Renton’s dynamic duo of Justin Bennett and P.J. Benedictus dominated again, leading the Indians to their first state title since 1957.

“It feels great to actually win one,” said Renton boys coach Lance Winmill. “We’ve been close several times, but it feels great to be on top.”

The two seniors combined for four state titles and Renton cruised past every other 2A team for the championship. The Indians scored 73 points, almost twice as many as second-place Franklin Pierce with 39.

“To win by that much is unreal,” Winmill said. “It’s really kind of like you script it out and say if everything goes perfect, this is what could happen. It never does, except this one time. Everything that could’ve gone right went right.”

Winmill even thought of a creative solution if Renton comes close again next year. “I asked them if we could carry some of the points over,” he said with a laugh.

Benedictus won a second-straight state title in the triple jump (last year was in 3A). He beat out Pullman’s Ben Pavish by more than three feet with a jump of 47 feet, 3.75 inches.

Last year’s 2A winner, Will Hallberg of South Whidbey, dropped out of the event the previous day with a hamstring injury. After that, Benedictus was sure he would take the title.

“Not to sound too confident, but I knew if I hit the board, I would win it,” he said. “I was kind of upset about taking second in those events. I knew I should’ve won them. So I just went out there for the triple and tried to do my best.”

Earlier in the meet, Benedictus placed second in both the long jump and high jump. In the high jump, he matched Bellingham’s Dan East by clearing six feet, five inches. East took the state title because he had fewer faults.

He also teamed with Bennett, Immanuel Carter and Robert Reeves III to win a state championship in the 4 X 100 relay. The relay finished 0.06 seconds off of the 2A state meet record in the preliminary round.

Bennett also won two individual state titles in the 100- and 200-meter dash. Bennett, who joined the track team this season, was about two tenths of a second off of the 2A state meet record in both races.

“It feels great to win,” Bennett said. “I wish I would’ve started with the team earlier.”

Bennett won comfortably in the preliminary heat of the 100, but still wasn’t confident.

“Just looking at the people running around me, they looked really fast,” he said. “So I was kind of nervous. That came with me as I was running the 100, but after that I had more confidence going into the 200.”

Carter, a junior, finished second in the 400 and fifth in the long jump.

Junior Adriel Paine IV placed fifth in the 800. Saugat Chhetri took 16th in the 3200.

Renton’s 4 X 400 team (Paine, Carter, Delroy Mukungatu and Hamilton Carter) finished eighth in the finals.