After a long season with no track of their own for practice, Elmira High School’s track and field athletes are on their marks for this week’s district meet at Siuslaw High School.
The team had their last full squad meet on May 13 at Sheldon High School. Since then, practices have shifted to only district athletes.
The district meet will be held this Thursday and Friday, followed by the state competition May 29-30 at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Several Falcon athletes are expected to advance to the state competition.
Elmira’s senior sprinters who qualified for the district meet this season are Kyler Colwell, Kainoa Harwood and Evan Booth, as well as juniors Ava Greene and Kharsin Vanhtha.
Sophomore sprinters competing will be Jayson Heinrichs, Petra Archer, Ella Clark, Shavelle Cook, Jocelyn Foltz, Rainee Foltz, Kadence Marvin, as well as ninth-grader Chase Anderson.
Vanhtha told Falcon News he’s excited about going to the district meet and getting to compete in his favorite events.
“I’m mostly concerned with my own performance and getting a PR, more than placing on the podium this year,” Vanhtha said.
The EHS long-distance team this year consists of seniors Jude Carman and Owen Booth, junior Hannah Yaskovic, sophomore Thaddius Mason, and ninth-graders Morgan Anderson and Ezra Carman.
After being sidelined for weeks with an illness, Yaskovic is back to competing and said she is ready for districts.
“I’ve gone to districts every year and have been improving, so I’m excited about my ability to get on the podium this year,” Yaskovic said.
Qualifying senior throwers include Zane Clammer, Jacob Bradley and Lindsey Cordell, as well as junior Spencer Stone.
Throwers who qualified include sophomores Penelope Cordon, Kieran Waldecker, Gracie Bolin and Ezra Dickinson, as well as ninth-graders Marcel Romero, Louis Carter and Harley Esty.
Bradley shared his expectations for the district meet.
“I’m going to try really hard to qualify for state in javelin, but I at least want to PR and place high on the podium,” the senior said.
The jumping athletes this year are seniors Jesus Coronado-Valle and Kaleesha Baldree, juniors Rylee Rice, Lillimae Brumble, Lourdes Escobar Rodriguez, Marvin Hambrick and Ryan Pew, sophomores Korbin Graham and Alexandra Mataisz, and ninth-graders Trayvn DuMont, Robbie Tapia, Benjamin Voltz and Baya Rinehart.
Graham said he sees the district meet as a good step toward what he can accomplish in the future.
“I’m really excited to go to districts,” Graham said. “I’m not expecting too much, but I know I can make it back in the future.”
