Viks get feet wet at Icebreaker
Siuslaw track team hosts first meet of 2022
March 22, 2022 — The Siuslaw track and field team kicked off the 2022 season with a home meet on March 17. Bandon, Cottage Grove, Douglas, Myrtle Point and Taft joined the Vikings for the Siuslaw Icebreaker at Hans Petersen Memorial Field.
A steady stream of precipitation put a bit of a damper on the opening day festivities but the six teams in attendance and their fans were so excited to get the season started that the rain didn’t seem to slow down or bother anyone.
There were many impressive individual performances on both the boys and girls side for the Vikings.
Senior Rylee Colton won the 1500m with a time of 5:34.45. Colton, along with freshmen Maya Wells, Makayla Bender and sophomore Corduroy Holbrook, were also a part of the 4x400 relay team that finished second.
“Rylee is our workhorse,” said Viking coach Chris Johnson. “We can count on her to perform and she did on the first day.”
Freshman Macali Lade made her high school track and field debut and finished an impressive second in the pole vault with a height of 6’3”.
“Great performances by two freshmen, Macali Lade and Makayla Bender,” commented Johnson.
The Siuslaw girls team finished fifth out of six teams with a score of 54. First place was claimed by Sky-Em League rival Cottage Grove who scored 134, followed by 2A Myrtle Point who scored 112.
The Viking boys team found a little more individual success, highlighted by the performance of junior sprinter Hunter Petterson.
Of all the Siuslaw athletes that came to compete on March 17 Petterson faced the highest expectations as the reigning Sky-Em 100m champion.
He did not disappoint. With freshmen teammates Ray Brito Xilot and Wesley Nicholls just behind him, Petterson won the 100m in a time of 11.88. Brito Xilot finished in 12.22 for fourth and Nicholls was fifth with a time of 12.38.
“For Hunter to perform like that, with all the expectations, is impressive,” said Johnson.
Junior Kyle Hughes also had a great day. He won the 3000m in 10:14.73. He also vaulted 13’ in the pole vault for second in the pole vault, an impressive score for the first meet of the season.
“That 13 foot vault from Kyle [Hughes] makes me excited to see what he’s going to do on Bay Street on Wednesday,” said Johnson, referring to the 1st Annual Florence Street Vault which is being held today (Wednesday) at noon.
The Viking boys team had many other exceptional individual performances.
Senior James Smith won the 400m in 57.01. Junior Jacob Blankenship, with a time of 2:15.21 won the 800m. Jonathon Rose, a senior, won the discus when he threw 114’1’’. He also took second in javelin.
Petterson, Smith and Brito Xilot joined senior Camp Lacouture to take second in the 4x100 relay.
In the other relay, the 4x400, Petterson, Brito Xilot, Nicholls and Blankenship picked up another second place finish.
Cottage Grove and Siuslaw separated themselves from the rest of the field in the boys team race when the Lions scored 179 followed by the Viking’s 146 points. Way behind them was Myrtle Point. The Bobcats scored 59 points.
Today (Wednesday) the Siuslaw track and field team hosts a special event. On Bay Street, in historic Old Town Florence, pole vaulters from Bandon, Ida B. Wells, Marshfield, North Bend, Siuslaw and other schools around Oregon will compete in the 1st Annual Florence Street Vault.
At approximately 7 a.m. the city of Florence will shut down Bay Street so Coach Johnson and his team can set up a wooden pole vault runway right on the street, between Traveler’s Cove and Beachcomber.
Warm-ups will start at about 11 a.m. and the competition will begin at noon. Bring your own seating as none will be provided. All Bay Street business will remain open during the event.
For more information on the 1st Annual Florence Street Vault go to www.siuslaw.k12.or.us/article/683386.