Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
Coach Billy Snow is always a little reluctant to predict big things going into a track and field season, particularly since there are always question marks at the beginning of the year.
He says that’s even more true than ever this season.
“We’re very, very raw and very, very young,” he said of the 2008 Huskies.
But, despite the youth and inexperience, there is some talent in the mix and as Sweet Home kicks off its season today at Cascade, the process of building toward the district meet begins.
Both the boys and girls welcome back some proven contributors, though how they will contribute this year is still up in the air in some cases.
Back this year for the boys are three state qualifiers: senior Land Florek, junior Rob Callagan and sophomore Dakotah Keys, along with a contingent of other athletes who scored at last year’s district meet.
For the girls, senior Amanda Basham is back after making state in the 300 hurdles last season, but after winning the district title in cross-country last fall, the first year she’d tried the sport, her emphases this year will likely include some distance. Also returning is senior Ashley Danielson, who barely missed the state meet in the javelin.
Boys Track and Field
“We’ve got some good kids back,” Snow said. “We just have to figure out where we can fill in the holes here.”
The Husky boys were second last year in districts, behind Newport, which lost a large group of seniors to graduation, he said. The good news for Sweet Home is there is a solid core to build around and, Snow said, some young incoming talent to add to the mix.
“I think we are going to be a faster team than we were last year,” he said.
Keys was the top scorer for the Huskies in last year’s district and state meets as a freshman, winning the 110 and 300 hurdles and the javelin at districts and placing fourth in the 110 hurdles, 11th in the 300 hurdles (after falling) and fifth in the javelin at state. Keys went on to add 26 feet to his javelin throw at the regional Junior Olympics meet in July, and he also threw the discus 128-4 at the Junior Olympics decathlon, which was three feet further than the best throw in the Val-Co League last year. He scored 6395 points in the regional Junior Olympics decathlon and went on to finish second in the nation in that event.
Keys also looks to be a big contributor in the relays and the pole vault, in which he went 13-0 last season but didn’t compete in the district meet because he was needed on the 4×400 relay team.
Florek has been nursing an ankle injury, which has slowed his training, but he’s looking to repeat as district champion in the 400 and will be looking to better his sixth-place finish at state last year. He is also expected to contribute in the relays.
Callagan was the league’s best 800 runner last year, finishing 10th at state as a sophomore. He said recently that after spending the winter competing on the Huskies swim team, he is in the best shape of his life going into a track season. He will likely run the middle distances and the 400, and last year competed in the high jump and 4×400 relay for the Huskies.
Also back are junior Sam Macklin and senior Brandon Elliott, who were top short sprinters for the Huskies last season; junior Nikki Smith in the pole vault; senior Aris Somatis, sophomore Byron Sanders and sophomore Dustin Collman in the disatances; and senior Ramiro Santana, who was injured for most of last season and missed a trip to state in the 800, his specialty, but who was one of the top cross-country runners last fall for the boys. Senior Brinden Sanders, who was one of the top runners on the cross-country team last fall and was a state placer in two events in swimming, has decided to run track this spring, so Snow said he will be a potential competitor in a number of events.
A newcomer to the team is junior Amos Parmenter, who competed for Lebanon in the shot and discus, and in the 100.
The throws are usually a strength for the Huskies, but with the graduation of Nathan Whitfield, it will be up to junior Marc Callagan and senior Marcus Delong to take the lead, Snow said.
“We’re really young in the throws, especially the shot and discus,” Snow said. “I think we’re stronger now in the javelin than in the shot and discus.”
Girls Track and Field
Basham is the top returnee for the girls and has been doing roadwork all winter, which should leave her in good shape to contribute in the distances this spring, providing a replacement for Cassandra Schumacher, who graduated, Snow said. Basham is also expected to run some hurdles for the Huskies.
Danielson will compete in the javelin and in the 800 and short relays, in which she was a leader for Sweet Home last year, placing third at districts in the javelin, but having to drop out of the 800 with a cramp while running second.
“Hopefully, Ashley can take the next step in the javelin,” Snow said.
Also back are sophomores Jill Mahler in the middle distances and 4×400 relay, Natasha Perry in the sprints and Jessica Snow in the 400 and relays.
Beyond that, it’s going to be a wait-and-see situation, he said.
“We have more speed than last year, but we’ll have to see who that’s going to be.”
Newport dominated the girls districts in 2007, but the Cubs lost some top performers to graduation and Snow said there’s room for the Huskies to move up.
“We were fourth last year,” he said. “Philomath and Newport are the teams to beat. Us and Central are on the outside looking in.
“I don’t know if we have enough depth and speed to get first, but our realistic goal is to move up.”