Outlaws compete in relay meet

Heading into a two-week spring break with no meets, the Sisters High School track and field team got a perfect mix of workout and competition at the inaugural Crook County Relays held in Prineville on March 21.

The meet, which included the host Cowboys as well as teams from North Lake, La Pine, Madras, Paisley and Sisters, featured non-typical relay races, many of which were co-ed, which allowed teams to really mix things up and race hard, while having a lot of fun, according to head coach Jeff Larson.

"The kids really loved the chance to team together," he said. "It worked very well to still get to really compete, but in a much more fun environment than a traditional meet, which is especially good since we are still so early in the season."

Though the meet was not scored, Sisters racked up wins in many of the running relay races, including the distance medley (1,200, 400, 800, 1,600-meters), the sprint medley (100, 100, 200, 400), the 4x800, the and the girls 4x100.

Complete relay results were not available following the meet, but Ryliereece Morgan, Brooke Robillard, Mandi Calavan and Erynn Ricker carried the baton around the oval in 52.69 to win the girls' 4x100 relay, which is a solid early season time according to Larson.

"The distance crew certainly did their part for the team," said Assistant Coach Josh Nordell. "With their work ethic and camaraderie they are a good bet to pull in a lot of points for both the boys and girls teams as we get into the scored meets following spring break."

Field events were not contested in relay fashion, but provided some definite highlights for the Outlaws, including sophomore Ryliereece Morgan's personal record for the win in the long jump at 16 feet 5.5 inches, which improved her previous best by two inches.

Erynn Ricker won the pole vault (9 feet 6 inches) while Shelby Larson placed third at 8 feet even. Sophomore Jade Anaya won the triple jump (32 feet 10.5 inches) and Morgan and Samantha Silva both cleared 4 feet 10 inches in the high jump.

For the boys, David Perez notched a third-place finish in the discus (110-3 inches), and Skylar Larson placed third in the high jump (5 feet 4 inches). Garrett Kersavage also nabbed a third place in his specialty, the pole vault (10 feet 6 inches) and soared to second in the triple jump with a personal best of 38 feet 5 inches.

With more than two weeks of spring break before the teams compete again on April 12 in a three-way home meet against Sweet Home and Cottage Grove, Larson hopes that the athletes will get in good training.

"Kids training over the break is key to our ability to come back ready to go," he said.