Lady Outlaws claim title

By the narrowest of margins, the Lady Outlaws track team claimed its first ever Capital Conference title at the district meet held at Molalla High School May 19 and 20.

Sisters nipped Cascade 147.5 to 147 in the closest finish ever in the history of the meet -- and in the 25 year career of head coach Bob Johnson.

"In all my years of coaching track it had to be among the most exciting meets," he said. "To beat a perennial power like Cascade was very special for the girls; they really came together."

The top two placers in each event advance to the state meet scheduled for May 26 and 27 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Freshman Amy Cretsinger led the way with individual championships in the 400 meters, 200 meters, and long jump.

She also anchored the first place 400-meter relay team that includes Callie Hanes, Macy Campbell, Nicolette Callan.

Callan was the only other individual champion, as she lead a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100-meter hurdles. Campbell was second and Sarah McGhehey third.

Such dominance in an event is very rare, according to Johnson.

The dominance was nearly as great in the 300-meter hurdles; Campbell, McGhehey and Brittany Burnside went 2-3-4. McGhehey will advance to state because Campbell will not run the event at state.

Her coaches feel she should concentrate on the 100-meter hurdles and the relay.

Likewise, Callie Hanes will bump up from her third place finish in the 200-meters after the decision was made to have Amy Cretsinger focus on three events rather than four.

"It's tough to go through prelims at state in so many events and have anything left for the finals," said Johnson.

Rachel Beck will return to state thanks to her second place finish in the 3,000-meter run. In addition, she qualified for state after placing second in the 800 meters.

Danusha Sawiel was fifth in the 800.

Johnson applauded the efforts of his individual champions and state qualifiers, but pointed out that winning by half of a point means that everyone who scored made a difference.

"Tiffany Stevens, who was eighth in the 800, Krista Gardinier coming back from an injury to place fourth in the high jump, Brittany Burnside placing fourth in the hurdles and sixth in the pole vault, Megan Benton nailing down seventh in the triple jump; they all won the meet for us," Johnson said.

It came down to the final event, the 1,600-meter relay and Sisters had to beat Cascade to claim the crown.

Johnson put together a team with "a lot of heart" and hoped for the best.

All four of the girls -- Brittany Burnside, Macy Campbell, Danusha Sawiel and Rachel Beck -- ran personal bests to finish fourth, three seconds ahead of fifth place Cascade. The district title was wrapped up. Initially, the final score was announced as Sisters winning with 151.5 points, but Johnson got a call early Sunday morning with the correction.

"Half a point is the closest it can get," he said