By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SWEET HOME, Ore.– Jefferson’s Andrew Keena had a daughting task in front of him Saturday morning into the early afternoon at the Meet of Champions.
Having to juggle the High Jump and the Javelin and staying loose for both as he went back-and-forth between the two events at Sweet Home High School.
But he succeeded in doing so as he finished fifth in the High Jump with a 6-foot-even jump and finished third in the Javelin with a PR throw of 150-feet-1-inch in the big 1A-4A meet.
“It was tough, but it was just trying to get that balance between staying focused for both of them. Trying to stay warm and active for High Jump, but keeping my upper body for throwing the javelin,” said Keena. “Overall, I did pretty good. I threw a pretty good PR for Javelin, about seven-foot. For High Jump, I was matching six-foot, which has been my best so far this season.”
As a senior, and being at this Meet for each of the last three years, it’s been a special moment for Keena as the end of his High School career comes to a close here in the coming weeks.
“It’s been kinda special thinking about how blessed I am coming here the last couple of years in a row and keep competing at a high level with all these great athletes,” said Keena.
And just as Keena’s Track career is ending, Aliya Saad’s is just beginning.
The freshman qualified for the 100-meter hurdles and almost did the same for the 300-meter hurdles, but she took the opportunity and ran with it. PR-ing in the hurdles with a time of 17.53, good enough for 16th in the event.
“I think it was good, I was really nervous at the beginning, but I think racing against fast people pushes me even more to get PR’s. And I like going to bigger meets so that I can race people who will push me,” Saad said. “Just continue going fast, and I think I can possibly do good at Districts.”
Other notable’s for the Lions on Saturday include Corban Ellis, who placed eighth in the Pole Vault. Dimetrius Rodriguez finished seventh in the Long Jump and finished eighth in the Triple Jump. Kyana Kendall finished 21st in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 18.48. Brianne Dabel finished 13th with a 7-foot jump.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
