'End Of An Era' Marked By Record Performances At State Meet

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE – Oregon’s high school track and field championships concluded Saturday amid a slew of meet record-breaking performances and overriding sense that an annual rite of passage has reached the end of an era.

Teams from all over the state took in the grandeur of Historic Hayward Field one last time, resigned to the fact that within a month the stadium is headed for demolition and something new will take its place.

Summit High, which has ruled Class 5A ever since the division was carved out by re-classification back in 2005, will move to Class 6A and have appropriate competition.

And Hermiston, also on the East side of the state, will leave the OSAA and join the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association next fall to cut down on travel costs and lost classroom time.

RESULTS - CLASS 6A | CLASS 5A | CLASS 4A | CLASS 3A | CLASS 2A | CLASS 1A

VIDEOS

PHOTOS - FRIDAY | SATURDAY

When all was finished Saturday evening, no one had a better state meet than Benson Tech sophomore Micah Williams, who ran wind-legal times of 10.42 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.19 in the 200 to smash meet records.

Williams had the good fortune of being in the orbit of Portland’s sprints coaching legend Leon McKenzie at the age of 9. And the hard work since then paid off with this weekend’s breakout performances.

In a state where distance running and throwing are a source of pride, it was the sprints that made the biggest headlines all week as a handful of talented athletes pushed their way onto the state’s all-time lists.

“I knew I would drop (times) by all the work I was putting in. It was a lot of work,” Williams said.

Williams’ 100-meter time is the second-fastest all-time behind Thomas Tyner, who ran 10.35 in 2011. His 200-meter time is exceeded only by 2012 Olympian Ryan Bailey, who ran 21.13 in the postseason of 2007.

Hermiston senior Tyler Rohrman ripped through the 5A boys 110-meter hurdles in 14.09 seconds, the fastest time by an Oregon high schooler in 30 years and No. 4 all-time.

Braden Lenzy of Tigard collected just one win in four attempts Saturday but strung together one of the best days in state meet history. He rallied the Tigers to first place in the 4x100 relay with a blistering anchor leg to break the tape in 41.68 seconds – No. 8 all-time.

In the 6A boys 400 meters, West Salem’s Jacob Miller ran a big PR of 47.45 – No. 8 all-time. Lenzy, the defending champion, was second with a PR of 47.52 – No. 9 all-time.

In the 200, Lenzy was second to Williams but ran 21.57.

To cap off the entire meet, Central Catholic repeated as the 6A boys 4x400 relay champion with a time of 3:17.87 – No. 4 all-time.

Again, the Rams were pushed by Lenzy on the final leg. William Mundy held off Lenzy to take the win, but the Notre Dame football recruit brought Tigard in with 3:18.11 – for No. 5 all-time.

“I was scared as hell because I know how fast Braden is and I knew it was my last high school meet ever and I just put it all on the track,” said Mundy, the Central Catholic anchor.

In the 5A boys 300 hurdles, Cal Duke of Crater ran 37.51 to break a meet record and move up to No. 8 on the all-time list.

Ashland sophomore Evan Holland capped a big weekend by sweeping the 5A distance races. He ran 8:26.44 to win the 3,000 meters, holding off Crater’s Janz Tostenson (8:28.74) and then her ran 3:55.61 to win the 1,500.

In the 6A races, PIL duo Will Eaton of Franklin and Alex Slenning of Wilson traded places. Eaton won the 3,000 meters in 8:31.83 as Slenning was second. Slenning used a late burst of speed Saturday to win the 1,500 in 3:55.96.

Slenning was joined as a 6A 1,500-meter champion by his girlfriend, Kelly Makin, of Sunset, who ran a US#1 time of 4:26.47 and then came back later to also win the 800.

Slenning and Makin are both committed to Washington and had little time to think about Greg Metcalf’s resignation as the Huskies head coach.

“I found out about it (Friday) night,” Makin said. “I just really wanted to get through today. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions going forward.”

Slenning and Makin will both be in Seattle on June 8 for the Brooks PR Invitational.

National discus leader Shelby Moran of Sherwood bounced back from a no-mark at state last year (three fouls) to a 6A meet record 165-6. She also won the shot put.

South Eugene’s Elise Unruh-Thomas won the 6A girls 200 meters in 24.65w and finished second in the 100 meters behind Gresham’s Fechi Nmereole, who ran 12.00.

Brooklyn James of Clackamas won a showdown with Tigard’s Lauren Pave in the 400 meters, running 56.58 seconds.

The Jesuit girls piled up 92 points to win the 6A girls team title in what has been an emotional month for the track program at the school. Coach Tom Rothenberger suffered a heart attack three weeks ago and monitored the meet from home.

West Salem, led by Miller and 100-meter runner-up Anthony Gould, and 110-meter hurdles champ Simon Thompson (14.35) won the 6A boys team title with 60 points. The motivated Titans ran 3:20.74 in the B section of the 4x400 to take third overall and secure the win.

The Sandy boys won the 5A team title with 86 points. The Summit girls took their 12th straight 5A title.

In Class 4A, brothers Cade and Nathan Reed went 1-2 in both the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles to carry La Grande to the boys team title. Marshfield of Coos Bay won the girls team title with 60 points.

Class 3A/2A/1A

Juma Sei of Catlin Gabel became the best small-school sprinter in Oregon history with a big triple Friday evening. The Yale recruit ran 47.04 in the 400 meters for US#17 and the third-fastest time in Oregon history.

Sei also won the Class 3A 100 meters in 10.70w and won the 200 meters in 21.40, before anchoring the 4x400 relay to a victory in 3:27.62.

Harvard-bound Maya Rayle, also of Catlin Gabel, put her stamp on the state meet by running meet-record times in the 3,000 (9:46.90) and 1,500 (4:33.32).

Aptly named Jacob Speed swept the 100, 200 and 400 in the boys Class 2A meet. Hunter Hutton of Bandon swept the 1,500 and 3,000 titles and his sister, Sailor, also doubled up with wins in the same two events.

Ethan Kassebaum of North Clackamas Christian won four events in the Class 1A meet – the 100, the 200, the long jump and the triple jump.

Pleasant Hill edged Salem Academy for the 3A boys title, 62 points to 60. Blanchet Catholic pulled out a victory over Catlin Gabel for the girls title, 67.50 to 65.

Monroe, led by sisters Kyndal and Kailey Martin, won the 2A girls crown with 80 points. Bandon’s boys scored 70 to win the 2A team title.

In Class 1A, it was the Pacific boys (74.50) and Cove girls (74) that packed up championship trophies.