By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore. — For the fourth-straight year, Eille Mucken is heading to the State Track Meet following her PR in Pole Vault on Friday.
Her District Winning height was 7-feet-11.25-inches to help the senior accomplish the feat. A PR for Mucken.
And she needed to get that PR to even make the District Title, that four-peat possible.
“If I hadn’t cleared that height, I would’ve got fifth-place, so it was good to clear that and make it to State for four-years in a row,” said Mucken. “It was incredible. I have a great coaching staff and I love it so much and that’s just a testament to Blanchet. We always push through, we go really strong, even until the end.”
Working on pole bending will be the point of emphasis this week for Mucken, the senior said. That and working on a seven-step approach over a six-step approach.
“So just going stronger and harder and practicing on improving my pole vaulting,” said Mucken.
Joining Mucken on the girls side of the DIstrict Meet, coming from the 3A Special District 3 District Meet is Citlai Zaragoza.
Coming in late, Zaragoza progressively improved in her events, the 800-meter race especially. It was actually that 800-meter race where she made the most noise.
On Friday, at the 3A Special District 3 meet, Zaragoza PR’d. And not a minor PR, but a major one as she PR’d by nearly six seconds as Zaragoza finished District Runner-Up and qualified for the State Meet in her lone season doing Track.
“Even on the days when I’m tired, I focus on practice to keep up with my work and not go behind,” said Zaragoza. “It’s amazing, you can do whatever you can if you work for it. This is amazing.”
Speaking of newcomers on the track, Scio’s Emma Thatcher was doing just that.
In her first year of Track, in her fourth race in the 400-meter race, Thatcher won the 3A Special District 3 District Title in the event. Taking the event in 1:02.81.
A softball player as well, Thatcher has credited the support of those around her in her ability and success in both sports as she prepares for the 3A State Playoffs and the 3A State Track and Field Meet this upcoming week.
“Support. My softball team supports me, going to these and missing practice, and the whole Track team, they’re there to help me when I don’t know what I’m doing because I miss a lot,” Thatcher said of the support.
“Grit honestly,” Thatcher adds about the race. “What works best for me is to come out fast and stay consistent throughout the whole race and kick at the end. That was my fourth time running it without a lot of practice, it’s good to know that I know I can do it and get better with practice,”
The Blanchet Catholic Girls Track and Field team won the District Meet with 192.5 points with Taft finishing second.
Taft’s Laney Lee (12.60 PR) and Blanchet’s Bella Vargas (12.98 PR) went one-two in the 100-meter dash. Lee also won the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. Taft’s Katelyn Holmes and Willamina’s Katrina Huff (27.56 PR) went one-two in the 200-meter dash. Holmes also finished second in the 400-meter race. Ava Zalewski of Taft won the 800-meter and 1,500-meter races. Laynee Adkins-Stewart of Santiam Christian finished second in the 1,500-meter race and won the 3,000-meter race.
Salem Academy’s Adalin Narvaez finished second in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. The Taft and Blanchet Girls 4×100 meter relay teams went one-two in the Meet. The Tigers 4×400 meter relay team finished second and the Santiam Christian 4×400 meter relay team won the event.
Hadley Hughes won the Shot Put, Discus, Javelin and finished second in the Pole Vault. Blanchet’s Renatte Diaz-Hermosillo finished second in the Shot Put and Discus. Hayden Bell finished second in the Javelin with a 111-feet-2.5-inches PR throw.
Taft’s Aida Lupo and Dayton’s Amelia Wytoski went one-two in the High Jump. Blanchet’s Bella Vargas and Dayton’s Nora Shepherd went one-two in the Long Jump. Shepherd won the Triple Jump with Blanchet’s Bella Vargas finishing second in the Triple Jump.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
