Despite some snowy high-altitude weather at Sisters Thursday, April 12, Sweet Home came away with several wins and, Coach Dakotah Keys said, some experience in gutting it out when conditions aren’t ideal.
Then, on Saturday, the Huskies’ top athletes competed at the Meet of Champions at Willamette University in Salem, where several posted some big personal bests.
Senior Bethany Gingerich was second in 300 hurdles in a time of 46.41, a PR by nearly four seconds and the fastest time in the 4A Division by three-quarters of a second.
Junior Jake Swanson was second in the javelin with a throw of 172-4, an 11-foot PR that puts him third in the 4A.
Sophomore Megan Hager was fourth in the discus with a PR of 112-4, a nearly 8-foot improvement over her previous personal best.
And after a string of fits and starts in earlier meets, the girls 4×100 team of Gingerich, sophomore Zoe James and freshmen Jessy Hart and Madison Merrill put together a great run to finish third in 52.28, a time that puts them in the top 10 in the state.
In the 1500, freshman Brenna Boyd, Sweet Home’s only girls distance runner to qualify and whose times have been steadily dropping throughout the young season, posted another PR of 5:28.03.
Hart cut two seconds off her best time in the 400, finishing in 1:04.75.
And in the boys 800, Austin Sills posted a PR of well over a second to finish in 2:15.18.
“Everybody competed well,” Keys said. “We had really good marks in general.”
At Sisters, “there weren’t any real marks that shocked anybody,” he said. “It was one of those meets where you have very heavy winds and it started snowing part way through.”
Since the district meet will be held at Sisters, “it was really good for the kids, even the coaches, to see what to expect,” he said. “A lot of the kids have not competed in that, snow and cold. It was a good opportunity to talk about going and warming up and competing. It was a good experience.”
Some of the more experienced athletes competed in events that weren’t their normal fare in preparation for the Meet of Champions two days later, he said.
Winners for the Sweet Home boys were Noah Dinsfriend in the 110 high hurdles (17.36) and Austin Stevens in the long jump (20-8), and Gingerich in the 100 Hurdles (17.47) and freshman Becky Belchere in the discus (92-6) for the girls.
Keys pointed out that the Huskies are improving, with consistent PRs thus far through the season.
“Somebody like Austin Stevens, his first jump at the Meet of Champions was over 19 feet. That’s a great first jump. We have a bunch of good ninth-graders and 10th-graders. They’re learning and getting faster.
“One thing I really stress with the coaches and athletes is building confidence, doing small things all the time to build foundation little by little. I think it’s showing.”
Sweet Home’s freshmen and sophomores hosted Cascade Tuesday, April 17, in the Dan Petersen Frosh/Soph Invite. The Huskies will then host Sisters and Elmira at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, which will be their final home meet of the season.
On Saturday, April 21, they will compete at the Mazama Invitational in Klamath Falls.
Meet of Champions
Boys Results
* Personal Best
(Non-Scoring Meet)
Top Three and Sweet Home Finishers
100 – (1) Jacob Woods (Cottage Grove) 11.33; (2) Wilson McLean (Salem Academy) 11.68; (3) Evan Rasor (Colton) 11.80; (14) Austin Stevens (SH) 12.16.
200 – (1) Jacob Woods (CG) 23.24; (2) Wilson McLean (Salem Academy) 23.53; (3) Ismael Milo Loya (Chemawa) 23.77; (17) Rawlins Lupoli (SH) 25.28.
400 – (1) Evan Rasor (Colton) 51.85; (2) Blake Markham (Banks) 51.94; (3) Isiah Marsical (Columbia Christian) 52.49; (11) Jake Swanson (SH) 55.73; (17) Tristan Calkins (SH) 57.14.
800 – (1) Joran Pollard (Sisters) 2:00.28; (2) Zach Young (Monroe) 2:01.99; (3) Rafi Sibony (Seaside) 2:02.42; (6) Casey Tow (SH) 2:06.62; (23) Austin Sills (SH) 2:15.18*.
1500 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
3000 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
110 Hurdles – (1) Owen McLoud (Dayton) 15.43; (2) Jonathan Mather (Amity) 16.12; (3) Joshua Claflin (Cottage Grove) 16.12; (8) Noah Dinsfriend (SH) 17.05.
300 Hurdles – (1) Owen McLoud (Dayton) 40.74; (2) Kenny Kramer (Tillamook) 41.15; (3) Logan Hannigan-Downs (Philomath) 41.99; (6) Noah Dinsfriend (SH) 42.48; (12) Lance Hanson (SH) 44.94.
