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Greer Shines at Oregon Twlight, 5.9.09
Running unattached, Lake Oswego senior Elijah Greer delighted a crowd of 5,725 in his future home of Historic Hayward Field, by placing fourth in the 800 meters with a national high school leading time of 1:48.97. It was his second fastest time ever, only behind the amazing 1:47.68 run to win the USA Junior Nationals last summer, and the third fastest ever by an Oregon high schooler as Mike McGrath ran 1:48.56 in 2003.
And for a brief time it made Greer the national prep leader in both the 800 and 1500 meter events. However, Princeton-bound Lincoln High School senior Nathan Mathabane, the defending Oregon 6A State champion, ran an impressive 3:50.58 to place 3rd in the 1500 later in the evening and take not only the Oregon but also the national lead. That time is just ahead of Greer's 3:50.7 time set back in March.
Elijah Greer, in USA uniform, enroute to 1:48.97 fourth place finish at Oregon Twilight.
Lakers Produce 5 Wins at Cotton Invitational, 5.1.09
On Friday the Lakers traveled to Northeast Portland to compete in the annual Cotton Invitational at the historic Grant Bowl. Someone forgot to turn off the fan as the afternoon was unusually windy, which hampered many of the times and performances.
The Lakers did manage some impressive wins as the girls 4 x 100-meter relay got things started with an impressive victory in a seasonal best time of 50.74a. The quartet was composed ofChristy Wood, Jacqui Wallis, Madison Keele and Cali Reis. Melanie Overall continued to improve in the Javelin and her throw of 123'3" was good for first place by some 16 feet. Joel Minugh took the boys' Shot Put with a toss of 47'6" besting his nearest competition by 2'8".
The Lakers were also the class of the boys and girls' 3000-meter events as John Paden andTate Murray both took the lead from the beginning and never looked back in their respective run away victories. Paden finished in 9:19.76 to win by over ten seconds. Murray's win was even more impressive as she ran 10:24.39 to best former Laker Shawn Kelly's meet record of 10:37.8 set back in 2001.
Other highlights included: Janelle Croy's personal best in the 100-meter High Hurdles with a time of 17.68a. Andrew Croy also ran to a personal best in the boys' High Hurdles in 18.81a.Jono Friedman ran a personal best in the 800 at 2:15.04. Christy Wood placed second in the 100 in 12.97a. Jacqui Wallis was second in the 200 at 27.03a and ran a seasonal best of 1:00.04 for third in the 400 meters. Emily Gaddis knocked six seconds off her personal best with a time of 5:21.0 in the 1500 and Katie Chandler ran a PR of 2:38.25 in the 800. Issac Hayden ran a personal best in the 3000 with a time of 9:55.14.
D'Amato Sets School Record in Pole Vault versus Oregon City
It was billed as Senior Day on Wednesday, 4.29.09, as the red-and-white clad athletes of Oregon City visited Lake Oswego for the final dual meet of the season. However, Laker juniorGabi d'Amato provided the thrills with a clearance of 10'3" in the Pole Vault to set a new school record. On a mostly sunny afternoon, d'Amato continued her season of great vaulting by besting the record of 10'0" she co-held with class of '08 grad Morgan McGuire.
The Lakers finished on the short end of the scoreboard as many of their athletes didn't participate in their best events as they prepared for Friday's Cotton Invitational or rested slight injuries. The girls fared better losing to OC by a score of 86-59, while the boys were out scored 97.5 to 47.5.
Junior Melanie Overall continued her good throwing with a new personal record of 122'7" to place second in the Javelin and also tied her PR in the Shot Put with a 31'2" distance. Another junior, Tate Murray, ran to a slight personal best in the 800 (2:19.5) and came back with her fastest 400-meter split to anchor the winning 4 x 400 relay. Frosh Christy Wood won both sprints events covering 100 meters in a new personal record of 12.95a and coming back to take the 200 in 26.83a. She also ran on the winning 4 x 100 meter relay, which had a seasonal best of 51.08. Junior Cali Reis ran a personal best of 17.14a in placing second in the 100 meter High Hurdles, was also second in the 300 meter Intermediate Hurdles (47.7) and ran on the winning 4 x 100 relay. Sophomore Andrew Croy ran personal bests in both hurdle events (18.81 a and 43.42) and also ran a PR on his 4 x 400 relay split. Chris Luetjen won the 100 in 11.55 a and ran on the winning 4 x 100 relay.
