News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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The Sisters Outlaws cross-country teams expect a competitive battle at the Oregon West District Championships this week. Based on performances at the Country Fair Classic at Richardson Park last Wednesday, they are ready. Elmira High School hosted the meet on the shores of Fern Ridge Reservoir. Nearly every varsity athlete ran either personal or season bests as the Outlaws put together their best single-meet effort of the season. Kate Bowen led by example, running a strategica... Full story
I have to be honest up front on this column: I have run the Hood-to-Coast Relay a number of times and also helped guide high school runners for many years in the Portland-to-Coast High School Challenge that runs in conjunction with Hood-to-Coast. What I have never understood - until I talked to Kathy Kemper-Zanck and Chris Davenport - is why anyone would ever take part in the Portland-to-Coast WALK. It takes more than a full 24 hours to complete (not counting travel), meaning that sleep, personal hygiene and normal meals are... Full story
Kolby Spink of Newport took the pace out hard at the Paul Mariman Invitational on Saturday, October 6. He must have been largely unaware of the battle taking place behind him for the runner-up spot. On the other hand, Ethan Hosang of Sisters, running a patient, smart race, was keenly aware as he moved up into the top four midway in the 5,000 meter race. He put the hammer down over the last 1,000 meters in his quest for second place. In the end, Hosang was overtaken by Brenden... Full story
In the words of Head Coach Josh Nordell, running a quality 5,000-meter requires a certain complicated sophistication. "There are actually more factors to races than most people realize," he explained. "There's the course, the conditions, the competition, the unforeseen surprises that the kids need to deal with to produce the outcome they desire." His philosophical words came after being asked to reflect on the Outlaws' progress as the season enters October, when meets really... Full story
Starting the racing season against some of the best 4A runners in Oregon last week gave the Sisters Outlaws girls team a first-hand look at what the future holds as the squad faces a new league and a high level of competition. At the Husky Invitational, hosted by Sweet Home on Thursday, the Outlaws toed the line for the first time in the 2018 campaign with a goal of checking fitness and race-readiness. Kate Bowen, the Outlaws' top runner, faced off against fellow junior... Full story
After years of dominating the Sky-Em Conference, the boys and girls cross-country teams find themselves in a new league. The Oregon West league has shown plenty of strength in recent years. The Outlaws are eager and ready to face that challenge. The Outlaws boys won the district title last year and placed a close sixth at state behind a varsity crew that included five freshman and a sophomores in the top seven. Of course the loss to graduation of Jordan Pollard, who finished s... Full story
Sisters middle and high school choir director Rick Johnson has the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" which runs August 24 and 25 in Bend's Drake Park as this year's Theater in the Park production. Additionally, Tyler Cranor, band teacher for Sisters School District, serves as the assistant musical director and bass player for the production. The musical originally played on Broadway from 1971-73, with an eight-year run in London from... Full story
If dusty trails and dry weather weren't enough, the two kilometers up Hoodoo Butte to complete the 13.1-mile half-marathon provided a tremendous athletic challenge to everyone who finished the third annual Run to the Top trail run, put on by the Sisters Kiwanis Club on Saturday, July 28. This year's event also included a 5-kilometer race on the Hoodoo property. At just after 8 a.m., about 80 brave runners toed the line at the Corbett Sno-Park parking lot and then headed down... Full story
High-profile suicides in the news recently, along with the death of a 21-year-old locally, have brought the topic to the forefront, leaving many care professionals pushing to find ways to further prevent people from taking their own lives. Mental-health professionals have been joined by other groups, including schools and universities, health providers and other organizations, to help identify those at risk and guide them toward quality care. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has responded to the rise in suicide attempts and... Full story
Summer is here and the opportunities for runners in Central Oregon seem endless. So, whether you are a year-round resident of Sisters Country or here for a visit there are trail recommendations and events galore. The trail systems in and around town cannot be taken for granted. Few cities of any size have done more to enhance the running, hiking, and biking access than Sisters, thanks to the Sisters Trails Alliance, city, county, and state governments, and the U.S. Forest... Full story
The gathering of 101 seniors at Sisters High School's 70th commencement ceremony Thursday, June 7, included music, memories - and one last academic, and inspirational, lesson. Just after 6 p.m. in a gymnasium packed with friends and family of seniors, the school band, under the direction of Tyler Cranor, struck up the processional "Fanfare and Flourishes" prompting the high school staff, led by Rand Runco and Samra Spear, to file in ahead of the students. The traditional "Pomp... Full story
The Sisters Middle School track and field team finished the 2018 season Wednesday, May 16, at the Central Oregon Mid-Major District Championship held at Reed Stadium in Sisters. Teams competing included Crook County, Jefferson County, Elton Gregory, La Pine, Obsidian and, of course Sisters. Coaches included Bryn Singleton, Kent Boles, and Dave Gregson. "We had a nice mix of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders this year," said Singleton. "Every year seems a little different, and this year the kids seemed particularly... Full story
