Philomath High School’s track and field teams opened the season Friday with an appearance at the Elmira Relays.
The Warriors were participating without several of their key varsity athletes but the boys finished first and the girls were second in the five-school meet. The event served primarily as a showcase for the younger athletes.
“We were very pleased with a lot of the new boys and girls,” PHS coach Joe Fulton said. “They competed hard and showed real potential.”
Among the results were promising debuts by sophomore Hailey Eckhold in the shot put, freshman Sammy Hernandez in the high jump, freshman Jacoby Babcock in the javelin and freshman Cassidy Smart in the 3,000-meter run.
Eckhold on her first attempt in the shot put recorded a distance of 29 feet, 1.75 inches, which ended up getting her second place. Hernandez cleared 5-10 to easily win the high jump. Babcock threw the javelin 136-2 and placed third.
As for Smart, her first-place finish in the 3,000 was no surprise after what she accomplished last fall in cross-country. Smart ran the course in 11:11.36 with senior teammate Adele Beckstead a close second at 11:14.54.
Competing in challenging weather conditions, Fulton said it was “cold and wet all day but the kids seemed to be having fun.”
Beyond the younger athletes, some of the team’s more experienced competitors took advantage of the opportunity to get into a meet. Senior Janice Hellesto had an exceptional distance of 16-11 in the long jump, which was good for first place.
Among the other winners for the boys, the 4-by-100 relay of sophomore Bryce Hruska, freshman Dreyton Nuño, sophomore Kaden Howard and senior Warwick Bushnell sprinted to a time of 46.33 in a fairly close race with Elmira and Central Linn. The 4-by-mile relay of sophomore Galen Murch, senior JJ Lewis, junior Lukas Hernandez and junior Leo Pausch won in 20:24.83.
The sprint medley relay of Howard, Nuño, Hruska and Bushnell won in 1:44.67. The relay features two 100s, a 200 and a 400. The distance medley relay, which includes a 1,200, 400, 800 and 1,600, also took first place with Murch, Bushnell, Hernandez and Pausch running a time of 11:46.51.
In the girls’ competition, the 4-by-100 relay of Nuño, senior Petra Hernandez, freshman Kya Bolton and Hellesto won in 52.47. The distance medley relay was also a winner for the Warriors with senior Melea Lattin, Nuño, Smart and Beckstead. Individually, senior Hanna McDaniel won the pole vault by clearing 7-6.
In the team standings, Philomath’s boys won with 85 points to Elmira’s 70. Junction City was third (64), Pleasant Hill fourth (44) and Central Linn fifth (30). Junction City won the girls’ meet with 98 points with the Warriors second with 67. Elmira was third (59), Pleasant Hill fourth (48) and Central Linn fifth (27).
PHS will get back into competition on April 4 at the Mid Valley Dental Invite in Dallas. The Warriors will also be represented on April 4-5 at the Oregon Relays at Hayward Field in Eugene.