4×100 Relay – (1) Cottage Grove 44.59; (2) Columbia Christian 45.25; (3) Stayton 45.41; (4) Yamhill-Carlton 45.76; (5) Sweet Home (Chase Blanco, Austin Stevens, Hayden Nichol, Lance Hanson) 45.76; (6) Banks 45.79; (7) Newport 45.94; (8) Scio 45.96; (9) Tillamook 46.10; (10) Cascade 46.56; (11) Creswell 46.85; (12) Delphian 46.88; (13) Jefferson 47.13; (14) Astoria 47.51.
4×400 Relay – (1) Banks 3:37.35; (2) Yamhill-Carlton 3:40.13; (3) Cascade 3:40.18; (4) Dayton 3:40.62; (5) Philomath 3:40.75; (6) Sweet Home (Jake Swanson, Noah Taraski, Austin Stevens, Casey Tow) 3:41.05; (7) Seaside 3:41.92; (8) Cottage Grove 3:42.84; (9) Scio 3:43.01; (10) Salem Academy 3:43.02; (11) Astoria 3:43.55; (12) Monroe 3:46.03; (13) Newport 3:47.87; (14) East Linn Christian 3:48.85.
Shot Put – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Discus – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Javelin – (1) Tim Barnett (Astoria) 177-1; (2) Jake Swanson (SH) 172-4*; (3) Mark Warren (Warrenton) 167-8; (7) Noah Moore 154-11; (15) Robbie Yunke 136-0; (19) Casey Tow (SH) 129-6.
High Jump – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Pole Vault – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Long Jump – (1) Zach Young (Monroe) 20-3½; (2) Michael Kee (Astoria) 19-9¼; (3) Joe McENjulty (Amity) 19-9; (8) Austin Stevens (SH) 19-3¾.
Triple Jump – (1) Dawson Patton (Salem Academy) 43-1½; (2) David Hensely (Willamina) 42-3½; (3) Cesar Sepulveda (Jefferson) 42-0; (19) Lance Hanson (SH) 36-4.
Girls Results
Top Three and Sweet Home Finishers
100 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
200 – (1) Maggie Ross (Philomath) 26.61; (2) Ronni VanZant (Sheridan) 26.00; (3) Jadyn Vermillion (S. Umpqua) 27.30; (23) Madison Merrill (SH) 29.84.
400 – (1) Jadyn Vermillion (S. Umpqua) 1:00.20; (2) McKenzie Probst (Oakridge) 1:02.06; (3) Melia Morton (Philomath) 1:02.83; (10) Jessy Hart (SH) 1:04.75*; (13) Zoe James (SH) 1:05.25.
800 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
1500 – (1) Kate Bowen (Sisters) 4:55.44; (2) Alejandra Lopez (Kennedy) 4:58.52; (3) Hannah Hernandez (Philomath) 5:01.96; (9) Brenna Boyd (SH) 5:28.03.
3000 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
110 Hurdles – (1) Trinity Phipps (Blanchet Catholic) 16.16; (2) Amy Kraemer (Amity) 16.30; (3) Izabella McLane (Newport) 16.90; (8) Bethany Gingerich (SH) 17.41.
300 Hurdles – (1) Kyndal Martin (Monroe) 45.16; (2) Bethany Gingerich (SH) 46.61*; (3) Izabella McLane (Newport) 49.19.
4×100 Relay – (1) Philomath 50.81; (2) Santiam Christian 51.96; (3) Sweet Home (Bethany Gingerich, Jessy Hart, Zoe James, Madison Merrill) 52.28; (4) Grant Union 52.76; (5) Newport 52.76; (6) Cascade 52.90; (7) Cottage Grove 53.05; (8) Kennedy 53.17; (9) Tillamook 53.29; (10) Astoria 53.62; (11) East Linn Christian 53.67; (12) Stayton 54.91; (13) Banks 55.00; (14) Yamhill-Carlton 55.02; (15) Warrenton 55.21; (16) Columbia Christian 56.85.
4×400 Relay – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Shot Put – (1) Gretchen Hoekstre (Seaside) 40-1; (2) Jozie Rude (Grant Union) 38-6; (3) Kes Sandstrom (Astoria) 36-2½; (17) Megan Hager (SH) 31-4½; (21) Becky Belchere (SH) 29-10½.
Discus – (1) Kes Sandstrom (Astoria) 127-3; (2) Gretchen Hoekstre (Seaside) 126-7; (3) Cori Sanders (E. Linn Christian) 114-8; (4) Megan Hager (SH) 112-4*; (13) Becky Belchere (SH) 97-8.
Javelin – (1) Kaylee Wright (Grant Union) 127-6; (2) Calie Allen (Creswell) 123-7; (3) Halle Hargett (Newport) 123-1; (16) Natalie Rogers (SH) 97-3.
