By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SWEET HOME, Ore.– Sheridan’s Jayden O’Reilly has taken a sense of pride in being looked at as one of the leaders of his Spartan squad now that he’s a senior.
For him. He wants to leave his mark. He wants to lead his team in the right direction and leave them in a good place as the seniors did with him before. It is something that O’Reilly has taken to heart as he and several of his Sheridan teammates took to the track Saturday at the Meet of Champions at Sweet Home High School.
“It’s great. Helping guide these athlete’s out and help bring them out, they all look up to me, and I don’t want to lead them in the wrong direction. I want to leave them like the Seniors did with me, so I’m just trying to do my best to lead this team to greatness for the years after me,” said O’Reilly. “I just want to make sure I leave my mark. I just want to make sure my name is remembered in my town, and everyone remembers how I was and what I stand for with my leadership, my guidance. It’s what I do on-and-off the track.”
O’Reilly finished 16th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.74 and helped the 4×100 relay team that included Chase Eichler, Travis Lugo, and Alex Martison to a sixth-place finish. For O’Reilly, his eyes are on the prize:
Hayward Field.
“I think I’m doing alright. I got to work out some kinks, bring my knees higher, and all the little stuff. I’m looking at Hayward Field right down in its eyes and hoping I get there this year,” O’Reilly. “I gotta stay calm, composed, and do what I know I can do, and I think it will happen.”
Chloe Ayala finished 21st in the 100-meter dash on Saturday with a time of 13.55.
