a Stratosphere of Her Own
Cassidy Armstrong of Ballard High School competes in a cross country race in Pasco, WA. Armstrong is a top contender heading into the 2026 WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mt Tahoma High School in Tacoma, WA. Photographed by Russell Moore.
Ballard senior Cassidy Armstrong enters the championship season as the undeniable, heavy favorite. Dropping a staggering 10:08.71 at the Issaquah Icebreaker earlier this year, Armstrong is operating in an entirely different stratosphere, holding a massive 30-plus-second gap over the rest of the 3A classification. Barring disaster, this is her race to lose. She will likely look to push the pace early, breaking the field before the midway point to secure the gold.
However, distance racing is unpredictable, and Mercer Island’s Sophia Rodriguez remains a massive looming threat. Possessing elite championship pedigree and a devastating closing kick, Rodriguez cannot be counted out if she can stay within striking distance. Behind them, Mt. Spokane is showcasing formidable program depth, placing a tactical duo—Eva Kalabova and Jane Wycoff—in the top five. Look for the Mt. Spokane teammates to run a highly structured, cooperative race to lock down the remaining spots on the podium.
Boys’ Preview: Shorewood’s Tactics and the Sub-9 Barrier
The boys' 3200m is shaping up to be an absolute dogfight. The front of the pack is phenomenally fast, with Hermiston's Leroy Lozano Mejia and Seattle Prep's Henry Herb both already dipping under the prestigious 9-minute barrier this season. Mercer Island's Matthew Lawrence is knocking on the door with a 9:01.46 and will be desperate to break that threshold when the lights are brightest at Mt Tahoma.
Leroy Mejia of Hermiston High School competes in a race at the Nike Twilight Invitational. Mejia is a top contender heading into the 2026 WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mt Tahoma High School in Tacoma, WA. Photographed by Russell Moore.
The major tactical variable in this race is Shorewood High School. As the only program to place two athletes—Max Billett and Elijah Graves—in the elite top five, Shorewood brings a massive strategic advantage to the track. If Billett and Graves can lock in and control the pacing of the chase pack, their ability to work together through the grueling middle laps could be the decisive factor that breaks the rest of the field and puts two Shorewood jerseys on the podium.
Henry Herb of Seattle Prep competes in the 1600m at the South Sound Classic. Herb is a top contender heading into the 2026 WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mt Tahoma High School in Tacoma, WA. Photographed by Russell Moore.
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