Track teams train through meet

The track season requires coaches and athletes to pick and choose what meets to focus on and which ones to train through, which is quite different than other team sports in which the league standings matter.

For track and field, the ultimate meets are district and state, so three-way meets like the one Sisters faced last week at Sweet Home become training days as much as anything.

"We were tired and flat last week due to heavy training," said Head Coach Jeff Larson. "I had the sense that we were just trying to make it through the afternoon, but with that said, we still had nineteen personal records established."

The weather was a factor as well, as athletes faced tumultuous spring conditions including driving wind and rain toward the end of the meet, according to Larson.

"I especially appreciate our 3,000-meter runners who ran through terrible conditions and earned a badge of courage for sweeping both boys' and girls' races," he said. Those runners included Jadon Bachtold, Izaak Kanzig, Colby Simeral, Sophie Borders, Megan Calarco and Molly Winter.

Winners on the boys' side were Bachtold in the 1,500 (4:21.74) and 3,000 (10:06.17), and Keegan Greaney in the 300-meter hurdles (42.45).

"Keegan's time was particularly impressive given the conditions and fact that he is so new to the event," said Larson.

Cottage Grove won the meet with 94 points, followed by Sweet Home with 46.5, and Sisters 44.5.

For the girls team, Mandi Calavan won the 200 (28.07), Sabrina Reifschneider the 100 and 300 hurdles (17.08 and 51.70), Julianne Meeter javelin (111 feet 2 inches), Tessa O'Hern pole vault (9 feet), Erynn Ricker long jump (15 feet 1 inch), Michaela Miller triple jump (30 feet 10 inches), Borders 3000 (12:47.86), and the 400- meter relay team of Katie Arayanfard, Mandi Calavan, Miller and Ricker (52.47).

Sisters won the meet with 75 points, followed by Sweet Home (55), and Cottage Grove (50).

The final league meet of the season is Wednesday, April 20, again at Sweet Home, which the team will use to try new events and sharpen up for the first big meet of the season at Summit on Saturday, April 23.

The team will be missing many of its stars for the Summit Invitational due to conflicts with club sports including Bachtold, Ricker and Miller. All three are ranked at or near the top of their events on the team and in the Sky-Em league. Larson said he hopes those present at the meet will rise to the occasion and take advantage of the high level of competition, which includes 21 teams from all over Oregon and all classifications.

Field events start at 10 a.m. and running events commence at 11 a.m.