Vashon High School senior Colin Andrus saved his best until the last. 

He finished his high school track and field career in the 1A state championship meet held at Eastern Washington University in Cheney last Friday and Saturday, where he competed in the 800 meters.

In this pressure-packed environment where everything is on the line, Andrus was calm and collected as he treated Roos Stadium as his personal playground on his way to a fifth place finish in the state. 

Andrus was the only member of the VHS track team to make it to state this year and it was his first time competing at that level. 

He started with the preliminary race, where he needed to finish in the top three to move into the finals. After Andrus led for just over a lap, Tyler King from Coupeville and Hap Emmons from King’s School took over first and second. Andrus was able to cruise in just ahead of fourth place as he clocked 2:00.72, securing a spot in the finals. 

“Colin looked in control of what he was doing and did not look all that fatigued,” said VHS track coach Kevin Ross.

Then came the finals, where Andrus ran a smart race from the gun. He stuck to his game plan as he went out to a 58-second split in the first lap. In the second lap, he made a move to challenge Jacob Hollander from Lynden Christian. However, he could not get him at the finish line. In the end Andrus, who’s heading to the University of Washington next year, was pleased to bring home a fifth-place medal from the state meet. His time when he crossed the finish in the finals was 1:59.3 — a strong end to an outstanding track and cross country career.

“With all his accomplishments, Colin is a great example to his school and has been a cornerstone for the track program at VHS,” Ross said. “It has been a great privilege to coach him these past four years and to have seen him engaged in meeting all his goals.”