Track teams busy over spring break

Spring break did not mean vacation for many of the Sisters Outlaws track and field athletes. Hard work and dedication are beginning to pay dividends just in time to face the heart of the competitive season.

Michaela Miller began her "break" with an historic flair as she competed in the Sweet Home Heptathlon, where she squared off against multi-event athletes from around Oregon in the two-day, seven-event competition.  

Miller, a sophomore, placed second overall among fifteen contestants by finishing no lower than fifth place in any of the individual events.

Primarily a hurdler and jumper in regular track meets, Miller showed her versatility by tossing the javelin 97 feet 5 inches (second overall), putting the shot 27-5 (fifth overall), and running the 800 meters in 2:39 (fourth overall).

She placed second in the 100-meter hurdles (17.43), second in the high jump (4-8), third in the long jump (15-.75), and third in the 200 (28.52).

Competition among the top five finishers turned out to be quite tight, but Summit's Miranda Brown eventually pulled away for the win with 3,819 points. Miller was second (3,594), Megan Cornett of Summit third (3,464), Darian Wilson of Coquille fourth (3,462) and Mikaela Siegel of Siuslaw fifth (3,374).

Miller's participation in the heptathlon is the first by an Outlaw girl in recent memory, and her score is believed to be a school record, according to Head Coach Josh Nordell.

The Outlaws team competed in two meets last week, which produced some very fine early-season marks for a number of individuals.

In a three-way meet against Cottage Grove and Sweet Home on April 3, Brandon Pollard pitted himself against the clock in an effort to challenge the school record in the 3,000 meters, set by Taylor Steele in 2011 on his way to the state title that year. The mark of 8:49 proved elusive to Pollard, who ran alone throughout the race on his way to recording a personal best of 8:59.99.

Jake McAllister picked up a pair of wins, matching his personal best in the high jump (six feet) in addition to soaring 19-1 in the long jump.

Other notable marks on the boys' team included two freshmen showing some speed. Sam Garbrecht cracked the 12-second barrier in the 100 (11.99) and Keegan Greaney posted a stellar time in the 400 (55.9).

Junior Shea Krevi notched a season best in the 800 meters (2:08.47) on his way to second place, and Jadon Bachtold did the same in the 1,500 (4:31.11).

For the girls team, Zoe Falk mixed it up a bit, moving up to run the 3,000 meters, which she won in 11:24, following an earlier win in the 1,500 (5:04), just ahead of Aria Blumm who finished in 5:11. Blumm placed second in the 800 as well (2:33), with teammate Macadia Calavan at her heels in third (2:35).

The Marist Invitational on Saturday, April 5, provided much deeper competition, with 12 teams competing, which resulted in some very fine early-season marks for the Outlaws.

Brandon Pollard showed his early-season consistency in winning both the 1,500 (4:07.2) and the 800 (2:01.1) in leading the Outlaws. His anchor leg in the 1,600-meter relay was reportedly under 51 seconds as well, providing the Outlaws with first place as a quartet in 3:34.

Helping the cause were Keegan Greaney and Keenan O'Hern who turned in best times in the open 400 (54.5 and 54.8 respectively) and came back to aid in the 1,600 relay victory along with Shea Krevi, who earlier lowered his best time of the year in the 1,500 (4:24.) and the 800 (2:07.8).

Dyut Fetrow ran a career best in the 3,000 meters, clocking 9:51, a full seven seconds better than his previous mark.

On the girls' side, it was also the runners bringing the highest places for the team. Aria Blumm had a breakout race in the 1,500, lowering her career best to 5:02.4 for fourth place, while Zoe Falk ran a season best in the 800 with a time of 2:21 to finish second.

Macadia Calavan ran her best 400 of the year (1:03.3) to finish third, and Katelyn Meeter popped the javelin a best-ever 101-10 while also running 5:23.6 in the 1,500.

Blumm was not finished, as she also ran a career-best 11:16.6 in the 3,000 before joining Falk, Macadia Calavan, and Emily Corrigan in the 1,600-meter relay, which posted a time of 4:18 to finish third.

In addition, Falk picked up a third place in the long jump with her best mark of the year of 16-25.

Next up for the Outlaws is the Meet of Champions on April 12, followed by a Sky-Em League meet at La Pine on April 17.

"With spring break over, our team should be back up to full strength for the remainder of the season," said Nordell.