Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Santiam High track and field squads started scoring meets for good this week. The Wolverines competed Thursday in a Class 3A/2A meet at Regis and were scheduled to participate at an invitational at Sisters on Saturday.
“We are excited to start our season,“ Amber Tinney, fifth-year head coach, told The Canyon Weekly. “Our athletes have shown tremendous work ethic and dedication to the sport. The coaching staff is extremely proud of our team and the potential they have shown already.”
The Wolverines’ girls squad took fourth at the district meet and eighth at state a year ago, while the boys took eighth at districts. And the Santiam girls return athletes that should be in the running for repeat medals at this year’s state meet.
Emma Longfellow took second in the discus and 11th in the shot put at last year’s Class 2A meet, while Averie Peterson, then a freshman, took second in the 800 and fifth in the 400. Ellie Lindemann took seventh in the pole vault, while boys competitor Gage Twede was ninth in the 400.
In addition to Twede, the boys return Marcos Moreno, who participated in four events (discus, pole vault, long jump and triple jump) at last spring’s district meet. Moreno’s highest finish was seventh in the pole vault.
Tinney’s squad is especially strong in the field events, with throwers Emily Allen, Jesse Moreno, Koda Kendall-McKinney, Brayden Browne, Katelynn Ward, Brody Brown, Sean Brewster, Trinity Slay, Kristin Taylor and Lyric Hernandez available as well as Jerry Carson, Reese Longfellow and Ashton Saari in the jumps.
Gage Twede, Wyatt Dayton, Esai Romero and Sam Schroeder are set to go in the sprints and relays, with Eli Stave, Tico Irving and Evan Breen set to run the distance events.
Adding depth will be newcomers and freshmen Thaden Martin, Denzel Irving, Caylise Batterson, Zakodah Jacobs, Emma Breen, Maggie Sisk, Colt Twede and Kyle Taylor.
Volatile weather has wreaked havoc with practices and schedules everywhere in Oregon. The good news for Santiam is that because the Wolverines didn’t start until April 6, no meets were canceled. The bad news is that at nearly 850 feet in elevation Santiam probably received more snow and low temperatures than any of its district competitors.
“We have continued to practice and prepare for the season as we normally do,” Tinney said. “We have not let the weather impact this and continue to practice in the rain, snow, hail, and sunshine. Some practices are definitely cold, but our athletes are amazing and continue to show up and work despite the adverse weather conditions.”
Overall, Tinney said, “I am looking forward to a very competitive and exciting season. Our league has amazing teams and athletes which will only push our athletes to work harder and give 100 percent as we work towards state qualifications.”
This year’s district meet is May 19-20 at Blanchet Catholic in Salem. The Class 2A state meet is May 25-26 at Hayward Field in Eugene.
“We have not let the weather impact this and continue to practice in the rain, snow, hail, and sunshine.” – Amber Tinney, Santiam Head Coach
