Track was back in a big way Saturday, April 23, as Sweet Home – together with Cascade – hosted the Meet of Champions for the top performers from 29 schools ranging from Astoria to Myrtle Point to Condon.
It was, as multiple spectators noted, a beautiful day for a track meet.
“The running joke is that whenever we host a track meet, we have good weather, Sweet Home Coach Nathan Whitfield said.
Athletes had to qualify to compete and, although Whitfield acknowledged that the marks this year weren’t what they have been in the past, there were still some big performances.
“We had some good competition and so really good marks.”
The Husky boys were seventh out of 28 teams, while the girls finished in a tie with Seaside for 24th. Cottage Grove won the boys competition while Philomath’s depth and experience carried the Warriors to a win over Cascade on the girls side.
Cascade’s Emma Gates won the 100, 200 and high jump on the girls side, while Colton McMaster of Astoria left the rest of the field in the proverbial dust in the shot and discus, as the state’s leading thrower won both going away.
Second in the discus, though, was Sweet Home’s Tanner Waldrop, who posted a 2-foot personal best of 135-8 behind McMasters’ heave of 174-6 – which wasn’t his PR. Waldrop also PR’d in the shot, with a throw of 39-8 – more than a foot over his previous best.
“Tanner had a good day,” said Whitfield, who was a thrower during high school days. “Unfortunately for him, he had to throw against the No. 1 guy in all of Oregon in the discus and shot.”
Senior Charlie Crawford broke his personal best in the javelin by nine feet, throwing 148-0 to place seventh.
Also having a big day were freshmen Conner Stevens, fifth in the 100 with a nearly half-second PR of 11.93 – ranking him third in the Oregon West going into this week, and Kasey Kast, who cut five seconds off his previous best in the 800 with a run of 2:03.39 to place fifth, a second and a half behind first-place finisher Warwick Bushnell of Philomath, also a freshman.
Senior Aidan Shamek PR’d by nearly a foot in the triple jump, going 38-10, and came within a few inches of his PR in the long jump.
“He’s starting to come on strong,” Whitfield said. He’s starting to figure some things out. The long jump is not where he wants it but I think he’ll get to where he needs to be.”
In the girls pole vault, senior Victoria Ferrioli jumped 7-6 for her best effort in that event since she transferred to Sweet Home from East Linn Christian two years ago. Immediately before her final jumps she also set a personal best in the 200, running 29.48, edging freshman teammate Kaylynn Mamac, who also PR’d, in 29.67.
Senior Mercedes Burks continued chipping away at her 300 Hurdles time, running 58.73 for her third straight PR. She also matched her season’s best in the pole vault at 6-6.
Mason Lopez was fifth in the javelin, with a season’s best 149-0, and also PR’d in the 400 (57.85) and the 300 hurdles.
The girls team of Mamac, Ferrioli, Stephanie Saultz and Amelia Sullens placed sixth in the short relay (54.06) and in the 4×400 Mamac, Sullens, Lydia Wright and Ivy Dewitte placed eighth (4:37.97).
The boys team of Kast, Martinez, Lopez and Dakota Seiber placed third in the 4×400. The short relay team dropped the baton, and did not finish.
“I think they did really well,” Whitfield said of his team. “A lot of kids that competed got PR’s. On the team points side of it, considering how young our team is, the guys did really well. It was their first exposure to a big meet.”
Up next for the Huskies are a meet at Woodburn Wednesday, April 27, followed by the Junction City Invitational on Saturday. They will be home again for the Last Chance meet on Tuesday, May 3.