High Jump – (1) Darian Hageman (Astoria) 5-3; (2) Kalulusno Ngaida (Cascade) 5-2; (3) Amity Deters (Perrydale) 5-2; (10) Zoe James (SH) 4-8.
Pole Vault – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Long Jump – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Triple Jump – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Sweet Home and Cottage Grove at Sisters
Boys Results
*Personal Best
Team Scores – (1) Cottage Grove 229.25; (2) Sisters 164.25; (3) Sweet Home 134.5.
Top 3 and Sweet Home Finishers
100 – (1) Cooper Ladd (CG) 12.09; (2) Rawlins Lupoli (SH) 12.20*; (3) Lance Hanson (SH) 12.23; (7) Chase Blanco (SH) 12.57; (9) Noah Moore (SH) 12.79; (10) Stewart Curtis (SH) 13.20; (14) Hayden McDonald (SH) 13.99; (16) Trace Marler (SH) 14.54.
200 – (1) Jacob Woods (CG) 23.49; (2) Cooper Ladd (CG) 24.69; (3) Rawlins Lupoli (SH) 24.72; (5) Lance Hanson (SH) 25.22; (7) Chase Blanco (SH) 25.67; (13) Connor Russell (SH) 27.17.
400 – (1) Jordan Pollard (S) 52.08; (2) Casey Tow (SH) 55.27*; (3) Hayden Sharp (S) 55.88; (9) Tristan Saultz (SH) 59.91; (10) Stewart Curtis (SH) 1:01.00; (11) Gavin Walberg (SH) 1:01.00; (12) Austin Sills (SH) 1:01.06*; (13) Owen Towry (SH) 1:01.72;
800 – (1) James Talley (CG) 2:06.81; (2) Keaton Green (S) 2:07.05; (3) Jesse Ellingworth (CG) 2:09.63; (7) Owen Towry (SH) 2:23.99; (11) Gavin Walberg (SH) 2:27.42; (12) Tristan Calkins (SH) 2:29.87; (14) Ricky Yunke (SH) 2:35.66; (15) Cameron Taber (SH) 2:41.21; (16) Jaren Adams (SH) 2:46.10; (18) Mason Hook (SH) 2:56.68.
1500 – (1) Drew Chapman (CG) 4:35.32; (2) Ethan Hosang (S) 4:36.33; (3) John Pekham (S) 4:47.53; (4) Tristan Saultz (SH) 4:52.15; (5) Austin Sills (SH) 4:55.20; (13) Jaren Adams (SH) 2:49.66; (14) Soma Watanabe (SH) 5:49.72; (15) Shawn Reed (SH) 5:51.70; (16) Evan Davis (SH) 5:53.15.
110m – (1) Noah Dinsfriend (SH) 17.36;
300m – No Sweet Home Entrants.
4×100 Relay – (1) Cottage Grove 45.22; (2) Sweet Home (Chase Blanco, Austin Stevens, Hayden Nichol, Lance Hansen) 46.56; (3) Sisters 46.61.
4×400 Relay – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Shot Put – (1) Hunter Hall (CG) 44-2; (2) Noah Moore (SH) 39-5*; (3) Jake Hopkins (CG) 38-8; (5) Austin Griffin (SH) 36-6; (9) Sevin Carson (SH) 34-5*; (16) Logan Rayborn (SH) 31-0; (17) Hayden McDonald (SH) 30-2; (18) David McMullen (SH) 29-4; (20) Marc Kanngvesser (SH) 28-4; (21) Levi Baird (SH) 28-3*; (29) Dax Ballinger (SH) 23-5*; (30) Adam Oberg (SH) 23-1*; (30) Jake Fanning (SH) 23-1; (32) Jesse Burford (SH) 22-2*; (34) Hunter Calderwood (SH) 21-4.
Discus – (1) Hunter Hall (CG) 116-9; (2) David Perez (S) 110-0; (3) Jared Simmons (CG) 104-1; (6) Jake Swanson (SH) 96-3; (8) Austin Griffin (SH) 92-6*; (10) Sevin Carson (SH) 85-8*; (14) David McMullen (SH) 77-9*; (16) Adam Oberg (SH) 68-3*; (18) Dax Ballinger (SH) 65-8*; (19) Levi Baird (SH) 64-9; (20) Marc Kanngvesser (SH) 64-1*; (22) Jesse Burford (SH) 62-8; (24) Jake Fanning (SH) 59-10; (26) Parker Justham (SH) 56-0; (29) Hunter Calderwood (SH) 44-5.
