University of Oregon track and field athlete Dakotah Keys, who led Sweet Home to its third straight 4A state title last year, has been selected as a finalist for the 2010 Johnny Carpenter Award.
This is the second straight year Keys has been nominated for the award, which honors the state’s top 1A through 4A athletes.
The 2010 Oregon Sports Awards banquet will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, at the Tiger Woods Center on the Nike World Campus in Beaverton. Comcast Sportsnet will televise the show at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31.
Keys, a freshman, opened his college career Jan. 15 at the UW Indoor Preview, finishing third in his 60 hurdles prelim (8.65), eighth in his flight of the pole vault (15 1/2) and his 4×400 relay team won its prelim in 3:23.66.
The other seven finalists this year are:
n Football player and state champion sprinter Matt Anthony of Ontario, who signed last year to run at the University of Washington;
Baker quarterback Jesse Brown, who was voted Class 4A offensive player of the year for 2010;
Three-time state wrestling champion Zach Cardwell of Lowell,
Scio football and track star Coulter Mastenbroek, who is now at Western Oregon University,
Newport three-sport star Tristan Metcalf, who was the 4A state player of the year in baseball last year;
Horizon Christian junior basketball standout Jordan Tebbutt; and
Rogue River distance runner Cole Watson, now at the University of Oregon.
Girls finalists are Sara Almen of Santiam Christian, Ashley Baldovino of Lakeview, Caralyn Chewning of Willamina, Kassie Conditt of LePine, Brittaney Niebergall of Portland Christian, Alexa Skinner of Glide, Monica Vaughn of Reedsport and Tayla Woods of Santiam Christian.