By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
STAYTON, Ore.– After a two-year hiatus from the sport of Track and Field, Santiam’s Ace Areni has returned to the track. The junior credits his cousin, Skeeter Irving, in getting him back out for the sports and it’s been a pretty solid season so far for Areni as the Wolverines are gearing up for the District Meet next week.
“So far, it’s been a good season, especially in Long Jump,” said Areni. “It was rough in the beginning of the season, but it’s going good now. (My coaches) taught me a lot.”
Areni placed seventh in the Long Jump at the Regis Twilight Invitational on Friday at Regis High School. The last big meet of the season before the 2A Special District 2 District Meet next Thursday and Friday. Areni also finished 13th in the 100-meter dash in the Meet as well with a time of 11.92, 0.20 off his PR that he set back on Saturday at the Stayton Invitational.
And with Friday’s meet, it helped him see where he was at going up against some tough challenges from 2-4A as he looked to use this next week to prepare for a possible push for the 2A State Meet.
“For sprinting, just staying tall and putting my feet underneath me. In Long Jump, hitting the board,” Areni said.
Kellen Crofoot placed seventh in the 110-meter hurdles and ninth in the 300-meter hurdles. Colt Twede finished seventh in the Shot Put. Absyde Bilyeu finished 13th in the 1,500 meter race Triple Jump. Iriving finished 15th in hte Long Jump.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
