It has been a busy weekend with national events in two different venues – way to go officials. It’s always nice to see such coordination but like Nike and its Johnny-come-lately event in cross country it is what we’ve come to expect. The traditional US Junior championships, which are sponsored bu US Track & Field, were held in Indiana and two area athletes claimed national championships. Haley Crouser of Gresham, who set a new national record earlier in the year at the Aloha Invitational, won the national title in the Javelin with 50.79. Sean Keller, the Washington State champion from Heritage, won the guys’ Javelin with 72.41, which was not far off the meet record of 72.65. Andy Rondema of Oregon City placed 12th in the event with 55.96.
Tanner Sork of Union continued his late season assault in the 800 Meter Run by taking second in the event with a clocking of 1:49.57. Allison Woodward, who is a freshman at the University of Oregon, was victorious in the 5K with a time of 16:15. Annamarie Maag, formerly from Jesuit, competed for Georgetown but failed to finish. Matt Melancon, also a freshman from Oregon out of Sheldon, placed sixth in the men’s event with a time of 14:51: a race won by Oklahoma State’s Kirubel Erassa in 14:28.
The girls’ High Jump had a definite Northwest flavor with two scorers from the region. Oregon freshman Chancey Summers placed fourth with 5-08 just ahead of West Albany’s Rachel Proteau, who placed fifth in the event with 5-07. Jonathon (JJ ) Juilfs, now competing from for the University of Washington, placed fifth in the Pole Vault with 15-00.
Izaic Yorks of Lakes has had a banner seasonand he put an exclamation point at the end of it with his second place effort at the US Junior meet in the 1500 Meters. Yorks was in the midst of a blanket finish in a time of 3:46.67. He was sandwhiched between a pair of colegiate runners, as Austin Mudd of Wisconsin won in 3:36.50, while Oregon freshman Chad Noelle took third in 3:46.69. Sara Tsai of South Eugene ran 4:30 in the girls' 1500 to place seventh in a race, which was claimed by New Yorker Mary Cain in a very solid 4:14.
Marcus Chambers of Henry Foss has also had an impressive season. He ran and placed in both the 400 Meters and the 200 Meters. In the one-lap event Marcus ran a swift 46.98 to place fifth and also garnered sixth in the 200 Meters with 21.17. Oregon freshman Arthur Delaney secured third in the 200 Meters with his clocking of 21.03.
Aisling Cuffe of Stanford scored a solid triumph in the 3K with her mark of 9:28 but South Eugene runners Erin Clark & Paige Kouba also ran well. Clark placed ninth in 10:08 and Paige Kouba finished twelfth in 10:29. There was also an Oregon connection for third place finisher Anna Maxwell, who took third with 9:55. The San Lorenzo Valley runner is coached by former Centennial star Rob Collins.
Pocatello's Dalin Farnsworth just missed breaking nine minutes in the nine minute barrier in the Two Mile at new Balance. He took fourth with 9:00.03, as Edward Cheserek of new Jersey led the way with a time of 8:55.