Gear for the discus is ready to go at the Don Walker Invitational in Nyssa in April. A host of local track athletes claimed top slots in state track competition last week in Eugene. (The Enterprise/LES ZAITZ)
EUGENE – Track squads from Nyssa and Adrian have claimed state track championships in competition in Eugene.
The Nyssa girls track team won the 3A title with 71.5 team points, edging out St. Mary’s of Medford. St. Mary’s was second with 70 points while Sutherlin was third with 60.
“I believe this is the first ever state title for the women’s side here at Nyssa High School. It was a pretty rewarding experience as a coach,” said Katy Holcomb, Nyssa track coach.
Holcomb said the Bulldogs understood competition would be intense.
“We knew going into the state meet we would have to compete with St. Mary’s and Cascade Christian. We were keeping a close eye on the points Thursday and coming into Friday’s competition,” said Holcomb.
Holcomb said coaches just told the athletes “to just go out and compete…Be in the moment and have fun, don’t worry about the points, go out and do your best.”
The Adrian boys track team won the state 1A title with a team score of 74 points. Powder Valley finished second with 52.5 points while Joseph was third with 49.
The Antelope girls ended state competition with a second-place finish with 82 points. Damascus Christian won the title with 105.5 team points and Crane was third with 64.
Individually, a host of local athletes put in top performances.
For Adrian, Jace Martin won the 100-meter dash. In a preliminary heat, set a new 1A state meet record with a time of 10.99 seconds. He also won 200-meter dash.
His brother Conley finished second in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.
Riley Griffin placed second in the 100-meter hurdles for the Antelopes.
The Adrian 4×100 relay team – Riley Griffin, Jace Martin, Gavin Bayes, Conley Martin – secured first place while Adrian’s 4×400 relay team – Jesse Walker, Jace Martin, Gavin Bayes, Conley Martin – also took the state title.
Gavin Bayes placed fifth in the 300-meter hurdles and claimed second place in the long jump.
For the Adrian girls, Addy Martin finished first in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. She is the younger sister of Jace and Conley.
The Adrian girls 4×100 relay team – Riley Lucas, Lizzy Nielson, Presley Speelmon, Addy Martin – placed first as did the Antelope’s 4×400 relay team of Lucas, Speelmon and Martin and Rylee Ready.
Presley Speelmon was second in the 800-meter run and third in the 1500-meter run for the Antelopes.
Other Adrian girls with top five finishes were Lizzy Neilson, second in the triple jump;
Allyssa Dudley, second in the shot put and fifth in the discus for the Antelopes; and Lucas, fourth in the 200-meter dash.
In 3A results, Nyssa’s Ambrie Draper placed second in the pole vault while Brynlee Hartley placed fifth in the event.
Asbel Tellez Jaquez placed third in the 100-meter dash and fourth in the high jump for the Bulldogs. Gracie Johnson placed third in the 400-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash; Julianna Bowns finished second in the triple jump; and Marly Ausman won second in the shot put event for Nyssa.
Nyssa’s 4×100 relay team – Ella Draper, Asbel Tellez Jaquez, Kate Vineyard, Marly Ausman – was third while 4×400 relay team of Draper, Jaquez, Vineyard and Gracie Johnson finished second.
For the Nyssa boys, Orin Stipe finished with third place in the 110-meter hurdles and second in the 300-meter hurdles.
The 4×100 relay team of Andrew Enders, Diego Arceo, Skyler Cade, Landon McDowall claimed second and the 4×400 relay team of Austin Baker, Areco, Cade and Stipe was fourth.
Alec Carey was fifth place in the shot put and Ashton Wilson placed fourth in the javelin.
For Vale, top five finishes included Charlie Lamb, fourth place in the 400-meter dash and third in the 300-meter race.
The Vale boys 4×400 relay team of Ethan Mulvany, Tanner Steele, Trevor Stewart, Charlie Lamb finished second and Viking girls 4×100 relay team of Riley Johnson, Halle Peterson, Ava Collins, Bella Johnson clinched fifth.
Ontario’s Isabella Chiara finished fifth in the 4A girls 100-meter dash and the 200-meter race.
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