Twin Falls Sweeps 5A District IV Track and Field Team Titles, Sends 75 Athletes to State
Twin Falls dominated the 5A District IV track and field championships on May 8, capturing both the boys and girls team titles by wide margins and sending 75 athletes to the Idaho state meet.
The Bruins put together one of the most complete performances in recent district meet memory, with athletes collecting individual championships, relay gold, and top-three finishes across nearly every event on the schedule. Competing schools in the district included Jerome, Wood River, Burley, Minico, and Mountain Home.
Bruins Lead the Way on the Boys Side
Twin Falls senior Eli Thompson delivered a standout showing on the boys side, winning three individual events — the 100 meters in 10.78 seconds, the 400 meters in 50.43 seconds, and the 300-meter hurdles in 39.38 seconds. Thompson also anchored the winning 4×400 relay squad alongside Matt Ohlensehlen, Jakob Trapp, and Cayson Burcham, which crossed in 3:27.69.
Burcham added an individual 800-meter title with a time of 1:59.74, and Twin Falls swept all four relay events. The 4×100 team of Derek Fistolera, Daxton Payne, Jackson Sattelberg, and Mario Nwabueze ran 43.89. Payne also took the long jump crown at 21 feet, 8.25 inches, while Henry Patterson won the pole vault at 14 feet even.
Wood River proved a worthy challenger in the field events. Alex Ratliff won the shot put at 52 feet, 10.5 inches, and Bill Smith captured the discus with a throw of 159 feet, 9 inches. Freddy Velasco of Wood River cleared 6 feet, 2 inches to win the high jump. Jackson Wallace of Wood River broke through in the sprints, taking the 200-meter title in 21.98 seconds.
Mountain Home’s Beaudy Hilliard had a strong distance double, winning both the 1,600 meters in 4:31.88 and the 3,200 meters in 10:16.55. Minico’s River Casey won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.45 seconds, and Boady Baker of Minico claimed the javelin at 158 feet, 3 inches.
Twin Falls Girls Turn In Historic Performance
The Twin Falls girls program was equally dominant. Isabelle Pelayo headlined the effort with victories in the 100 meters (12.43 seconds), 400 meters (58.64 seconds), and long jump (17 feet, 3 inches), making her one of the most decorated individual performers of the day across either gender.
Raelee Richardson was exceptional in the distance events, sweeping the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 meters with times of 2:24.13, 5:18.03, and 11:35.91, respectively. Elizabeth Frampton finished second behind Richardson in both the 800 and 1,600, and Lydia Lee placed third in both the 1,600 and 3,200, making it a Twin Falls sweep across multiple distance podiums.
Elektra Cresswell won the 200 meters in 26.11 seconds, and the Bruins took three of the top four relay titles, including the 4×100 (Jasmine Mottern, Gracee Payne, Brooklyn Gambrel, and Cresswell in 50.49) and 4×400 (Aisley Martin, Evangeline Dick, Jane Frampton, and Richardson in 4:15.29).
Martin also won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.89 seconds, and Addisen Kohring took the 300-meter hurdles in 46.10. Brooklyn Gambrel claimed the girls javelin title at 100 feet, 3 inches.
Jerome’s girls 4×200 relay team — composed of Evelyn Baker, Desiree White, Sawyer James, and Alyssa Jensen — broke Twin Falls’s grip on the relay events with a winning time of 1:46.29. Burley’s Ruby Taylor topped the shot put at 35 feet, 2 inches, and Minico’s Haylee Dayton won the discus at 102 feet even. Jerome’s Chloe Shippen cleared 10 feet, 6 inches to win the pole vault, and Wood River’s Mabel Thompson took the high jump at 5 feet, 2 inches.
What Comes Next
The 75 qualifying athletes from the 5A District IV meet will advance to the Idaho state track and field championships. For Twin Falls, the showing follows a strong spring sports stretch — the Twin Falls Bruins baseball program is also making a push toward state championship contention this season. Student-athletes from around the district looking at other opportunities this summer may also want to note that TVCC is offering a free summer college course for 2026 high school graduates. Full state meet details and scheduling are expected to be released through the Idaho High School Activities Association in the coming days.