Track: Astoria athletes score big in Meet of Champions
Published 9:19 am Sunday, April 15, 2018
- Gary Henley/The Daily Astorian From left to right, the Astoria 1,600-meter relay team of Elizabeth Barnett, Kelsey Fausett, Nara Van De Grift and Sophie Long teamed up for a fourth place finish in Saturday's Meet of Champions.
SALEM — In cold, cloudy, windy conditions, it was no surprise to see athletes from the North Coast outperforming athletes from other parts of the state Saturday, in the annual Meet of Champions.
Held at Willamette University in Salem, and showcasing the top track and field athletes from around the state, athletes from Astoria and Seaside combined to win eight events, with numerous top three placers.
The big winner, again, was Astoria senior Darian Hageman.
Following a four-win performance in the Daily Astorian Invitational earlier in the week, Hageman won three of the four jumping events Saturday.
She soared 17 feet, 4½ inches to win the long jump, cleared 5-3 in the high jump and 10-6 for the best mark in the pole vault.
Rebeka Preston of Santiam Christian scored the upset in the triple jump with a 3A state record 38-11¼, with Hageman placing second.
In the throwing events, the top two throwers in the state reside in Clatsop County.
Seaside junior Gretchen Hoekstre won the shot put with a toss of 40 feet, 1 inch, with Astoria’s Kes Sandstrom third. Meanwhile, Sandstrom had a personal best throw of 127-3 to win the discus, with Hoekstre second.
On the track, Astoria freshman Sophie Long took second in the 800-meter final, finishing in 2 minutes, 31.51 seconds, behind Tillamook senior Kara Putman (2:30.61).
Astoria teammates Isabella Clement and Nara Van De Grift took third and fourth, respectively, in the 300-meter hurdles.
The Fishermen foursome of Elizabeth Barnett, Kelsey Fausett, Long and Van De Grift teamed up for a fourth-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay (4:21.41).
On the boys’ side, Astoria senior Tim Barnett continued his dominance of the 4A level by sweeping the throws.
He had personal best marks in the shot put (50-8½), discus (154-0) and javelin (177-1) to win all three events. Warrenton’s Mark Warren was third in the javelin with a school record 167-8.
Astoria’s Michael Kee was second in the long jump (PR 19-9¼). Seaside senior Rafi Sibony was third in the 800 (2:02.42), with teammate Levi Card fifth (2:05.39).