Murray Runs PR in Centennial 1500
Laker Junior Tate Murray ran a personal best of 4:41.98 to place second in the girls' 1500 meters at Saturday's Centennial Invitational in Gresham, OR. Murray moved into fourth position after a first 400 meters run in 1:16.9 and passed 800 in 2:34 before moving into second and passing 1200 in 3:49.94. Although she attempted to pass the leader and eventual winner, Baylee Mires from Mead High School in Spokane, WA, she was not able to establish a lead and finished less than a second behind Mires' 4:41.23. It was also a seasonal best of almost twelve seconds, puts her among the states best 6A competitors both the 1500 and 3000 and moves to the number two all-time performance at LO.
Melanie Overall was the only other Laker competing at Centennial and placed 6th in the Javelin with a throw of 116'0".
Gabi d'Amato on her way clearing 9'6" into a tough wind.
Lakers at Putnam, 4.22.09
After a beautiful Saturday at the Aloha Relays, it was back to TRL dual meet action as the Lakers traveled to Milwaukie to compete against Rex Putnam High School. On yeah, the beautiful weather reverted back to what has become the norm for Oregon high school track, windy and cool. The Laker girls bested their counterparts to improve their league record to 4-1, while the short-footed boys lost by a large margin to a good group of Kingsmen--led by one of the state's best in Ricky Garcia. Three members of LO's 2008 state qualifying 4 x 400 team were sidelined with tweaks and injuries and didn't run the relay or their usual events.
Tate Murray returned to action, after sitting out the last two meets with a slight injury, and ran to a personal best of 2:19.6 in a virtual solo effort to win the girls' 800 meters. Melanie Overall won the Javelin with her second best throw of the year (120'4") and also the Shot Put with a heave of 30'9". Gabi d'Amato won the Pole Vault with a clearance of 9'6". Emily Hoard won the 1500 meters in 5:27.9 and was second in the 800 (2:40.75). Cali Reis won both hurdles events (100 meters HH, 17.54 c and 300 m IM, 48.94c). Jacqui Wallis won the 100 meters in 13.14c and was second in the 200 at 26.74c. Christy Wood took the 200 in 26.44c and was third int he 100 at 13.34c. Madison Keele joined Reis, Wallis and Wood to win the 4 x 100 Relay in 51.13. Jocelyn Aguilar ran another personal best in winning the 3000 meters with a time of 11:43.74 and Michelle Keele won the 400 in 1:09.24. Janelle Croy ran a seasonal best of 51.94c to place second in the 300 IH after placing second in the 100 HHs.
Among the boys performances: Andrew Croy won the 300 meter Intermediate Hurdles in a seasonal best of 45.14c. Noah Estuesta won the Javelin with a throw of 151'9". Taylor Pearce won the Pole Vault with a personal best of 11'0" and Jeff Wells was second at 10'0". Chris Luetjen ran a best of 11.24c for second in the 100 meters and was third in the Javelin (132'7"). Thomas Belesiu won the 400 in 53.54c and was second in the 200 (24.24c).Issac Hayden ran a personal best of 9:56.32 to place third in the 3000.
Lakers Break Distance Medley Record at Aloha Relays
LO at Lakeridge (4.15.08)
Thomas Belesiu, Micah Hatfield, James Ratliff and Elijah Greer passed the baton over 1600 meters in a time of 3:24.97 (hand timed and converted to 3:25.14), which is the fastest time in the state so far this season.
Clackamas at LO (4.8.09)
Junior Melanie Overall improved in her personal best in the Javlin with a throw of 112'08" to help lead the Laker girls to a close victory over Clackamas 74-71. Overall remains second on the LO all-time performance list since the new implement was introduced.
The outcome of the meet was decided with the 4 x 400 relay in which the Lakers held off the Cavilers with at time of 4:16.11 to 4:16.95. The team consisted of Sarah Oliva,Tate Murray, Jacqui Wallis and Cali Reis. Earlier in the day Murray had won the 1500 and 800 while Reis had won the 300 intermediate hurdles and Wallis the 200 meters.
Clackamas easily won the boys meet. Laker highlights included John Paden's win (4:19.7) in the 1500 and Paul Hoard's 2:02.56. victory in the 800.
