Outlaws break in new track

The totally rebuilt track-and-field facility got broken in Wednesday, March 22, in the first home track meet at Sisters High School since 2014.

Teams from Crook County, La Pine, and Madras joined the host Outlaws in the early season meet in cold, dry conditions that produced few exceptional marks, but plenty of courageous efforts, according to Head Coach Jeff Larson.

"Everyone competed hard and the efforts given now at this early part of the season show me that our kids are going to keep improving week after week," he said.

The meet was not scored.

One tremendous mark of the day came when Jordynn Slater, a La Pine junior, uncorked the best javelin throw in all of Oregon this year with a distance of 153 feet even.

"I might not have believed it if I had not seen it myself," said Outlaws throwing coach Eden Miller. "I am glad the spear stuck in the ground so we could get an absolutely accurate measurement."

Slater also won both the discus and shot put by wide margins.

"She's the real deal," said Miller.

Larson sees these early meets as intense practices and a way to sort out who should be doing which events. This is especially true on a team that is on the young side.

"We have a lot of freshman and other first-year tracksters on the team, and it's going to be fun to see how things develop," he said.

One frosh making an immediate impact with solid marks is Ryliereece Morgan who improved her best long jump to 16 feet 3 inches. She also won the 200 by edging teammate Mandi Calavan 28.61 to 28.68 and won the high jump with a clearance of 4 feet 10 inches.

Morgan and Calavan also helped the Outlaws to victory in the 400-meter relay with teammates Bri Bachmeier and Sabrina Reifschneider in a time of 54.77.

Other winners for the girls included Erynn Ricker in the pole vault (8 feet), Anna Bartlett in the 3,000 (12:38) and double winner Sabrina Reifschneider in the 100 hurdles (17:05) and 300 hurdles (52.62).

Keegan Greaney won two events for the Outlaw boys, including a personal record in the 100 (11.68) and a convincing victory in the 300 hurdles (43.03). Jordan Pollard ran away from the field in the 800 (2:06.81) and Sam Lewis won the high jump (5 feet 2 inches).

Training will continue for the track team through spring break before the squad returns to action April 13 with a three-way Sky-Em League meet with Cottage Grove and Elmira at Elmira High School.