EUGENE — Bandon’s girls built a big team lead and had a good day in qualifying Thursday as the Tigers try to repeat as Class 2A state track and field champions.
Bandon won a pair of titles, had placers in three other events and generally had a good day on the track.
Bandon got off to a great start when Caitlyn Michalek and Katelyn Senn finished first and second in the javelin.
The team race was on their mind, they said.
“First and second was our goal,” Senn said. “It didn’t matter who was first or second.”
As it turned out, it was Michalek, who led for several rounds and had a new best of 131 feet on her final attempt.
“I’ve been wanting a PR for a while,” she said, noting that she hadn’t improved since the first meet of the season.
Senn, whose best mark was 123-8, was happy to finish on the podium with Michalek for the second straight year. Michalek was third and Senn fifth a year ago.
“Track is kind of my third sport,” she said, referring to volleyball and basketball, the sport she will play for Eastern Oregon University in college. “I’m happy I got here and improved every year.”
Marley Petrey, meanwhile, took the lead in the fifth round of the long jump and repeated as champion in that event to start her busy two days. Her winning mark was 16 feet, 2 ½ inches.
Bandon also had a pair of placers in the high jump, with Michalek tying for fourth (4-9 ½) and Makiah Vierck tying for seventh (4-7 ½).
In the only final on the track, Analise Miller placed sixth in the 3,000 with a new best 11:17.98.
In preliminary heats, Petrey was fifth and Makenna Vierck eighth in the 100 to reach the final. Vierck also advanced to the final in the 200 with the sixth-best time and the 400 with the seventh-best mark.
Makiah Vierck had the third best qualifying time in the 100 hurdles and Miller qualified for the final in the 800 with the fourth-fastest time.
And in the final running prelim, Petrey posted the top time in the 300 hurdles, with Giada Moore earning the No. 3 seed for Friday’s finals.
The Tigers scored 37 points on the opening day, building up a 15-point lead on Blanchet Catholic.
Bandon freshman Noah Brown tied for third in the boys pole vault, clearing 12-0 ¾.
Reedsport’s Clayton Wilson highlighted the day for the Class 2A boys for the South Coast, pulling away over the final laps to win the 3,000 meters.
Wilson dipped under 9 minutes for the first time, winning in 8:59.58.
He was the first Reedsport boy to win a state title in the event and now has his eyes set on the school record, which is 8:48. But Thursday, he was more than happy to celebrate his first state crown.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” he said. “It feels good.”
He hit his time goal Thursday.
“I’ve been really trying to break 9 minutes for a long time,” he said.
Gold Beach had one placer on the first day. Korben Storns was fourth in the shot put with an effort of 42-0 ¾.
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