Outlaws girls track third at big meet

Track meets tend to be won by the squads with big numbers and loads of depth, but focused talent can also pay off. That's especially true in large invitationals like the Wally Ciochetti, where the Sisters Outlaws girls team placed third on Friday, May 8, in Cottage Grove.

Michaela Miller gave notice that she is a force to be reckoned with again this year in the Sky-Em League as she won two individuals events, placed fourth in another and ran a leg on the second-place 400-meter relay team. She ranks first in the league in all three events.

She accounted for 27 of the Outlaws' point total of 71.5, which put them one point behind Crook County.

Newport, behind the efforts of sprinting phenoms Rachel Vinjimuri and Dyani Lopez, piled up 106 points for the win among the 16 4A schools competing. The pair of speedsters went 1-2 in the 100, 200, and 400 and ran on the victorious 1,600-meter team, which holds the top time in the state among 4A teams this year.

Miller won the 100 hurdles (16.64) and the 300 hurdles (48.16), and leaped 15 feet 8 inches in the long jump. The crew of Macadia Calavan, Erynn Ricker, Mandi Calavan and Miller ran 50.57 in the relay just behind Central Oregon rival Crook County.

"Michaela's focus on track has been amazing, and she is having a great season," said Head Coach Jeff Larson.

Miller's teammates are doing their part as well. Maddi Boettner earned the blue ribbon in the high jump (4 feet 10 inches) as the only other winner of the meet for Sisters, but a number of girls placed fourth in their events to contribute solid points to the team score.

The fourth-place finishers included Aria Blumm, who ran her fastest 1,500 of the year (5:00.55), Mandi Calavan in the 200 (27.21), which was her lifetime best, and Julieanne Meeter in the javelin, where she chucked a lifetime best of 109 feet 9 inches.

Other top placers included Mandi Calavan who took fifth in the 100 (13,64), Macadia Calavan, sixth in the 400 (1:02.97), Tessa O'Hern and Erynn Ricker, fifth and seventh in the pole vault (9 feet), and Hawley Harrer, eighth in the high jump (4 feet 8 inches).

"Macadia Calavan is such a role model," said Larson. "She comes to practice and does her best every day even while being limited by persistent leg pain."

The boys team continues to be plagued by absence, illness, and injury. While the boys lack the firepower of the girls, the potential exists for some state qualifiers.

The boys managed just four points in the meet, but a number of the top scorers either saw limited action or experienced difficulties. Jadon Bachtold suffered from cramping in the 1,500 and did not finish, while an overzealous start got the best of 400-meter star Andreas Pederson, keeping him from scoring.

Sam Garbrecht placed seventh in the 100 (11.9) and joined Cody Martin, Andres Pedersen, and Conner Gellings for seventh in the 400-meter relay in 46.58. Henley won the meet with 94.5 points.

Despite its small numbers, Larson is proud of the 14 boys on the team.

"Our crew is wonderful. They are really great kids who work very hard," he said.

The Sky-Em League District Championships are set for Thursday, May 14 and Saturday, May 16 at Junction City High School. The top two placers in each event will qualify for the OSAA State Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, May 22 and 23. Larson believe his athletes will be ready.

"We will go into the district meet with confidence, knowing that we will do our best, which means some good things will happen," he said. "The girls are in the driver's seat in the Sky-Em League, but we know that Cottage Grove and Junction City will be ready to compete, so it's going to be an exciting two days of track and field and will take a real team effort for us to achieve our goals."