A lot of my writing over the years has been centered on track meets held at historic Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene - from Outlaws winning state titles to Ashton Eaton setting the decathlon world record. No other place has seen more sub-four-minute miles than Hayward Field. Now with just one meet remaining at the venue before a complete overhaul of the facility, people are wondering if the magic will remain. Will the change to an ultra-modern,... Full story
Stepping to the starting line for the 1,500 meters on Saturday afternoon at Hayward Field in Eugene, Jordan Pollard knew he owned the fastest time of the season among 4A runners at 4:01, but that there was another runner on the track who would do everything possible to beat Pollard. That runner, John Kavulich of Scappoose, won the 4A cross-country title over Pollard in November by blasting from the start, daring everyone to chase him. Pollard could not make up the gap and... Full story
On the heels of winning its fourth consecutive Sky-Em District championship, the Outlaws girls track and field team placed eighth at the state meet May 18 and 19 at Hayward Field in Eugene. With a total of 15 entries in a total of 11 events, Coach Jeff Larson thought his team might be in the running for a top-four finish, but it was not meant to be as the Outlaws had a mix of strong performances along with some unexpected disappointments. The two-day meet at Hayward Field got... Full story
Young Life, a Christian ministry aimed at introducing adolescents to the faith while offering support, activities and fun times, is returning to Sisters under the leadership of Doug and Shannon Miller along with an enthusiastic group of community supporters. Many locals may be familiar with the Washington Family Ranch, which is a Young Life camp near Antelope on the site of the former Big Muddy Ranch, home to Rajneeshpuram in the 1980s. The Millers worked there for the past... Full story
The Sisters Outlaws girls' track and field team will be well represented at this week's OSAA State Championships following stellar performances at the Sky-Em District meet held May 10 and 12 at Reed Stadium. The host Outlaws stormed to the team title as they seemed to thrive under the home field advantage. Eight Outlaw girls qualified in a total of eleven different events. The top two finishers in each event at district, along with athletes who meet automatic qualifying... Full story
The Wally Ciochetti Twilight Invitational served as the final tune-up for this week's Sky-Em District Track and Field Championships set to get underway Thursday and Saturday May 10 and 12 here in Sisters at Reed Stadium. It is the first time in many years that Sisters High has been able to serve as host for the meet, but, now that the facility's renovation is complete, the stage is set for an exciting, high quality meet, according to head coach Jeff Larson. "We've been looking forward to hosting District all season," Larson... Full story
The annual Sisters Rotary Invitational last weekend produced stellar marks for many members of the Outlaws track and field teams. Saturday dawned a bit wet and cool, but did not dampen the spirits and efforts of the Outlaws at the Rotary meet, which featured a total of twelve teams. The Sisters girls team won the meet with 169.5 points, followed by Lakeview (131), Sweet Home (86), Elmira (85.5), Madras (50), Columbia Christian (36), Culver (29), Redmond (22), New Horizon... Full story
Track and field athletes and their fans are accustomed to enduring whatever Mother Nature doles out as far as weather is concerned, so when sunshine and warm temperatures arrive performances and spirit tend to rise accordingly. That was the case for the Outlaws in two meets last week, according to Head Coach Jeff Larson. "Everyone seemed a little happier," he said following Thursday's meet in Sweet Home where the Outlaws tangled with the host Huskies along with the Elmira Falc... Full story
Sunday April 8 dawned with a tempest brewing. Strong winds from the west combined with sleety rain, causing an instant chill for anyone out in it. But by the time the 16th annual Peterson Ridge Rumble trail run began, the clouds had parted and the wind died down a bit, eliminating the threat of hypothermia for runners and spectators. "You never know what you are going to get in April in Sisters," said Race Director Sean Meissner. "It actually turned out much better than the... Full story
Tate Metcalf's mission and vision in operating Sisters Athletic Club did not include striving to win awards for the business. However, thanks to the club's commitment to making a difference in the community, SAC won the prestigious IHRSA Outstanding Community Service Award for 2018. IHRSA (International Health Racquet and Sports Club Association) received a nomination from Sisters resident Josh Nordell in 2017 and Metcalf was notified on November 27 that SAC had been chosen... Full story
People of all ages - including some from Sisters - joined a March for Our Lives rally in downtown Bend Saturday, March 24 in an event organized largely by Central Oregon teenagers. The crowd gathered first at the amphitheater in Drake Park, where students shared music and speeches before leading marchers on a one-mile loop around downtown Bend. Similar rallies took place around the nation in the wake of the Parkland, Florida shooting in which 17 students and staff lost their... Full story
A three-way meet in Bend in cold conditions was not the type of competition where coaches and athletes expect great marks, but the Sisters Outlaws saw some bright spots in the first outing of the season. Teams scores were not kept for the meet. Jordan Pollard provided two of the highlight wins for Sisters within the first four running events of the meet. The senior followed a strong 1,500-meters performance (4:22.81) with a stellar time in the open 400 minutes later in 52.47. "I honestly couldn't believe it when I saw his... Full story
Success in track and field is all about the numbers. If the team has some depth and can cover all 17 events at the high school level, good results tend to follow. That may be why Sisters High's Head Coach Jeff Larson is smiling most of the time these days. "We have a great turnout," said Larson, who is in his fourth year as head coach of the Outlaws and sixth overall with the team. "In fact, it might be our biggest team of all time." The girls team, which has won three consecu... Full story
