The Dalles Track Season: The first half highlights
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds…”
Photos and story by Jill Pearson
For some reason, the unofficial motto of the post office also seems quite apt for the 4x400m relay.
No matter how warm or pleasant the first field events are, by the time the last event is off, the sun has dipped below the horizon, it has often started to rain (if not sleet), and the school bus engines rumbling sound hypnotically inviting. You would be forgiven if you thought it was- in the words of a former 4x4 runner- “the most miserable race in existence.”
That is, unless you had a chance to watch it.
Something about the dark and miserable brings out an electric energy- running on tired legs, Gatorade, pure determination, and fumes- absolutely mesmerizing.
That’s why, when thinking over the first half of the track season, it’s the last that comes first. It’s hard to condense over a month of meets into a short list, but in honor of the lanes on the track, here are the top 8:
#8: The 4x400 relay teams
The 4x4 continues to be one of the most fluid races for The Dalles, with a variety of line-ups each week. A few times, it’s been the 4x100 trio of Zoe Dunn, Lilly Adams, and Amyrah Hill, with Danish exchange student Josefine Nielsen substituting for Madelyn Harrison at 4:25 on Saturday. The distance girls raced their most consistent 4x4 in just under 5 minutes, good enough to win at their home meet on April 5th.
The boys’ side is similarly in flux, with Tyson Long and Vincent Ziegenhagen as the most stable pieces. They ran 3:52 with Juan Diego Contreras and Noah Preston last Wednesday at Sandy.
#7 Lilly Adams, 200m
Junior Lilly Adams has already improved upon her state PR from 2022 by nearly half a second, finishing at first 27.31 at April 5th’s home meet. Currently ranked at 13th in the state, her third season holds promise as she trains in the relays and 100m as well.
#6 The mid-distance crews
For the first time in years, the Riverhawk squad has some depth in the 400m and 800m races. The 400- one lap around the track- is the best and worst of sprint and distance; if you run it right, your butt cramps, your legs feel like they’re about to fall off, and you want to die. Josefine Nielsen has continued to improve her time from 73 to 68 seconds, with a 4x400 split around 66 in Sherwood.
On the boys’ side, freshman Noah Preston leads with 56.42, followed closely by Vincent Ziegenhagen at 57.24, with London Leitz and Skyler Coburn both in the 58’s. All four have tried their hand at the 4x400, so it will be interesting to see how their individual improvement translates to team gains.
#5 Tyson Long’s 800m, and the freshmen boys
Tyson Long was all smiles after his 7-second PR in the 800m at Sherwood, finishing at 2:07. He now has his eye set on the TD freshman record of 2:05. Following him are a similarly ambitious group of freshman boys, many of them the same hungry harriers from cross country last fall. Aiden Erickson continues to hover just over the 10-minute barrier for the 3k, with him, Gabriel Castillo-Quintana, and Kayden McCavic just under 5 for the 1500, along with seniors Leo Lemann and Juan Diego Contreras.
#4 River McClure in the 300m
One of the nicer side effects of having some depth in the mid-distance boys’ team is the payoff in the 300m hurdles. Sophomore River McClure seems to have found a niche in the 300 hurdles, finishing in a little over 43 seconds at Sherwood on Saturday, taking off a full second from his previous two meets.
#3 Alaina Casady leading the distance girls
Speaking of sophomores, Alaina Casady continues to lead well in the distance races, finishing at 11:30 in her first 3k at Sherwood, and coming in 14th overall in the 1500 at 5:18. She has the curiosity of a young runner, as well as the maturity to lead her older teammates well. Alongside her are the cross country squad- the “wild cards” who earned their place to state and continue to push and encourage each other in practice. Keep an eye out for Ruby Jaimes Mora in the 800m, as well as Nayeli Vergara’s continued PRs in the 1500.
#2 Men’s high jump, Derek Goulart & River McClure
Coach Tim McClure returned this year to coach the high jump, and the consistency is paying off with freshman jumper Derek Goulart, as well as sophomore River McClure. Goulart placed 11th at Sherwood, with a PR jump of 5’8”, with McClure in a six-way tie at 5’4”.
#1 Zoe Dunn’s long jump
As a veteran sandpit raker, it seems the shorter the wind-up routine, the more impressive the jump. Zoe’s style continues to look relaxed, even as she jumped 17’10” at Sandy, two inches farther than her season PR at Districts last year. The extra practice with club track, as well as the promise of continuing her career at Eastern Washington, shows a Zoe who is calm, confident, and ready for the road ahead.
The road ahead includes our final home meet against Estacada and Madras and senior night on at Wahtonka on Wednesday, April 19 . Field events start at 3:30 p.m., track events at 4 p.m. Come cheer them on!
