R-SI Track: Two schools, two district championships

by Brandon Hansen & Sports Editor
| May 17, 2012 6:00 AM

In its first season competing in Class B, Ronan-St. Ignatius made history.

Both the boys and girls track teams took home the 7B district championship, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 1973 when Ronan’s boys and girls teams took the district crown. This time around in a co-op with St. Ignatius, both Mission and Ronan high school athletes combined to comeback from first day deficits to take home the District 7B Championship trophies.

In its first season competing in Class B, Ronan-St. Ignatius made history.

“It is awesome,” Ronan head coach Crystal Pitts said. “I am so happy and proud of all of our athletes at the district meet. Most of them had their best marks of the seasons which gave us some surprises which helped to seal the championships.”

For the boys, Jalen Bell was again stellar for Ronan-St. Ignatius. Bell won the district championship in the triple jump (42-11), long jump (20-5) and high jump (5-8). Nikko Alexander took home the javelin crown with a first place finish (148-75).

“I am really really happy for the athletes who won district championships, especially the seniors who have been working for this for four years,” Pitts said.

Paden Alexander also set a new Mission high school track record for the 800-meter dash and placed third (2:06.64). In the first day, Ronan-St. Ignatius showed its depth in multiple races. Marcus Hungerford was fifth in the 400 meter dash (53.63) while Michael Knabe was sixth (55.71). In the 800-meter dash, the team got several points after Alexander’s record-setting performance, a fourth-place finish by Hungerford (2:09.16), a fifth-place finish by Danny Romero (2:13.61) and a sixth-place finish by Wyatt MadPlume (2:19.67).

Alexander went on to take second in the 3,200-meter race (10:19.82), while MadPlume was fourth (11:06.61) and Romero was fifth (11:27.71). In the hurdles, Shelby Grant was fifth in the 110-meter hurdles (19.34) while Marley Tanner was sixth (19.90).

Ronan placed third in the 400-meter relay (45.11) and got a sixth-place mark by Dustin Goldsby in the discus (103-4). In the triple jump, Dallas Jore was fourth (38-11) and Patrick Eichert was fifth (37-9.5).

In the pole vault, Grant got a personal best and placed second (11-00) while Connor Benn placed third (10-6). That put Ronan-St. Ignatius eight points behind Florence after the first day, a deficit they would overcome. On the second day, the team got a fourth-place finish by Jake Skelton in the 100-meter dash (11.93) and a fifth-place finish by Riley Dennis in the 200-meter dash (24.45).

Alexander took second in the 1,600-meter run (4:40.83), and was followed by Romero in fifth (4:57.55) and MadPlume in sixth (4:57.98). Benn was sixth in the 300-meter hurdles (47.54).

In the 1,600-meter relay, Ronan-St. Ignatius posted its best time of the season and placed second (3:34.61) thanks to the efforts of Knabe, Romero, Dennis and Hungerford. In the javelin, along with Alexander, Ronan-St. Ignatius also got a third-place finish by Lucas Gerhardt (138-6.5), and a fourth place finish by Brennan Andrews (128-7). Gerhardt placed second in the shotput (42-11) while Goldsby was fourth (37-8), Alexander was fifth (37-6.5) and Skelton was sixth (37-2.5).

“The boys were behind until we picked up four places in the shot put, putting us ahead by 12 points and the long jump increased the point lead to 23 which we needed the cushion,” Pitts said. “We were going to get limited points from the 200-meter dash and the 1,600-meter relay and Florence picked 22 in those two events.”

Dylan Evans was third in the high jump (5-2) and Dallas Jore was fourth in the long jump.

For the girls, Stephanie Lewandowski won the district championship in the 100-meter hurdles (17.02) with a Mission High School track record.

“That’s what records are there for — to be broken,” Pitts said. “I am glad Paden and Stephanie both set them and hopefully they can still improve on them since they are both juniors.”

Ashley Courville was a champion in the 3,200-meter race (13:07.89) and Jenny Larsson was tops in the high jump (5-0). Twyla Hogge won the shot put championship (31-10.5). In the first day, Kiana Howell was sixth in the 400-meter dash (65.15). Ronan-St. Ignatius’ distance runners took over in the 1,600-meter race. Courville was second (5:53.78), Rose Bear Don’t Walk was third (6:07.77), Courtney Heath was fourth (6:08.51) and Jade Gray was fifth (6:15.29).

Kylie Durglo was third in the 100-meter hurdles (18.78). She also placed fourth in the triple jump (30-6), followed by Auxie Cates in fifth (29-7.75) and Lindsey Rogers in sixth (28-5.5). Ronan-St. Ignatius was third in the 400-meter relay. In the throws, Aspen Jore was sixth in the discus (83-1).

Florence led Ronan-St. Ignatius 68-51 in the first day but that lead would not hold up.

In the second day, Howell was sixth in the 100-meter dash (14.01) while in the 800-meter dash, Courville was second (2:36.02) and Courtney Clairmont was third (2:37.40).

Ronan-St. Ignatius once again dominated the distance races. Along with Courville winning the 3,200-meter run, Gray was second (13:36.58), Heath was third (13:52.36), Bear Don’t Walk was fourth (13.55) and Nicki Jo Mays was sixth (14:14.03).

“The distance races were very important. The girls were actually behind until the last two events,” Pitts said. “In the girls race the 3,200 meter where we picked up five places and then Florence not running a 1,600 relay sealed the deal and were important to the final score.”

In the 300-meter hurdles, Lewandowski was fourth (51.53) while Durglo was sixth (52.22). The Ronan-St. Ignatius relay was third in the 1,600 meter relay (4:32.69).

In the javelin, Jore was third (103-0) while Larsson was fourth (89-11.5). Jore was also second in the shot put (29-8.75). In the high jump, Lewandowski was fourth (4-8) and Sydnee Clairmont was fifth (4-6).

In the long jump, Lewandowski was third (14-7.75) and Lindsey Rogers was fifth (13-4.5).

Ronan-St. Ignatius will travel to divisionals this weekend in Corvallis.