Another Cold and Rainy Day at West Linn
Jacqui Wallis hits the turn in the 200 meters at West Linn.
The Lakers returned to action following Spring Break on a winter-like day in dual meet action at West Linn on Wednesday, 4.1.09. Maybe it was Mother Nature's cruel April Fools joke. The Laker girls won 92-53, while the boys lost to the Lions by a score of 79-66. Both Laker squads did not compete at full strength in all the events due to some injuries and resting athletes for the Laker Classic on Friday. Photos can be viewed on 2009 Photos 1 page. Results on www.athletic.net.
Among the highlights were: Junior Melanie Overall was a double winner with a throw of 29' 2" in the Shot Put and 112' 7" in the Javelin. She moved into 2nd on the all-time Laker performance list in the Javelin (new implement) and into 5th on the all-time list for the Shot.
Junior Jacqui Wallis won both the 100 (13.08 hand timed), 200 (27.51 ht) and ran on the winning 4 x 100 relay. Other event winners were Tate Murray in the 1500 (4:54.54), Megan Ellis (1:05.0) in the 400 meters, Janelle Croy in the 100 meter high hurdles (17.58), Cali Reis in the 300 intermediate hurdles (51.18), Gabi d'Amato in the Pole Vault (7' 6"), and Sarah Oliva in the Triple Jump (30' 1"). Christy Wood, Madison Keele and Reis joined Wallis on the winning 4 x 100 relay.
In the boys' competition Chris Luetjen won the 100 meters (11.53 ht) and Elijah Greer took the 400 in (50.29) and ran the anchor leg on the winning 4 x 400 (50.13). Paul Hoard, John Paden and Jesse Fordyce comprised the remainder of the relay team.
Paden ran a fine 4:14.93 in winning the 1500 against some of the league's top competition from West Linn. Fordyce got his first varsity win with a big kick to take the 800 in 2:15.21, nipping Issac Hayden's 2:15.48. Joel Minugh led a Laker sweep of the Shot Put with a throw of 45' 7" and Jimmy Jacobson won the Discus at 125' 9".
Greer Breaks School Record at Oregon Preview
LO's Greer (3rd from left) at Oregon Preview
Lake Oswego senior Elijah Greer ran a fantastic 3:50.7 for 1500 meters to place 5th at the Oregon Preview meet in Eugene on Saturday, 3.21.09. His performance was 3.6 seconds better than the Laker's previous school record of 3:54.3 run by LO great Tracy Hollister back in 1991. Greer's time was an amazing seven seconds better than his previous best of 3:57.7 run in winning the 2007 Oregon 6A State 1500-meter title.
The Sun Shines on Lakers Opener with Milwaukie! (3.18.09)
That could have been the most welcomed highlight of the day, following the 2008 season which seemed to have been mostly rainy and cold (except for the heat wave that convened on the District meet).
The Laker girls bested their Milwaukie rivals by a score of 92-53, while the two boys teams tied 72-72 when the competition ended at the LO Track & Field complex.
Among some good opening day performances were:
Laker juniors Tate Murray and John Paden both winning two events handily and each running a leg on their winning 4 x 400 relays. Murray won the 1500 (4:56.96) and 800 (2:24.52), while Paden was victorious in the 1500 (4:21.86) and 3000 (9:33.98).
Gabi d'Amato equaled the Laker school record with a Pole Vault of 10'00", while placing second. James Ratliff won the 110 High Hurdles (15.55), ran on the winning 4 x 110 relay, threw the discus and won the "Mr. Laker" contest following the meet.
Paul Hoard anchored the winning 4 x 100 relays, won the 800, ran the 400 (2nd) and ran on the winning 4 x 400 relay.
John Paden takes the early lead in the 1500 meters.
Greer Opens Season with Impressive Performance On a cool and blustery Saturday (3.7.09) Lake Oswego senior Elijah Greer opened the 2009 Track and Field season with an impressive win at the Icebreaker Meet conducted at Linfield College. Taking the early lead and passing the 400 meter split in 55.9, the Laker responded to a mid-race challenge by another former Oregon state prep champion, Michael McGrath, passed 600 meters in 1:23 and clocked a final time of 1:52.23. McGrath, who competed for Oregon before graduating last year, was second in 1:53.1.
Tate Murray passing the 400 mark of the 800 meters.
