Philomath High seniors Anneka Steen and Janice Hellesto each won state titles in field events Friday at Hayward Field to highlight the team’s first day at the Class 4A State Championships in Eugene.
In the high jump, Steen and Klamath Union junior Hazel Squibb were the final two competitors after both cleared 5 feet, 3.75 inches. The bar was moved up to 5-5 and both jumpers missed on their first two attempts. On the third try, Steen got over the bar and Squibb missed. With first place locked up, Steen passed at 5-6 and 5-7.25 and attempted to clear 5-8 but wasn’t able to get over the bar.
In the long jump, Hellesto won in dramatic fashion on her final jump. Molalla senior Peyton Craven went 18-1.5 on her second attempt to establish the distance to beat. Hellesto had a 17-8.75 on her fifth jump and then nailed the sixth jump with an 18-6, which broke her own school record by 4 inches.
Gallery: PHS track and field at 4A State Championships — Day 1 (Friday, May 30, 2025)
A collection photos of Philomath High boys and girls track and field on the first day of the Class 4A State Championships in Eugene on Friday.
Also scoring for the Warriors on Day 1 at state were senior Hanna McDaniel, who placed seventh in the high jump at 5-0.25, and freshman Cassidy Smart, who finished eighth in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:41.82. Senior Adele Beckstead finished right behind Smart and just missed placing with ninth (10:42.41).
Philomath advanced to finals in four running events — Hellesto in the 100 (first, 12.33) and 200 (second, 25.65), Dunn in the 400 (second, 59.13) and freshman Reagan Nuño in the 800 (seventh, 2:27.09).
Senior Petra Hernandez qualified in the 300 hurdles and finished 11th in 50.49.
With 13 events remaining to be scored, Philomath leads with 23 points, followed by La Grande’s 22.5 and North Bend’s 16. The Warriors are trying to become the first girls track and field team in 4A history to win four straight state titles.
For the boys, the Warriors scored three points in the 3,000 with juniors Leo Pausch and Lukas Hernandez finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. Pausch turned in a time of 9:09.51 and Hernandez finished in 9:20.81.
Among the other PHS qualifiers competing in finals on Day 1, sophomore Jamin Peters was 11th in the discus (134-0), sophomore Kaden Howard was 11th in the long jump (19-8) and junior Blake Hauck tied for 13th in the pole vault (10-10).
In running prelims, senior Warwick Bushnell in the 400 (fifth, 51.25) and junior CD Nuño in the 200 (seventh, 22.86) both qualified for finals. Bushnell missed finals in the 200 by just two-hundreds of a second (ninth, 22.90). Nuño had a personal-best time in the 100 (16th, 11.35).
In the boys team standings, Philomath is sitting in 16th place but will certainly move up Saturday with the bulk of the scoring events remaining.
Day 2 of the state meet is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with field events and 12:30 p.m. with track events.
Class 4A State Championships
Friday-Saturday at Hayward Field, Eugene
DAY 1
Boys
Team scoring (through 4 events): 1, La Grande 25; 2, Junction City 22; 3, Madras 16; 3, Cottage Grove 16; 5, Cascade 15; 6, Tillamook 13; 7, Henley 12; 8, The Dalles 10; 8, Crook County 10; 10, Astoria 8; 10, Marist Catholic 8; 12, Scappoose 6; 12, Hidden Valley 6; 14, North Bend 5; 14, Marshfield 5; 16, Newport 4; 16, Phoenix 4; 16, Klamath Union 4.
PHS results — Finals: 3000 — 7, Leo Pausch, 9:09.51; 8, Lukas Hernandez, 9:20.81. Discus — 11, Jamin Peters, 134-0. Pole vault — T-13, Blake Hauck, 10-10. Long jump — 11, Kaden Howard, 19-8. Prelims: 100 — 16, CD Nuño, 11.35. 200 — 7, CD Nuño, 22.86; 9, Warwick Bushnell, 22.90. 400 — 5, Warwick Bushnell, 51.25.
Note: Top 8 in prelims advance to Saturday’s finals.
— — —
Girls
Team scoring (through 4 events): 1,Philomath 23; 2, La Grande 22.5; 3, North Bend 16; 4, Molalla 14; 4, Klamath Union 14; 6, Madras 10; 7, Junction City 9; 8, Stayton 8; 9, The Dalles 6.5; 10, Cottage Grove 6; 10, Mazama 6; 10, Pendleton 6; 13, Crook County 5; 14, Cascade 4; 15, Scappoose 2; 15, Ontario 2; 17, Seaside 1; 17, Tillamook 1.
PHS results — Finals: 3000 — 8, Cassidy Smart, 10:41.82; 9, Adele Beckstead, 10:42.41. High jump — 1, Anneka Steen, 5-5; 7, Hanna McDaniel, 5-0.25. Long jump — 1, Janice Hellesto, 18-6. Prelims: 100 — 1, Janice Hellesto, 12.33. 200 — 2, Janice Hellesto, 25.65. 400 — 2, Natalie Dunn, 59.13. 800 — 7, Reagan Nuño, 2:27.09. 300 hurdles — 11, Petra Hernandez, 50.49.
Note: Top 8 in prelims advance to Saturday’s finals.
For complete meet results, click here