Last year’s Washington State 4A Track and Field Championship provided a number of special moments for Brandi and Brittni Williams.

Not only did the Auburn Riverside sisters contribute to the Raven girls second-place team finish but they also garnered individual accolades, senior Brandi snagging her second state title in the long jump and sophomore Brittni grabbing sixth place in the same event.

Best of all, however, was having the chance to compete together at the pinnacle of prep athletics in the state.

Having her older sister there was crucial, Brittni said.

“It helped me a lot because she guided me through it, when I didn’t know what was going on,” Brittni said. “When there were pressure situations, she told me to get a good mark and get it through.”

The Williams began their track career in elementary school.

“Our mom told us we were doing track, so we did,” Brittni said.

Although both showed a knack on the track and in the jumping events, neither focused entirely on the sport.

For Brandi, it was a foray into gymnastics and basketball.

She soon found her way back to the track however, and by the time she hit high school it was exclusively track. That focus paid off for Brandi, who recently signed her letter of intent to compete at the next level with Boise State.

“It makes it easier this season because I know where I’m going,” she said. “I’m just more relaxed about everything.”

For Brittni it was basketball, a sport she continues to play and excel at for the Raven varsity girls basketball team.

For this track and field season, both girls said, they are focused on just getting better in their events, Brandi looking to repeat as state champ in the long jump, Brittni climbing the 4A ranks in the triple jump, where she  has the eighth best distance in the state with a 36 foot, 7.50 inch. Brittni also has a top-ten long jump this season with a 17-3.50.

Both also hope to better their times in the 100- and 200-meter dashes as. Last year Brandi snagged medals in both races, with a second place in the 100 and a third place in the 200.

“I want to improve on my jumping and hopefully get 20 feet. I’m really working on that,” Brandi said.

Her personal best is the 19-6.50 she set at last year.

“I definitely just want to improve and hit 19 (feet) this year in long jump,” Brittni said. “And I want to place in state in my running events (the 100 and 200).”

For both sisters, the presence of the other on the track during meets and practices has been critical in their growth as athletes.

“We’re very competitive,” Brandi said. “We don’t like it if one of us is doing better, but we try to help each other. We encourage each other to get our PRs. We help each other if we have to learn new things. If we see a jump and see something wrong with it, we’ll tell each other.”

Hopefully that will be enough to drive both sisters to the 2013 state meet, perhaps the last time they’ll compete together on the same track.

“I’m thinking things will be a lot different next year,” Brittni said. “I’ll be on my own at the meets. I won’t have her to warm up with or compete against in the events.”