By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
DAYTON, Ore.– Jefferson’s Aliyah Saad has probably made her presence known when it comes to the hurdles world following some clutch performances at the 3A Special District 3 Meet on Saturday.
The freshman qualified for State in both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles by the slightest of margins during the finals. Finishing second in the 100-meter hurdles by just 0.05 of a second and the 300-meter hurdles by 0.01 of a second. Lunging at the finish line in both races to give the Lion hurdles any kind of advantsge at the finish.
And for her, it worked in her favor. For reference, the Top 2 finishers in the District go to the State Meet at Hayward Field next week, and she came that close of not making it to the State Meet had she finished third.
“It was crazy, I was scared because it just goes off the lean and it was by 0-point whatever seconds and it was crazy. It was like photo finish,” starts Saad. “It was like, finish at the end, push whatever you have left even if you can’t feel your legs, you push so hard to finish hard.
“Good competition pushes me for a good time, so hopefully I can do a lot better.”
Joining Saad at State is Andrew Keena.
The senior finished District Runner-Up in the Javelin and the High Jump, achieving a goal of his after being so close the last few years. And now, he’s hoping to use this excitement of making it to the State Meet as an advantage.
“It’s amazing. Not being able to go to State the past three years I’ve been doing it and just putting it all out there on the field today and being able to do it well is awesome,” said Kenna. “I want to use that excitement for me, try to help me improve and do better. Use the excitement to equal more stride.
“I just have to keep practicing and keep getting better and just listening to coaches and doing my thing.”
Keena also finsihed third in the 110-meter hurdles.
Notables from Jefferson at the District Meet includes.
Dimetrius Rodriguez finished fourth and sixth respectively in the Triple Jump and Long Jump.
Osbaldo Vasquez finished seventh in the 3,000-meter race. Max Scovell finished seventh in the 300-meter hurdles with a PR time of 48.23. Teddy Gorman finished eighth in the Discus. Corban Ellis finished fifth in the Pole Vault.
Brianne Dabel finished fourth in the Pole Vault. Isabella Hahn finished sixth in the Javelin.
Saad also finished seventh in the 100-meter dash. Gretchen Orton finished seventh in the 800-meter race. Amy Olmos-Garcia finished eighth in the 3,000-meter race.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
