Oregon’s top high school girls track and field athletes: Meet the state’s best distance runners

Who are the top distance runners in Oregon high school girls track and field this season?

By René Ferrán

We’re highlighting many of the state's top returning high school track and field athletes. 

Our fifth list focuses on the girls distance runners. Here are some of Oregon’s best in the 800, 1500 and 3000.

There are hundreds of great athletes in the state, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know about any athletes you think should be added!

Chloe Foerster (Jesuit) photo by Taylor Balkom 

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Anna Lanigan, Sr., Roosevelt

Personal bests: 800, 2:25.21; 1,500, 4:53.62; 3,000, 10:43.74

Lanigan is the school record-holder in all three distance races. She broke her mark in the 3,000 in finishing fourth at a loaded PIL district field last spring. She is enrolled in Roosevelt’s Spanish immersion program and spent many years performing aerial dance in shows with A-WOL Dance Collective.

Ashley Boone, Sr., Summit

Personal bests: 800, 2:25.76; 1,500, 4:49.02; 3,000, 10:40.61

Boone is part of the Storm’s loaded distance corps. She ran a personal best at the 6A state meet last spring and placed 22nd at the state cross country meet in November to help Summit win a 13th consecutive state title. Coach Dave Turnbull called Boone “one of the sweetest athletes I’ve ever coached, disciplined, hard-working and very smart.”

Barrett Justema, Jr., Summit

Personal bests: 800, 2:20.61; 1,500 4:42.40; 3,000, 10:07.79

Justema is just beginning to tap into her vast reservoir of talent, according to Storm coach Dave Turnbull. She finished third in the 3,000 and sixth in the 1,500 at the 6A state meet in May, then posted a ninth-place finish at the 6A state cross country meet and a 16th at the Pacific Northwest Regional Showcase. “Barrett is faster than she knows,” Turnbull said. “This season will be a great one for her.”

Breanna Schmitt, Sr., Newberg

Personal bests: 800, 2:27.82; 1,500, 4:58.92; 3,000, 10:56.08

Schmitt ran for Veritas School her first two seasons, finishing eighth in the 3,000 at the 1A state meet as a freshman. She joined the Tigers last spring and finished second in the 1,500 and 3K at the Pacific district meet, then took second at the district cross country meet in November ahead of a 19th-place finish at the 6A state meet. “She has big goals in mind and wants to cement herself as one of the best to ever run at Newberg,” coach Brandon Ramey said.

Charlotte Richman, Sr., Ida B. Wells

Personal bests: 800, 2:23.41; 1500, 4:39.75; 3000, 9:59.73

Richman will focus on her basketball career when she attends the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., but she is not too shabby as a runner — she won the PIL district 3,000 title and took second at the 6A state meet last May, and she placed fourth at state in the 1,500. In the fall, she placed fourth at the 6A state cross country meet. “Charlotte has been the most diligent and competitive athlete we’ve coached,” Guardians coach Thor Esbensen said. “She is relentless.”

Chloe Foerster, Sr., Jesuit

Personal bests: 400, 56.62; 800, 2:05.27; 1500, 4:20.42

Foerster will go down as one of the best middle-distance runners in state history. The University of Washington signee sits No. 2 on the state’s all-time list in the 800 and 1,500 and looks to add more state titles to the 800 and 4x400 championships she won as a freshman and the 800 title she won last May. Foerster also won the Pacific Northwest Regional XC Showcase in November, beating Franklin’s Kaiya Robertson by 34.5 seconds, and she was second to Lake Oswego’s Kate Peters at the 6A state meet.

Ella McGillis, So., Central Catholic

Personal bests: 800, 2:19.20; 1500, 4:44.07

McGillis more than held her own as a freshman, winning the Mt. Hood district title in the 800 and placing ninth at the 6A state meet in the 1,500 as the top ninth-grader in the race. She came back in the fall to win the MHC district cross country title, place 12th at state and finish fourth at the Pacific Northwest Regional Showcase. McGillis also has earned a spot in the school’s Presidential Character in Leadership Academy, a class group that focuses on developing leadership skills. “Ella is a leader by example,” Rams coach Robyn McGillis said. “She maintains a healthy and balanced approach to her sport and academics.”

Ella Thorsett, Jr., Summit

Personal bests: 800, 2:22.20; 1500, 4:52.47; 3000, 10:11.41.

