Track team picks up pace

The Outlaws track teams flexed some muscle in two meets during a week that finally included some warm weather.

Thursday's meet at Junction City, including five of the Sky-Em League's seven teams, in many ways was like a preview of the District Meet, according to head coach Bob Johnson. La Pine, Marist and Pleasant Hill were also in attendance.

"It was a very nice day, and even though we continue to train right through the league meets, the kids performed very well and are showing improvement across the board," he said.

One example of bringing things to a new level came in the girls high jump where Kelsey Neilson broke her own school record with a leap of 5-feet-2-inches.

Sophomore Courtney Satko gave Johnson reason to smile with a personal best in winning the 400 meters in 1:10.94.

"That puts a whole new look to our 1,600-meter relay team," he said.

Lani Ulmer won the pole vault (8-feet-6-inches), while sister Kali won the triple jump (32-feet-1-inch) as the other victors for the Outlaw girls.

The boys were also very competitive at Junction City, sweeping first place in all the sprinting events. Cory McCaffrey won the 100 (11.65) and the 400 (51.74), while Max Gruettner captured the 200 meter (24.11). The 400-meter relay team of McCaffrey, Gruettner, Hayden Stein, and Andy Stahn earned first place in 45.09.

To conclude the meet Gruettner and McCaffrey joined Lee Elder and Cory Holt to a three-second win in the 1,600-meter relay (3:34.31).

The distance running crew held its own against Marist.

"Marist and Sisters have many of the best distance runners among 4A schools, so it was a battle," said Johnson.

Benton Urquhart (4:24) and Luke Glick (4:27) went 2-3 in the 1,500, while Parker Bennett was the runner-up in the 3,000 that turned out to be 3,400 meters due to an error by the lap counter. Times for the event were unavailable.

Saturday the teams traveled to the annual Elmira Relays where they faced five other teams, including Mazama, Cascade, Toledo, Junction City and the host Falcons. Virtually all events are operated in relay fashion, which, as Johnson noted, makes things fun.

The boys team dominated the meet winning all but one of the running relays, including the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, 4x800, 4x1,600 and the sprint medley and in the process winning the overall team title with 105 points.

Cascade finished second (99), Junction City (82), Mazama (80), Toledo (69) and Elmira (52).

A couple of sweet surprises included freshman Jared Nelson's victory in the pole vault at 12 feet and senior Andrew Legg's personal record in the first leg of the 4x800-meter relay in which he was clocked in 2:04.

The girls fared well themselves, finishing second (103) to the Cougars of Cascade (126). Toledo was a distant third (74).

The highlights for the girls included a season best 4:13.8 in the 1,600-meter relay and a overwhelming win in the sprint medley relay - 100, 100, 200, 400 - of 1:57.7.

After a home meet Thursday against Junction City and La Pine and another league meet the following week, the Outlaws will take about 24 varsity athletes to the prestigious Centennial Meet in Gresham on April 26.