Hood River Valley’s track and field foray into the Northwest Oregon Conference will include a few unknowns, as the Eagles join Canby and Centennial as the league’s newbies this season.
Each of the three schools was in a different league a year ago but were added to the NWOC when the OSAA revamped its enrollment classifications last fall, as it does every four years.
HRV’s head Coach Brandon Bertram said a big different will be competing in the Portland-metro area vs. east of Hood River, where it’s often much windier. The HRV coach expects some competitive three- and four-team meets in the nine-team league leading up to the May district championships for his 100-plus strong team.
Wilsonville won the girls and boys NWOC district meet titles last year. They have won every girls team title since 2016; the Wilsonville boys have won every district meet held since finishing fourth in 2018. This year’s district title chase will be competitive based on returning athletes, as 17 NWOC district individual champions in 2022 were underclassmen, including 11 on the girls side in all seven field events.
“We’re always competing to try to put a team together to win a conference championship.” Bertram said. “And this season is no different. … With a team of 107 and a great coaching staff, I believe we’ll be able to put something together and get kids ready for a pretty good performance by the end of the season.”
The Eagle girls were third in their final season of the Intermountain Conference in 2022 while the boys finished sixth in the six-team IMC.
HRV returns two IMC district champions in senior Phoebe Wood (3000 meters), who also was second in the 1500; and senior Shaw Burns (triple jump), who also was fourth in the 100, fifth in the long jump and anchored HRV’s 4x100 relay.
“(Burns is) a good all-around athlete. He swept our combine competition (last weekend) – broad jump, triple jump, med ball throw. He has a premium good attitude and in good condition right now.”
Burns and junior Chaz Rockett return from HRV’s 2022 4x100 relay.
Senior Elliot Hawley leads a seasoned group of HRV male distance runners. He was second in the IMC 3000 and third in the 1500 in 2022, competing in the state meet in both events. Hawley was seventh in the 5A state cross country meet this past fall, where three of his NWOC competitors finished in the top five. Senior William Bunch was fifth in the IMC 3000 and sixth in the 1500. Junior Jackson Bullock was third in the district 800 and fourth in the 1500. Sophomore Logan King was sixth in the 3000.
“Those distance boys did not miss a beat coming out of cross country,” Bertram said, referring to the Eagles’ NWOC district meet cross country championship this past fall. “They either did Nordic or trained – a lot.”
Senior Kadin Mitchell was fourth in the IMC 400 at district (55.10). HRV throwers who competed at district a year ago include sophomore Omar Sedano, junior Malcolm I’aulualo, and sophomore Logan Lavoie. Senior MyNoah I’aulualo is also throwing for the Eagles. Senior Robert Wood returns in the pole vault after finishing sixth at the IMC championships last season.
For the girls, juniors Sydney Barrs, Catelyn Wahlstrom and Simone Tillman were in HRV’s district lineup in the 100 meters a year ago and all three return, as do both 200 district runners, Lauraine Smith and Cristine Kinoshita. Tillman was one of the Eagles’ top track and field athletes in 2022 in multiple events. Kinoskita was third in the IMC 400 with a personal record 65.32-second effort.
Wood leads the HRV distance runners. She added a runner-up finish in the 1500 along with her 3000 title a season ago. Sophomore Alex Bronson returns, having finished fourth in the IMC 800 in 2022.
Senior Ximena Santillan and Annika Trainer return in the high and low hurdles. Santillan was third in the longer race at district (49.84) and fourth in the 100 high hurdles. Zoe Todorov was HRV’s top pole vaulter last season and finished third at district. Bertram said the senior may runsome relay legs and sprints this spring, as well. Megan Griggs and Jacy Johnston return for the jumps for the Eagles.
Hood River opens its season Thursday at Valley Catholic in Beaverton.
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