By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– Ethan Owings is finally heading to the State Meet.
He edged Taft’s Kol Tolan for the District Title, taking the Meet with a six-foot jump. And after a season where he was stuck just below that six-foot mark before breaking it a few weeks ago on May 2, it was a good confidence booster for Owings going into the State Meet next week.
“It started back at our Invitational really when I got over six feet for the first time, it gave me a confidence boost to know that I can hit that. And to this, great atmosphere, Districts and I think I carried that over thar confidence to go over the bar really,” said Owings. “(Tolan) a great person. We’re friends, we push each other.
“I’m going to carry this into next week. The atmosphere at State, a lot more people, a lot more jumpers who are going to push me to be my best and me pushing people to be their best is what I’m looking forward to.”
Joining him is Willamina’s Matthrew Atherton.
After coming close and just missing making the State Track and Field meet as a junior, Atherton broke through and qualified this season. Finishing second in the Long Jump, good for District Runner-Up on Friday at Blanchet Catholic School.
Not to mention that Atherton PR’d in the process as well with a jump of 20-feet-11.25-inches.
“Last year was rough because I didn’t make state. But I went back at it here, tried my hardest and I made it to State,” Atherton said. “I only started when I was a sophomore. I’m very excited, very grateful. I put in the work and it paid off.”
Jefferson’s Dimetrius Rodriguez is also joining Atherton as first-time State Qualifiers.
On Thursday, Rodriguez won the District Title in the Triple Jump with a jump of 42-feet-2.75-inches to send the Lions Jumper to Hayward Field for the first time in his career.
“It’s pretty good, it’s not my overall goal. My overall goal is the school record, but I came short of that but still have the State Meet to go,” said Rodriguez. “I got to work on a lot of small things, a lot of small things. But I got this next week, so it’ll be good.”
The Blanchet Catholic Boys Track and Field team won the team District Title with 171.83 points with Santiam Christian second.
Angel Vargas Guerrero won the 200-meter dash. Deontae Washington won the 300-meter hurdles Dirstict Title and finished second in the 110-meter hurdles. The Blanchet and Salem Academy 4×100 meter relay teams went one-two.
Santiam Christian and Amity went one-two in the 4×400-meter relays. James Barnett won the Shot Put, Discus. Jefferson’s Teddy Gorman, Amity’s Jaxson Howard went second in the Shot Put and Discus.
Santiam Christian’s Jordan Ness and Alejandro Magana went one-two in the Javelin. Scio’s Jack Forson and Blanchet’s Joe Barra went one-two in the Pole Vault in the meet.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
