Eagle Boys: Congratulations to Barajas, Kennedy, and all of Eagle track and field

Congratulations to Barajas, who threw the discus 200 feet to win, to his fellow Eagle state champion, pole vaulter Parker Kennedy, and the rest of the 5A track and field champion boys track team from Hood River Valley High School. The Eagles continue a tradition of excellence under head coach Donnie Herneison and staff. Their hard work and dedication to their craft has paid off, and they deserve the respect of the entire community.

Barajas accomplished the rare feat of winning the same event for years running. Kennedy took third in the pole vault 2015 at 14 feet and topped the field this year at 15 feet.

It seems like yesterday we celebrated the freshman Barajas’ first win in Eugene. Few of us, Barajas included, might have said he would win three more times, but he did. His toss then was 156-9, meaning he improved in three years by more than 44 feet, which is a long piece of real estate even in terms of a Steph Curry jump shot.

Barajas is not alone in excellence within that 2013-16 arc. In 2013 Kennedy placed 10th in the pole vault (13 feet) and Parker Irusta was part of the 400-meter and 1,600-meter relays, placing fourth and fifth respectively. This year at state, Irusta took third in the 200-meter and was part of the bronze-winning 400-meter relay team.

Track and field is a sport of individual accomplishments that add up to a true team effort, and serves as a microcosm for how a community succeeds. We all have our individual skills and approaches, and the points add up to a communal effort. The hurdler might never try the discus and the pole vaulter might never consider doing a long distance event, but they are in it together, contributing points toward the same goal.

Here’s to the youth of Hood River Valley, class of 2016 and their younger teammates, to serve as a refined example of what we can all strive for, separate but together.