Thorsett started her high school career at Sisters, where as a freshman she won the 4A state cross country title. She finished second as a sophomore for the Outlaws and sixth at the 6A state meet after transferring to Summit over the summer. After being unable to finish her sophomore track season at Sisters, she’ll be hungry to have an impact for the Storm this spring. “She’s a very talented young lady, and we are so pleased with her growth,” coach Dave Turnbull said.

Emily Rehn, Sr., Lincoln

Personal bests: 800, 2:20.23; 1500, 4:46.23

Rehn split her time between soccer and track until this spring, yet she still qualified for the 6A state meet in the 800 last season. Cardinals coach Eric Dettman thinks that with Rehn focused solely on track now, “the sky is truly the limit for her. She’s extremely coachable and cares deeply about her teammates. We’re really excited about her spring and know she will be one of the catalysts to helping this girls team find a lot of success.”

Emily Rice, Sr., Beaverton

Personal bests: 800, 2:21.91; 1500, 4:45.91

Rice and her twin sister, Hannah, already have reached the 6A state final in two sports this school year, finishing second in girls soccer and winning the school’s first basketball title last month. Now, she’s looking to improve upon her third-place finish at last spring’s Metro district meet in the 1,500. She anchored the 4x400 to a second-place finish.

Estella Gutches, Jr., North Medford

Personal bests: 800, 2:31.25; 1500, 4:52.83; 3000, 10:34.34

Gutches might be better-known as part of the Gutches wrestling dynasty, finishing second at 120 pounds at February’s OSAA girls championships. She also has proven quite the long-distance runner, winning Southern Oregon regional titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 last May and earning the Southwest district cross country title in the fall.

Eva McIlraith, Sr., Sunset

Personal bests: 800, 2:21.96; 1500, 5:05.30; 3000, 10:44.10

McIlraith started her career as a middle-distance specialist, making the 800 final of the Metro district meet as a freshman, placing fourth. Two years later, she focused on the 3K, winning the Metro district title while shaving nearly 24 seconds off her personal best.

Eva Novy-Hildesley, Jr., Lincoln

Personal bests: 800, 2:17.47; 1500, 4:41.82

Novy-Hildesley steadily improved during her first track season, ending with an eighth-place finish at the 6A state meet in the 1,500. Since placing 14th at the 6A cross country meet in November, she’s run personal bests in the 800 and 1,500 this spring. When she’s not on the track, she’s busy designing and selling homemade jewelry through her Sandpiper Lane Company. “There’s no moment that’s too big for Eva,” Cardinals coach Eric Dettman said. “I’m not sure I’ve coached an athlete who rises to the occasion better than her. It’s safe to say that when the lights are brightest, she seems to shine the most.”

Grace Yaconelli, Sr., Ashland

Personal bests: 800, 2:29.28; 1500, 4:54.02; 3000, 10:32.67

Yaconelli looks to build off a fourth-place finish at last spring’s Class 5A state meet in the 3,000 and a third-place showing at the 5A state cross country championships in November. That followed a second-place finish at the Southern Oregon regional cross country championships as a junior and a Midwestern district title as a senior.

Haley Blaine, So., West Albany

Personal bests: 800, 2:24.07; 1500, 4:48.51

Blaine went undefeated during her freshman season until arriving at Wilsonville for the 5A state meet, where she still acquitted herself well, posting a runner-up finish in the 1,500 and placing fourth in the 800.

Hannah Seubert, Sr., South Eugene

Personal bests: 800, 2:19.64; 1500, 4:46.00; 3000, 10:44.27

Seubert qualified for the 6A state meet as a freshman in the 800, then came back last spring and won the Eugene City Championships before placing 11th at state.

Isabel Swain, Sr., North Salem

Personal bests: 1500, 4:56.97; 3000, 10:31.63

Swain qualified for the Class 5A state meet as a freshman in the 3,000, then made it back last spring, where she placed third in a personal-best time while also cracking 5 minutes for the first time in the 1,500, placing seventh.

Josie Fale, So., Ida B. Wells

Personal bests: 800, 2:17.20; 1500, 4:50.12; 3000, 10:19.90

Fale took home a couple of medals from her first 6A state meet as a freshman, placing seventh in the 800 and 3,000. During the cross country season, she finished sixth at the PIL district meet and 32nd at state.

