TD track sending five to state meet

Cardosi was also one of the key cogs in the 4x400-meter relay team along with Bailey Nearing, Emma Mullins and Athena Thomas that hit a mark of 4:17.49 for second place behind Hermiston (4:12.02).

The 4:17.49 put up by Cardosi, Nearing and company was a season-best by nearly eight seconds.

“It took a lot of dedication and a lot of extra practice to work on 4x400 techniques,” said Nearing, a sophomore making her first trip to state. “We definitely knew deep down we could do it and we got it.”

Joining Cardosi and the relay team is junior Kayla Seibel.

Seibel, a first-time state qualifier, chalked up second-place honors in the triple jump, hitting a personal-record of 33-5, just one inch behind district champion, Hermiston’s Ebony Wilson (33-6). Seibel ended up less than an inch in front of Pendleton’s Kiara Glover (33-4.25).

“Kayla was in a battle to make it and just kept getting better,” said coach Garth Miller on Seibel’s triple jump event. “Only an inch and three quarters separated first, second and third place.”

While the Riverhawks are sending a solid group to state next week, there were several close finishes along the way.

Taylor Sugg hit a height of 8-0 for third place, Karen Jesch had a discus throw of 93-8, missing state by 10-6.

The 4x100-meter relay team of Jordyn Hattenhauer, Mullins, Sugg and Ivorie Taylor had a time of 54.06 for fourth place, missing second place and a state bid by 3.09 seconds.

Paige McLeod was fifth in the 800 in a time of 2:30.85, Nearing was also fifth in the 400 with her mark of 1:05.02, Emily Morin scored fourth in the 3,000 in a time of 11:44.63 and in the 1,500, Caela Dunagan was just edged out of state qualification, as she hit the finish line in 5:22.54 for fifth place.

On the boys’ side, Justin Conklin placed third overall in the 110-meter hurdles with a personal-record mark of 16.28, a time just .38 behind Pendleton’s Garison Alger (15.90).

Julian Hernandez, who set a PR of 162-2 on April 9 in the javelin, finished in fourth place Thursday after a 143-11.

Both relay teams flirted with state qualifications, as both ended up in third place.

The 4x100-meter relay team of Josh Nisbet, Jack Bonham, Conklin and Yordi Sanchez had a time of 48.56, missing second place by 3.02 behind Pendleton.

In the long relay, the quartet of Glenn Breckterfield, Bonham, Bill Burns and Paul Clark secured third place in 3:47.44, nearly 13 seconds off the pace set by Hermiston (3:31.65).

Luke McLean finished seventh in the 1,500 with a time of 4:30.25, Michael Lantz went for ninth in the 800 in 2:14.99 and Glenn Breckterfield added a 17.72 for fifth in the 110-meter hurdles.

Given youth throughout the roster, Miller is excited about the future and the group of young athletes coming up through the ranks over the next few years.

“We have had a young team,” Miller said. “We had kids make the finals and get PRs, so I am proud of the effort of all of our kids.”

While Cardosi is a seasoned veteran on the state track circuit, Nearing is excited to be extending her season by another week with other newcomers Thomas, Mullins and Seibel.

“This next week, we are going to try to PR at state and just have a really good time,” Nearing said. “We are so stoked.”

State action takes place on May 20-21 at Hayward Field in Eugene.