Javelin – (1) Hunter Hall (CG) 157-7; (2) Jake Swanson (SH) 144-0; (3) Noah Moore (SH) 140-2; (4) Robbie Yunke (SH) 136-6; (6) Tristan Calkins (SH) 125-9; (7) Ricky Yunke (SH) 125-4; (13) Parker Lemmer (SH) 103-11; (15) Casey Tow (SH) 100-5; (21) Levi Baird (SHJ) 83-2; (29) Jesse Burford (SH) 71-0; (33) Hunter Calderwood (SH) 60-0.
High Jump – (1-tie) Skyler Larson (S), Zach Anderson (S) 5-6; (3) Connor Russell (SH) 5-0.
Pole Vault – (Four-way tie for first at 10-6); (7) Rawlins Lupoli (SH) 8-6.
Long Jump – (1) Austin Stevens (SH) 20-8; (2) Jacob Woods (CG) 20-7; (3) Logan Husk (CG) 19-2½; (6) Casey Tow (SH) 18-5¼; (8) Connor Russell (SH) 17-4¾; (9) Tristan Calkins (SH) 17-3*; (11) Noah Taraski (SH) 16-10; (14) Stewart Curtis (SH) 14-8.
Triple Jump – (1) Garrett Kersavage (S) 39-5; (2) Lance Hanson (SH) 38-7*; (3) Erick Vallejo Giffen (CG) 35-9½.
Girls Results
Team Scores – (1) Sisters 216.5; (2) Cottage Grove 206.5; (3) Sweet Home 102.
Top 3 and Sweet Home Finishers
100 – (1) Erynn Ricker (S) 12.93; (2) Mandi Calavan (S) 12.99; (3) Ryliereece Morgan (S) 13.46; (6) Madison Merrill (SH) 14.75; (9) Hailey Green (SH) 15.00; (13) Hannah Powell (SH) 15.66*.
200 – (1) Mandi Calavan (S) 27.27; (2) Zarah Wemple (CG) 30.15; (3) Mariah Ludiker (CG) 30.23; (6) Hailey Green (SH) 31.35.
400 – (1) Amy Hills (S) 1:09.63; (2) Marie Gomez-Cornelison (CG) 1:16.13; (3) Sicily Neuschwander (SH) 1:20.35.
800 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
1500 – No Sweet Home Entrants.
100 Hurdles – (1) Bethany Gingerich (SH) 17.47; (2) Kendra Sitz (S) 17.80; (3) Owen Dragt (CG) 18.22.
300 Hurdles – No Sweet Home Entrants.
4×100 Relay – (1) Sisters 51.79; (2) Cottage Grove 53.19; Sweet Home DQ.
4×400 Relay – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Shot Put – (1) Raina Herzog (CG) 32-3; (2) Becky Belchere (SH) 29-4; (3) Megan Hager (SH) 29-0; (4) Shelbey Nichol (SH) 28-6; (6) Kirsten Watkins (SH) 25-10; (7) Katen Edwards (SH) 24-10; (10) Natalie Rodgers (SH) 22-7; (11) Kailey James (SH) 21-9; (13) Makayla Griffin (SH) 21-2; (15) Shelby Goodwin (SH) 20-4.
Discus – (1) Becky Belchere (SH) 92-6; (2) Megan Hager (SH) 92-2; (3) Adelle Kent (CG) 83-1; (8) Kirsten Watkins (SH) 65-3; (9) Shelby Goodwin (SH) 64-1; (10) Katen Edwards (SH) 61-7; (11) Makayla Griffin (11) 59-0*.
FOR MORE PHOTOS, VISIT OUR PHOTO GALLERY!
Javelin – (1) Sydney Boxberger (CG) 106-2; (2) Riley Hutchins (CG) 104-11; (3) Natalie Rodgers (SH) 95-7; (4) Hannah Powell (SH) 87-3; (5) Katen Edwards 79-11; (7) Becky Belchere (SH) 70-8; (9) Kailey James (SH) 67-11*; (10) Shelbey Nichol (SH) 65-6.
High Jump – (1) Ryliereece Morgan (S) 4-10; (2-tie) Zoe James (SH), Brooke Robillard (S) 4-8.
Pole Vault – No Sweet Home Entrants.
Long Jump – (1) Ryliereece Morgan (S) 17-3; (2) Shelbey Nichol (SH) 14-11¼*; (3) Samantha Silva (S)) 14-0½; (4) Hannah Powell (SH) 13-11*; (9) Jessi Thomas (SH) 12-0; (10) Kailey James (SH) 11-6¾*; (11) O’Rian Offutt (SH) 11-2*.
Triple Jump – No Sweet Home Entrants.