The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Outlaws track and field team finished a busy week with a handful of team members competing at the prestigious Jesuit Twilight Relays on Friday, April 26.

The meet attracts athletes from all classifications in Oregon and Washington who have met certain standards, making the event the most competitive of the season. Every event is loaded with talent, according to head coach Jonathan Kelly.

As a result, athletes often get pulled and pushed to season and personal bests, which was true for some Outlaws.

Ella Bartlett lowered her season best in the 3,000 meters to 11:00.50, which is her second-best ever. Spencer Tisdel added an inch to his personal record in the pole vault after clearing 11 feet 3 inches.

Other entrants from Sisters produced results near their season bests.

Mae Roth cleared 9 feet 9 inches in the pole vault, just under her best of 10 feet.

The 4x400 meter relay team, made up of three freshmen and a sophomore — Althea Crabtree, Josie Ryan, Audrey Corcoran, and Brooke Duey — clocked 4:13.17, which was very close to a season best. Considering the team was missing Gracie Vohs, last year’s 400-meter state champion, due to a conflict with a volleyball tournament, and Lilly Sundstrom due to a slight injury, Sisters appears to be positioning itself to defend the state title won by the Outlaws in 2023.

Corcoran also ran in the 100 meters (12.87) and competed in the long jump (15 feet 8.2 inches) while fellow frosh Crabtree high jumped 4 feet 11.5 inches, and vaulted 8 feet 9 inches. Another freshman, Shanitah Few, cleared 4 feet 7.5 inches in the high jump. Josie Ryan qualified for the meet in the pole vault, but no-heighted.

“This was a tremendous opportunity, especially for our freshmen,” said assistant coach Dennis Dempsey. “For these kids to be shoulder to shoulder with many of the best track-and-field athletes in the northwest not only builds confidence, but provides a picture of what is possible.”

For perspective of the level of talent at the meet a small sampling proves the depth of the prowess on display. Four boys ran under 4:05 for the mile, with the winner, Nathan Neil from Bozeman, Montana clocking 4:01.31. A freshman, Ellery Lincoln of Lincoln High in Portland, ran 4:43.0 in the girls mile which converts to a 4:25 1500-meter time. The winning heights in the pole vault for girls and boys were 13 feet 1 inch and 16 feet 1 inch, respectively.

On Wednesday, April 24, the Outlaws took part in a four-way meet at Crook County High School that also included Gladstone and Culver. Coach Kelly added the meet to the calendar in order to get some more competition experience for the team.

Winners from the meet for the girls team included: Corcoran in the 100 (12.52) and the 200 (26.79); Bartlett in the 1500 (5:08.32); Crabtree in the high jump (4-feet-8-inches); Roth in the pole vault (9-feet-6-inches).

For the boys, John Berg ran a personal best of 52.91 in the 400 as the lone winner for the team, and George Roberts established a huge career best in the 1,500, lowering his time to 4:34.95 in another highlight.

The Outlaws will compete on Saturday, May 4, at the Summit Invitational in Bend in the final meet before hosting the 3A Special District 4 Championships May 9-10.