Track team quick out of the blocks

The Outlaws track and field teams burst into the season with two meets last week and showed they are ready to compete with anyone.

After a warmup meet at Mountain View on Tuesday in which the Outlaws looked to be in excellent early season form, the teams traveled to Cottage Grove for a three-way Sky-Em meet that also included perennial power Marist.

Using good balance through all events, both the boys' and girls' teams dispatched the Lions and the Spartans quite handily.

On the girls' side of things, Sara Small contributed two big victories, including a state-leading 11-foot clearance in the pole vault, and a 15-foot long jump, to lead Sisters.

Sisters won both relays as Hayley Palmer, Annie Mutchler, Courteney Satko and Cindy Steele took the 400-meter relay in 52.07 to start the running events, and Karah Herr, Hannah Harrer, Steele and Reifschneider cruised to first in the 1,600 relay in 4:24.27 to conclude the meet.

Other wins for the Outlaws came from sophomores Zoe McAlister in the 100 hurdles (17.65) and Chelsea Reifschneider in the 300 hurdles (50.3) and 400 meters (1:05.96). Jodie Reoch (28.3) nipped Steele (28.57) in the 200.

Sisters won the meet with 76.5 points, followed by Marist (56) and Cottage Grove (45.5).

Outlaws boys won all but two of the running events to pile up 80 points to outdistance Cottage Grove (58) and Marist (43).

Jeff Wilder and David Cowan each won two events to lead the Outlaws. Cowan, a junior coming off a missed season due to illness, blasted through the 100 (12.1) and 200 (24.59), while Wilder bested all hurdlers, winning the 110 highs (18:05) and the 300 intermediates (43.37).

Easton Curtis showed exceptional early season form in winning the 400 (53.37) and placing second in the 200 (24.76), while Parker Bennett powered to a fine 1,500 time of 4:15.53 to win. Taylor Steele placed second in 4:21.5.

Cowan and Curtis, along with Jeremiah Stahn and Drew Harrison, won the 400-meter relay (46.47), while Wilder joined Harrison, Stahn, and Devon Prescott in taking the 1,600-meter relay (3:37). Harrison also placed third in the 800 meters (2:13.89).

"Our sprint times were solid, but not exceptional, but it's the competitiveness that matters early in the season," said head coach Bob Johnson. "The times will come down, no question about it."

The Outlaws will be back in action at the Sisters Rotary Invitational after spring break on Saturday, April 3 in what will be a tremendous showcase of talent featuring 12 teams from all classifications, according to Johnson.

"We're looking forward to another great meet put on by our friends of the Sisters Rotary Club," said Johnson. "Teams love coming to this meet because it is so well run and so competitive."