Despite losing some big scorers to graduation, Lebanon’s track and field team returns some athletes who have the potential to make their own marks – especially if they’re willing to put in the work to get there, Coach Cameron Eberhart says.
Leading the girls last year were the Cornell twins, Taryn and Teagan, who went 1-2 in the discus at state and 3-4 in the shot.
“They brought some great talent in the throws and will be missed,” Eberhart said of the Cornells. “As far as the throws go, it will be hard to fill the shoes of the twins, being that they went to state all four years. I know the other girls looked up to them and will strive to make them proud.”
On the boys side, Isaac Jordan was third at state in the shot (after opening last season with a massive PR of 51-3½) and finished fifth in the discus at state behind Gabe Allise-jester, who was fourth. Grayson Jackson was fifth in the 110 hurdles.
“Isaac was great all around and fun to be around,” said Eberhart, who has been at the helm for the Warriors since 2021, when they came out of the COVID shutdown.
“I know a few of our guys are looking to chase down his marks, but he left making sure they would have to work for it.
“In the hurdles, Grayson worked really hard to get to where he did. My hope is that some of the other hurdlers saw that and will aim high as well.”
After a third-place finish by the girls at the MWC district meet last year and fourth place for the boys, both finished ninth at state.
But the cupboard is not bare.
Back for the girls is Addy Pickles, now a senior, after qualifying for state in the 400 every year so far.
Although her quest to medal in that event last year was stymied by a false start call, she was fifth as a freshman and last year finished seventh in the long jump after posting a PR of 17-6¼ at the district meet. She was also 10th last year in the state triple jump after placing second in the MWC districts with a PR of 36-5.
Sophomore Brooklyn Hensley is back in the sprints as well, after placing 11th at state in the 100 (12.87), while Ruby Vandenbos, now a senior, was seventh in the triple jump at state after PRing at districts with a leap of 35-3. Vandenbos was also 11th at state in the long jump, behind Pickles, after PRing in that event as well at districts, with a leap of 16-2¼.
For the boys, senior Cade Weber is back after placing fourth in the 400 at state (49.60 after running 49.53 in prelims) and just missing the finals with ninth in the 200 (22.48).
Logan Large is also back as a senior after taking fifth in the state triple jump at state following a PR of 43-1½ to take runner-up spot in the district meet.
“All five of those athletes are big leaders at practice and continue to push the others to do their best,” Eberhart said.
Along with Weber, the then-all-junior 4×400 relay team of Bodhi Brown, Rowan Jones and Large are back after finishing 12th last year at state in 3:28.86.
Coach Troy Walker said he expects Brown to be a “force with the sprint group” after running an 11.09 in the 100 at the team’s first real meet Saturday, the Titan Track Classic at West Salem..
He also noted that Brown, Large, Weber and sophomore Luke Johnson, whom Walker described as an “up-and-coming sprinter for us,” combined to set the school record in the 4×100, clocking 42.81.
He said he also expects the Warriors to be strong in the 4×400 relay; the Warriors foursome of Large, Jones, Brown and Weber were first at the Titan meet in 3:27.46.
On the girls side. Pickles and Hensley are also joined by sophomore Jane Brandt, who with now-graduated Dakota Whitaker, were ninth at state in the 4×100 last year (50.06).
With more than 20 seniors on the team, the Warriors will take “a big hit at the heart of the team” this year, Eberhart said, so “our season goals this year is to continue to build up great leaders.”
Also returning from last year for the girls are seniors Jocilynn Durgeloh, Emma Estes, Avery Lindsay and Peyton Vorderstrasse; juniors Isabel (Izzy) Argo, Molly Basting, Makayla Gonda, Evangeline (Eva) Graves, Ava Neuhaus, Diana Sanchez and Heather Savedra; and sophomores Nova Barnes, Raquel Biggs, Jane Brandt, Angelina Castillo, Ariahnna Durgeloh, Brooke Fountain, Hailey Hasenyager and Leslie Thayer.
