Update: West Bloomfield's Taylor Gunn Wins State Discus Championship

It was a big weekend for West Bloomfield High School's Taylor Gunn, as the Lakers track and field star senior won a state championship in the discus event Saturday in Rockford before walking at her school's commencement ceremony Sunday.

Gunn threw 136 feet, 7 inches, to beat second-place Kyla Walworth of Holt High School by 7'1" in the Division 1 Lower Peninsula finals to improve upon last year's mark, when Gunn came in second place with a throw of 125'5", just five inches shy of Kylie Basarabski of Rockford High School. It was the last event in a storied career for Gunn, who is headed to the University of Texas at El-Paso on a track and field scholarship.

"It was thrilling to hear that she had done that," said head coach Lee Averill. "I know she’s been pointing to (the second-place finish) since last year ... she’s worked real hard and she’s headed hopefully for bigger things in college. She’s an outstanding young lady."

Lakers sophomore Erin Finn placed second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 10 minutes, 32.51 seconds, falling to Gabrielle Anzalone of Grand Blanc High School, who ran 10:23.07. The two were the only Lakers girls to place at the state finals as the team scored 18 points and came in 11th place.

"(Finn) was winning for most of the race before the girl from Grand Blanc caught up with her," Averill said. "What I understand is that it was not a good day to be running the 3,200 meters — very hot."

The boys team scored 24 points and came in third place behind East Kentwood High School, which scored 72 points to win the event, and Ypsilanti High School, which scored 28. Star senior Phil Washington, who will run for the University of Michigan next fall, placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.14, 1.14 seconds shy of first-place Ricco Hill of East Kentwood High, who set a meet record with his time.

Washington also placed third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.65, while senior Louis Daranda placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 55 feet even. The Lakers' 800-meter relay team featuring Jeff Aririguzo, C.J. Brathwaite, Jalen Campbell and Phil Washington placed fourth at the event with a time of 1:29.35.