THE GORGE — Warm, spring days on April 4 and 5 helped the Gorge’s small school track and field athletes record some state-ranked bests at meets in Pendleton, Maupin and Union.
At the South Wasco Invitational in Maupin on April 4, Trout Lake junior Melody Stock did a little speed work on the track, battling a back-stretch head wind to win the 800 meters in 2:31.39 (the No. 3 time in OSAA Class 1A this season). That race came after she won the 1500 and before she ran a leg on the first-place Mustang 4x400 relay — along with Lupe Medina, Riley Rickman, and Cora Sharp.
The deep Mustang girls team had seven other first-place finishes: Ellie Rubesh won the triple jump, Sharp won the 100 and long jump, Medina won the 300 hurdles, Rickman the pole vault, and Aurora Zeller won the shot put and discus.
Trout Lake boys teammate Jayden Kusky popped a 1A state leading 50-foot throw to win the shot put and added a PR in the discus of 134-0 (No. 5, 1A).Â
Also at Maupin, Horizon Christian sophomore Judah Garrett set a school record in the boys javelin at 162 feet, 6.5 inches — the No. 3 throw so far in 1A. Fellow sophomore Charlie Haynie had his season debut in the 300-meter low hurdles, winning in a near personal best of 41.64 (also No. 3 in 1A). In the 110 high hurdles, Lyle-Wishram senior Ezekiel Marble won in 16.35 seconds — the No. 3 time in 1A thus far.
Glenwood junior Talon Webb matched his PR of 5-8 to place second in the high jump, Horizon senior Ethan Smallfoot vaulted a PR 9-6 to win the pole vault, and senior Jack Thiemann of Lyle-Wishram had a great day in the horizontal jumps, bounding 19-4.5 in the long jump and 40-11 (No. 2 1A) to win the triple jump.
A day earlier in Pendleton, Dufur had some top 1A marks, including its girls 4x100 relay which ran a season best. The Ranger team of Hailee Pechanec, Jacey Calloway, Lily Egeland, and Ellie Brock clocked 54.19 to finish sixth in the 22-team Buck Track Classic.
On April 4 at the Pepsi Invitational in Union, Sherman County senior Eli Pickard won the 100 meters in 11.41 (No. 4 1A) and was second in the 200 in 23.77 (No. 5 1A). He joined teammates Rhyder Smith, Tyler Geary, and Cristian Rubio to run a 46.91 4x100 relay (the top District 3 time this season).
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