Rotary Meet serves up good times

The first Rotary Mountain High track and field meet held Friday afternoon, May 3, at Bill Reed Stadium produced plenty of excitement under sunny skies.

Rotary has sponsored a meet in Sisters for years, but this year they changed the date in the hope of better weather. They got it, with temperatures in the low 70s at the start of the meet. The traditional Rotary Invitational Meet was held in early April and often faced winter-like conditions and was even cancelled due to snow one year.

Athletes took advantage of the fine conditions as many competitors, including a good number from Sisters, came through with season and lifetime bests.

The Outlaws girls walloped the other five schools, amassing 259 points, well ahead of Burns (110), Grant Union (83), La Pine (77), McKenzie (31) and Mitchell (2).

Molly Boyle lowered her season best in the 100 meters to 13.53 on her way to first place as one of many winners for Sisters. Zoe Falk picked up a pair of individual wins while running with the boys in an effort to lower her times for the year. She accomplished that in running 5:08.63 in the 1,500 meters and 2:22.83 in the 800.

Aria Blumm led a 1-2-3 sweep of the 3,000 meters by Sisters, finishing in 11:53.23 ahead of her teammates Betsy Ausman (14:04.83) and Megan Calarco (14:06.51).

Alisha Haken showed she is peaking as the season nears championship time as she ran her best time of the year to win the 100-meter hurdles (16.79), and flew to a season best in the triple jump at 33 feet 5.25 inches, in part thanks to some fantastic competition from the girls from Grant Union High School. The winner, Mary Roy, leapt an impressive 35 feet 9 inches, which is the second-best 2A jump in Oregon this year.

The Outlaws dominated the pole vault as well, capturing the top four places. Tessa O'Hern went 8 feet 6 inches to win it, followed by Olivia Chandler and Haken at 8 feet, and Natalie Marshall at 7 feet.

Michaela Miller and Danika Wagner went 2-3 in the long jump with Wagner busting out a career best of 15 feet five inches, just six inches behind Miller. Miller also placed second in the 300-meter hurdles, breaking 50 seconds for the first time at 49.81.

After winning the 400-meter relay with her teammates Falk, Miller, and Boyle, Macadia Calavan lowered her best time in the 400 meters in giving chase to Madelyn Gunderson of Burns. Gunderson cracked the one-minute barrier (59.92) and Calavan crossed in 1:01.95. Falk, Miller, Calavan and Aria Blumm concluded the meet with a win in the 1,600-meter relay in 4:15.62.

La Pine's boys' team used its depth to overpower the rest of the field, piling up 220 points. The Outlaws put together 155 points for second place, followed by Burns (71), Grant Union (68.5), McKenzie (36.5) and Mitchell (30).

Jake McAllister was a triple winner for Sisters, capturing the high jump (5 feet 10 inches), the long jump (20 feet 5.5 inches), and the 300 hurdles (43.05), the latter two being lifetime bests.

Ian Baldessari squeaked under the 17-second barrier in the 110 hurdles, winning in 16.99, while Izaak Kanzig put on a furious push in the final 50 meters to win the 800 in his best time ever at 2:07.97.

The Outlaws had no other winners, but a number of the herd finished high and with career bests. Gabe Rice knocked five seconds off his 3,000-meter best to place second (10:44.60), and fellow frosh Jadon Bachtold ran courageously in the 1,500 to place third in 4:36.75.

Austin Sandsness placed third in both 100 (11.80) and the 200 (23.96) to lead the Outlaw sprinters, the latter a personal record. Trent Marks (57.94) and Trevor Elson (1:01.67) picked up third- and fourth-place points in the 400 meter dash for the Outlaws. Marks later placed fourth in the 800 in 2:14.91. Kyle Wattenburg continued his steady progression in the shot put, with another personal best of 36 feet even.

Coach Nordell had nothing but praise for his athletes and his assistant coaches.

"The kids just keep getting better and that's a tribute to coaches Jim Anderson, Jeff Larsen, Carlos Garcia, Kris Kristovich, Eden Miller, and Franco Casiean," he said.

Some of the Outlaws will see action on Wednesday, May 8 at the Central Oregon Junior Varsity Championships, while others will compete at the Wally Ciochetti Invitational in Cottage Grove on Friday, May 10. Friday's meet will include a return to action by star middle-distance runner Brandon Pollard, who has been sidelined by a stress fracture in his foot since March 27.

The Sky-Em District Meet will take place on Thursday, May 16 and Saturday, May 18, also at Cottage Grove High School.