Kaia Schmidt, Jr., West Linn

Personal bests: 800, 2:20.92; 1500, 5:01.32

Lions coach Joe Cerny likes the versatility that Schmidt, a Three Rivers district placer in the 800 (third) and 1,500 (fourth) last spring, brings to the lineup. “She is capable of running very competitively in the 400, 800, 1,500 and 3,000,” he said. “Kaia is a relentless worker and an inspiration to her teammates.”

Kaiya Robertson, Sr., Franklin

Personal bests: 800, 2:11.82; 1500, 4:38.44

Considering Robertson’s success during the cross country season — a PIL district title, third-place 6A state finish, second at the Pacific Northwest Regional Showcase and 16th at the Eastbay National Championships — one might think she runs long distances for the Lightning track team. Instead, she’s a middle-distance specialist, placing fifth at state in the 800 as a freshman and becoming a PIL district champion as a junior, when she finished second at the 6A state meet in the 1,500. This spring, the Boise State signee entered the top 30 on the all-time state list in the 800 with her victory at a PIL three-way meet.

Kate Peters, Jr., Lake Oswego

Personal bests: 800, 2:15.68; 1500, 4:35.91; 300, 9:56.10

Peters is one of the most heralded distance runners in the nation, but until a March 29 dual meet against West Linn, she hadn’t run in a high school track race. The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out her freshman season, and then she and her family chose to sit out last spring as a precaution. However, her cross country success — a 6A state title and an All-American sixth-place finish at the Eastbay National Championships, leading to her being named the Gatorade state runner of the year — led to her committing to Oklahoma State this spring and promises big things next month at Hayward Field. When she’s not running, she is an avid rock climber who takes every opportunity to boulder and climb in the Lakers gym. “Kate is one of the most competitive athletes I know,” coach Vince Kinney said. “If there is a competition, she loves to be involved. I even saw her have a pushup competition against another coach at one of our cross country meets this year.”

Kendall York, Sr., Lincoln

Personal bests: 1500, 5:09.42; 3000, 10:20.96

York was a PIL JV district champion in the 3,000 as a freshman and a third-place finisher in the event as a junior, qualifying for the 6A state meet and making the podium with an eighth-place finish. The Gonzaga commit and avid cook returned last fall to post a seventh-place finish at the 6A state cross country meet. Cardinals coach Eric Dettman marvels at how York has battled “more adversity than any athlete I’ve run with or coached in my career” throughout her career, yet she returns every year ready to compete. “That adversity is what drives her on a daily basis,” he said. “She is a model of perseverance and inspiration for all our athletes.”

Kyla Potratz, Jr., Phoenix

Personal bests: 1500, 5:04.48; 3000, 10:40.38

Potratz saved her best for last during her sophomore season, winning the Skyline district title in the 1,500 and finishing second in the 3K and fourth in the 1,500 at the 4A state meet. She returned in the fall to win the Skyline cross country title and place third at state.

Lauren Ayers, So., Tualatin

Personal bests: 800, 2:20.08; 1500, 4:45.12

Ayers had a solid freshman season for the Timberwolves, finishing fourth at the Three Rivers district meet in the 800 and third in the 1,500 to qualify for the 6A state meet in both. She’ll look to make the state podium this spring.

Lillian Herman, Jr., Tigard

Personal bests: 800, 2:17.73; 1500, 4:44.51; 3000, 10:28.48

Herman last season won the Three Rivers district title in the 1,500 and took second in the 800, then narrowly missed the 800 final at the 6A state meet. In the fall, she helped the Tigers qualify for the state cross country meet for the first time since 2014 with a sixth-place finish at the TRL district meet, and this spring, she’s broken the school record in the 3,000. “Lily is a great competitor, extremely hard worker and just a great all-around person,” coach Doug Kuffel said. “We are excited to see what she can accomplish this season.”

Madeline Nason, Sr., Corvallis

Personal bests: 1500, 4:46.02; 3000, 10:23.00

Nason kicked off her track career with two medals at the 5A state meet, finishing third in the 3K and fourth in the 1,500. She came back last spring to medal again in both — this time placing third in the 1,500 and fifth in the 3,000. In between, she won the 5A state cross country title as a sophomore in 2019. Besides her prowess as a runner, she’s also a top swimmer, ranking No. 11 in the state this winter in the 200-yard butterfly.