Also back for the boys are seniors David Brandt, Bohdi Brown, Gunner Harris, Treigon Haselip, Rowan Jones, Michael Kluttz, Kael Robinson and Steven Searles; juniors Ismael Benitez Aguilar, Gunner Barnes, Aaron Bradbury, Grady Cox, Dylan Juntunen, Raymond Romero, Lyric Thompson, Tyson Trask and Jack Whitacre; and sophomores Samuel Bloedel, Jaxon Christopherson, Cash Davis, Tyler Deckert , Zachary Dickerson, Luke Johnson, John Kluttz, Eadon Marshall, Austin McKamey, Jack Nelson and Zade White.
Rounding out the roster for the girls are seniors Sophia Ramos and Kiiannah Stevenson; juniors Cami Murray, Alec Weber and Alyssa Zhiltsov; sophomores Teryn Gandy, Kenley Mortensen and Grace Murray; and freshmen Catherine Attebery, Nuala Attebery, Zoey Beskow, Cadence Davis, Harmony Villafana-Garcia, Daphne Graves, Payten Heflin, Danica Jimenez, Reese King, Miko Mattison, Ava Mills, Maliha Mowdy, Harper Pepperling, Libby Pointer, Hannah Pool, Faith Strauss and Danica Teague.
Savedra is leading the league in the javelin after throwing a personal-best 108-6 to place third at West Salem and Graves is sitting third in the discus in the early standings with a throw of 85-1, a personal best.
Walker said Brandt, Pepperling and Pointer all show “potential” as well.
Joining the boys roster this year are seniors Boston Borgmann, Joey Meyer and Lawrence Parker; juniors Javier Cabuto and John Rokitka; and incoming freshmen Oliver Blatchey-Penner, Paul Bloedel, Axel Bradbury, Nicholas Brockett, Cody Cruz, Grycin Durgeloh, Leelin Flesher, Michael Foubert, Landen Franklin, Sawyer Gillespie, Chaz Hamner, Brody Hensley, Giovanni Hodson, Carson Kolling, Jakin Lee, Xavier Macedo, Gabriel Manner, Nickolas Nakphouminh, Jayden Nunez, Kasey Parker, Abram Plagman, Jackson Simmons, Zane Smith, Miller Swanson, Logan Taylor, Jordan Tharp and Lake Tucci.
Eberhart is assisted by Mick Bittick, Kaitlyn Burson, Mackenzie Durrant, David Evans, Kyle Saulmon, Eric Speldrich and Troy Walker.
Both the Warrior boys and girls were fifth at the Titan meet, which included 20 girls teams and 19 boys, all but a couple 5A Division or above.
Top finishers for the boys were Brown, fourth in the 100 (11.09), with Johnson close behind in seventh (11.20, a PR); Weber, second in the 400 (50.30) and fifth in the 200 (22.89); Large in the long jump (21-2½, a PR) and third in the triple (42-3¼).
For the girls, Pickles was sixth in the 200 (27.15) second in the long jump (16-8) and fourth in the triple (32-6), right behind Vandenbos, who was third (34-2); Hensley was second in the 100 Hurdles (15.58); and both were part of the third-place 4×100 relay team, along with Brandt and Pepperling, which finished in 50.56.Villafana-Garcia finished sixth in the javelin, behind Savedra, with a personal best of 98-7. Basting finished in a tie for eighth in the pole vault in a personal-best 7-8½
Eberhart said he was reluctant to highlight teams to beat in the conference.
“All the schools bring competition, so it’s hard to be specific about each and every event,” he said. “I would say that the team to beat is the jersey of the kid in front of you.”
The Warriors host the Rob Allen Twilight Invitational Friday, April 24, followed by a home meet against McKay and Woodburn Wednesday, April 29. The Mid-Willamette Conference Championships will be May 20 and 22 at Corvallis, followed by state on May 29-30.