Outlaws dominate home track meet

Having a home meet after four weeks of arduous travel appeared to have a positive effect on the Outlaws boys and girls track teams. Both squads tamed the visiting Huskies of North Marion and Sweet Home on Tuesday, May 2.

The girls totaled 99 points to easily outdistance Sweet Home (43) and North Marion (42). Running-event winners included Tiffany Martin in the 200 (27.53), Jenny Boswell in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles (15.4 and 46.3), McKenzie Williams in the 400 (1:03.2) and Kaitlin McAlister in the 3,000 (12:54.6) and both relay teams.

In the field, Tara Hermens cracked the 100-foot barrier in the javelin to win with a toss of 102-feet-5-inches and Aubrey Cretsinger launched to her best mark ever in the triple jump at 32-feet-1.25- inches in addition to winning the long jump with 14-feet-5-inches. Kelsey Neilson cleared 4-feet-10-inches to win the high jump and Cammy Jacobson won the pole vault with a mark of 8 feet 6 inches.

The boys were equally dominant racking up 97.5 points behind double victories from Cory McCafferey in the 200 (22.6) and the long jump (20-feet-5-inches), Jeff Sampson in the shot put (43-feet-3/4-inches) and discus (130-feet-3-inches), which were both personal bests, and Eli Callan in the 110 hurdles (17.2) and the 300 hurdles (41.85).

Kelly Crowther captured first place in the 400 (53.1) and Andrew Legg scored his first varsity victory in the 800 (2:12.1), as did Luke Glick in the 3000 (10:34.3).

Ben Mansker topped the pole vault field at 12 feet even and Nick Purvis destroyed the triple jump field by almost three feet, soaring 41-feet-1-inch.

On Saturday, the teams traveled to the Dick Baker Memorial Invitational at Gladstone High School to battle seven other 3A teams from throughout Oregon and came through with some shining performances.

Jenny Boswell went unchallenged in the hurdles once again, winning the 100 hurdles by over a second and a half at 15.27 seconds and the 300 intermediates by almost four seconds in 46.66.

She picked up the only first places for the Outlaws, but a number of her teammates stood high on the awards stand before the day was over, including MacKenzie Williams who placed second in the 400 (1:04.66). Cali Ulmer had a season’s best of 15 feet 2 inches in the long jump to finish fourth and Cammy Jacobson placed third with a 9 foot clearance in the pole vault.

Stefan Redfield was the only individual running event winner among the boys, claiming the 1,500 in a season’s best of 4:26.1 and Cory McCaffery did likewise in the field, flying 21 feet 4 inches in the long jump.

In one of the most dramatic and gutsy performances of the day, Andrew Legg ran a four-second personal best in the 800 meters to finish a close third.

Seaside won the boys title in a tight team race with 126 points, followed by Gladstone (118.5), North Bend (105.5), Sisters (102.5), Junction City (74), Cottage Grove (63), Yamhill-Carlton (49) and North Marion (22.5)

Gladstone edged Seaside 108-105 on the girls side. North Bend was right behind with 100, followed by Yamhill-Carlton (94), Junction City (89), Sisters (78), Cottage Grove (51) and North Marion (34).

The Outlaws conclude the regular season at the Wally Ciochetti Twilight Invitational at Cottage Grove Friday, May 12 before heading to the District Championships May 19 and 20 at Stayton High School.