Class 6A events, athletes to watch out for at the upcoming track and field state championships

The track and field state championships get underway on Friday for the Class 6A, 5A and 4A schools at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Here’s a quick preview of the Class 6A track and field state championships:

Boys: 3 to Watch

100

Two of the state’s all-time best sprinters square off for the fourth time this spring. Jesuit senior Grant Valley (No. 9 on the

all-time list

) has beaten Central Catholic junior Joseph Donnelly in their previous meetings at the Oregon Relays, Jesuit Twilight Relays and Cardinal Invite, but Donnelly’s 10.48 at the Mt. Hood district meet leads the state and is tied for No. 4 all-time.

1,500

Four runners on the all-time top 50 list — juniors Kellen Williams of Jesuit and Malachi Schoenherr of Sheldon and seniors Dylan Weniger of Sherwood and Brennan McEwen of Franklin — will look to reprise their battle in the Elite Mile at the Jesuit Twilight, when each ran their season-best in the 1,500 en route.

High jump

South Salem junior Calvin Stewart took second in this event at last year’s state meet, while Sandy sophomore Topher Gabel failed to clear his opening height. Now, Gabel is the state leader at 6-10 (an eight-inch improvement from a year ago), with Stewart just a quarter-inch behind. Each has beaten the other at a high-profile meet this year — Stewart at the Oregon Relays, Gabel at the Jesuit Twilight.

Boys: 3 to Cheer

Grant Valley, Jesuit, senior

Besides his prowess in the 100, where he was the top Oregon sprinter in the Elite 100 at the Jesuit Twilight, he also is the state leader in the 200, having run

a 20.86 (with no wind gauge)

that is faster than Micah Williams’ state record 21.03 set six years ago at Benson — Valley’s best wind-legal mark of 21.16 is No. 3 on the all-time list.

Brady Holland, Lincoln, senior

Holland made his first trip to Hayward last year and came home with a silver medal in the shot put. He threw a personal-best 58 feet to win the PIL district title last week to lead all 6A throwers by 4.5 feet, and his 168-9 in the discus at the Cardinal Invite in early May leads the state by over eight feet.

Eli Forsha, Sheldon, senior

The reigning champion in the triple jump missed a month of the season due to injury, but he returned last week to win the Southwest district title. In the interim, he’s also improved his personal-best in the long jump by 2.5 feet, moving to No. 2 behind Central Catholic’s Donnelly coming to Hayward.

Girls: 3 to Watch

1,500

Lakeridge senior Chloe Huyler is a dominant 3,000-meter runner —

her 9:17.85 earlier this spring

is No. 2 on the all-time list. Lincoln’s duo of sophomore Ellery Lincoln and senior Sophia Malinoski are elite middle-distance runners. The 1,500 is where the three will meet in what should be a thrilling clash Saturday afternoon as

Lincoln looks to defend her title

.

300 hurdles

Tualatin senior Campbell Brintnall transferred from Lakeridge after her sophomore year, qualified for state in both hurdles races last spring and finished eighth in the 300s behind state record-holder Josie Donelson of Lake Oswego. Now, she has Donelson’s 41.70 squarely in her sights after winning the Three Rivers district title in 42.12 (No. 2 all-time), and she’ll be pushed by Lakers sophomore Arie Thomas, a transfer from Lake Travis in Austin, Texas, who ran 43.38 at district.

Pole vault

Tigard senior Alexa Anderson won the state title as a sophomore but missed out on defending last year when she suffered a season-ending knee injury in early April. She’s back with a vengeance, moving to No. 2 on the all-time list at the Cardinal Invite earlier this month with a 13-4 vault, but she’ll have to hold off a field that includes four other 12-foot vaulters — including last year’s 1A champion in Tayanah Balensifer of West Linn (formerly at Damascus Christian).

Girls: 3 to Cheer

Aster Jones, Roosevelt, junior

Two years ago, Jones was a gymnast who was just getting her first taste of track and field. Now, she’s one of the best sprinters in state history, already No. 4 on the all-time list in the 200 and No. 5 in the 100 (just ahead of her is older sister, Lily), looking to add her first title in the 200 to the 100 gold medal she won as a sophomore.

Sophia Castaneda, Newberg, junior

Donelson

set the state record in the 400

at last year’s state meet. Right behind her in third was Castaneda, who is now within striking distance of Donelson’s 52.83 after running a 53.62 at the Summit Invitational earlier this month. Castaneda also will contest the 200, where she is No. 2 behind Jones on the state list this spring.

Marissa Johnson, Tigard, junior

Johnson was a bit of a surprise state champion in the shot put as a freshman, but now she is one of the pillars of Oregon high school throwing, adding a second shot title last year while winning her first in the discus. She is in the state’s top 20 all-time in both events and has yet to lose in either this season.

— Rene Ferran is a freelance reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at

rferran.oregonianhssports@gmail.com

More Oregon high school sports

• Class 5A events, athletes to watch out for at the upcoming track and field state championships

• Class 4A events, athletes to watch out for at the upcoming track and field state championships

• Playoff rewind: Results from Tuesday’s first round baseball state tournament games

Subscribe to the High School Sports+ newsletter

Sign up here

to get exclusive news and insights from high school sports editor Nik Streng.

About The Author