Seven-time Whitefish Bay girls state track champion Camille Davre was working through a number of feelings after she won the 3,200-meters at the WIAA sectional in Germantown on Thursday, May 25.

She had just finished the daunting trifecta of winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in a short, challenging timeframe, setting herself up for a run at three more WIAA state titles next weekend in La Crosse.

Victories in all three of those races would leave her with 10 state championships in her remarkable career.

So understandably, she was a bit tired (“My legs are trashed,” she laughed), and a bit excited (for teammate Josie Helf also advancing to state in the 800).

“We’re done,” she chuckled shortly after the 3,200. “I’m tired but it was all well worth it. It felt good. I’m always a bit nervous for sectional, because it’s essential that I run a fast time (to get into the fast heat), but I also don’t want to trash myself either (in earlier races).

“I’m so happy that Josie (Helf) is coming with me in the 800 too. I told her she could do it, that all she had to do was go for it. I’m so happy she realized her goal because she’s really put in the effort.”

The state test will be held June 2 and 3 in La Crosse. Davre and Helf will be joined by sophomore Masya McWilliams, who also advanced in the 100 dash.

Davre, a three-time champion in both the 800 and 1,600, will be going for her first crown in the 3,200. She is trying to become only the fifth person to win 10 state titles in her career and just the fifth person to win two events all four years.

“I’ll rest my legs, because today was like a crazy workout day,” she said. “I’m a little sad right now, because it’s my last state meet so I’m going to try and make it a really special time. I’m so thankful for everything right now.”

She is seeded first in the 3,200 and a close second in both the 800 and 1,600.

Davre led the Blue Dukes to a sixth place effort in the 15-team sectional with 55 points as Milwaukee King edged Arrowhead, 123-117.5 for the team title.

Davre ran tactical races in all three events, conserving as much energy as possible.

She cruised to a four-second win in the 1,600 (5:01.11) and a two-second win in the 800 (2:14.75) before taking on the 3,200 for only the second time this season. She settled in just behind Pewaukee’s Zoe Goodmanson for most of the race, before taking control late in the race with a sectional best time of 10:59.52.

“It was nice to someone like Zoe to race with,” she said. ‘She hit her splits very evenly and I was able to just focus on her.”

Davre will enter next weekend the top seed in the 3,200 and is a close second in both the 800 and 1,600.

In that 800, Helf, a member of the 2015 state championship 4×800 relay team that Davre anchored, made amends for an injury-plagued 2016 campaign and ran clear of the rest of the field to secure the third place state spot in 2:20.21.

“I’d been talking with my coaches (including Mike Miller) and they definitely thought that this could happen,” said Helf. “They definitely set me up for success. My legs felt fine even after tough regional races (on May 22) and Cami was huge help, just as she always is.”

McWilliams earned her spot in the 100 with a third place 12.75 time.

“I did have a few nerves, but I just worked to put myself in the right mindset,” she said.

The Blue Dukes did have one piece of heartbreak this day, as the all-underclassmen 4×200 relay team of Meghan Grimm, Suzanna Evans, Maddie Smerlinski and McWilliams turned in a scorching time of 1:44.24, but took fourth, missing out on a state meet berth by just .01 of a second to Arrowhead.

The same unit was also fourth in the 4×100 relay, but the margin was much wider between third and fourth in this race (.50.79 time).