Magdalene Williams, Sr., Summit

Personal bests: 800, 2:08.03; 1500, 4:37.29; 3000, 10:25.49

Williams garnered national attention when she collapsed at the finish line while breaking the school record in the 800. She broke it again and moved to No. 4 on the state’s all-time list in finishing second at the 6A state meet, and she should challenge for a state title against two-time champion Chloe Foerster of Jesuit — although as Storm coach Dave Turnbull said, “we have some work to do! But Maggie is the real deal as far as the sprint/distance combo athlete.”

Makena Houston, Sr., Columbia Christian

Personal bests: 800, 2:22.98; 1500, 4:51.19; 3000, 10:34.25

Houston swept the 1,500 and 3,000 state titles at the Class 2A championships last May, then won a second consecutive 2A state cross country title in November.

Nancy Biegel, Sr., Sherwood

Personal bests: 1500, 4:50.50; 3000, 10:17.43

Biegel moved to Sherwood two years ago from Anchorage, Alaska, and promptly became a leader in the Bowmen’s distance corps. She won the Pacific district title in the 1,500 last spring, then took sixth at the 6A state meet in the 3K. In the fall, she shattered the school record for 5,000 meters (17:19.5) in cross country, then two weeks later won the district title. The University of Oregon commit narrowly missed a podium finish at state with an 11th-place showing, then capped her year with a 13th-place finish at the Pacific Northwest Regional Showcase. “Nancy’s superpower in the future will be longer races, which became clear when she broke the school record in the 5,000,” coach Terrel Smith said. “How she powered through the challenges of moving and COVID to emerge as the fastest distance runner in Sherwood history is a testament to her grit.”

Paige Wiley, Jr., Sunset

Personal bests: 1500, 4:51.11; 3000, 10:16.27

Wiley finished her sophomore season by placing fourth at the Metro district meet in the 1,500, then coming back three days later to finish fifth in the 3,000 at the 6A state meet. In the fall, she finished third at the Metro district cross country championships and 33rd at state.

Petra Schuster, Jr., Ida B. Wells

Personal bests: 800, 2:17.91; 1500, 4:39.70

Schuster has been around the Guardians program since her older sister, Jordan, started in the program eight years ago. Petra started making a name for herself last spring, finishing second in the 800 at the PIL district meet and qualifying for the 6A state meet in the 800 and 1,500. She placed eighth at the PIL district cross country meet in the fall. “Petra is one of the most dedicated athletes we have worked with,” Wells coach Thor Esbensen said. “There is nothing she won’t do to ensure she is at her best. She will do anything to accomplish her goals.”

Riley Cash, Sr., Lincoln

Personal bests: 800, 2:13.94; 1500, 4:35.6; 3000, 10:12.71

Cash showed promise as a freshman and last spring placed fourth in the 3,000 and fifth in the 1,500 at the Class 6A state meet. In between, the Cal Poly commit had a 13th-place finish at the state cross country championships as a sophomore. She took 15th last November. She also amazes her teammates by showing off her ability to juggle a soccer ball, having gone more than 1,000 successful touches in one session. “Riley is the best distance runner I’ve worked with,” Cardinals coach Eric Dettman said. “She’s taken a huge step in her preparation at practice and before meets to get herself to be able to compete at an elite level.”

Teaghan Knox, Sr., Summit

Personal bests: 800, 2:16.86; 1500, 4:33.86

Storm coach Dave Turnbull called Knox “the Queen of Kindness,” but once on the track, she’s a ruthless competitor. As a freshman, she placed fourth at the 6A state meet in the 1,500, and last spring she took home medals in the 800 (sixth) and 1,500 (third). She has three podium finishes at the state cross country championships, taking fifth as a freshman, third as a sophomore and eighth as a senior after winning her first Mountain Valley district title. She was sixth at the Pacific Northwest Regional Showcase. “Teaghan is the most supportive athlete we’ve ever had,” Turnbull said. “She is a cheerleader for everyone and stands as a true team leader by example. We are most proud of her character.”

Zoe Rector, So., Central Catholic

Personal bests: 800, 2:24.61; 1500, 4:46.98

Rector went undefeated as a freshman at Riverdale, capping her spring by winning Class 3A titles in the 800 and 1,500. Two weeks later, she shaved another five seconds off her personal best in the 1,500 as the youngest runner in the field at the Portland Track Festival. She transferred to Central Catholic over the summer and finished second at the Mt. Hood district cross country meet and 17th at the 6A state championships.