Your guide to the Oregon 6A boys track and field championships: Favorite, contenders, darkhorse for every event

Here’s an event-by-event look at the 6A boys meet.

René Ferrán | May 25, 2023

Your guide to the Oregon 6A boys track and field championships: Favorite, contenders, darkhorse for every event /

By René Ferrán

The OSAA track and field state championships take place this weekend at Hayward Field in Eugene. Here’s an event-by-event look at the 6A boys meet.

Photo (2022) by Leon Neuschwander

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100

Favorite: Andrew Walker, Sr., South Medford

Contenders: Demari Thompson, Jr., North Salem; Mihaly Akpamgbo, Jr., West Salem; Jayce Bartley, Sr., Oregon City; Micah Perry, Sr., Barlow

Darkhorse: Grant McDowell, Sr., Beaverton

We were denied a clash of the titans between defending 6A champion Walker and 2022 5A winner Thompson at the Jesuit Twilight Relays. Thompson has the state’s fastest time but lost to Akpamgbo at the Central Valley district meet.

200

Favorite: Andrew Walker, Sr., South Medford

Contenders: Noah Zucker, Sr., Grant; Fuad Omer, Sr., Westview; Mihaly Akpamgbo, Jr., West Salem; Demari Thompson, Jr., North Salem

Darkhorse: Jayce Bartley, Sr., Oregon City

Walker hasn’t lost to an in-state opponent in this event in two seasons and ranks No. 5 on the all-time state list in the event. Zucker, Omer and Akpamgbo, a fast-rising youngster who swept the CVC sprint titles, could push him.

400

Favorite: Fuad Omer, Sr., Westview

Contenders: Alexander Rhodes, Sr., Lincoln; Finnegan Quinn, Sr., McDaniel; Garrett Chaffee, Sr., Newberg; Noah Zucker, Sr., Grant

Darkhorse: Ethan Park, Sr., Lake Oswego

A couple of weeks ago, Omer — who ran 47.46 to win the Metro district title and move to No. 9 on the all-time state list — looked like a lock. Then, Rhodes returned from a month-long absence and showed his mettle by winning a loaded PIL district final in 47.65 (No. 11 all-time). Game on!

800

Favorite: William Heslam, Sr., Roosevelt

Contenders: Brady Bliven, Sr., West Salem; Braydon Lee, Sr., Barlow; Mario Oblad, Sr., Mountainside; Charlie Black, Sr., Central Catholic

Darkhorse: Caden Swanson, Jr., Jesuit

Last month at the Oregon Relays, Heslam became the fourth Oregon boy to run sub-1:50, beating a field that included Bliven and Oblad. Lee, who finished 10th in that race, has shaved two seconds off his personal best since then.

1,500

Favorite: William Heslam, Sr., Roosevelt

Contenders: Wesley Shipsey, Sr., Central Catholic; Kai Mitchell-Reiss, Sr., Ida B. Wells; Joshua Augustine, Sr., Jesuit; Samy Anderson, Sr., Lincoln

Darkhorse: Asher Danielson, Jr., Ida B. Wells

This year’s race has all the makings of last year’s race, in which Heslam and Shipsey finished 2-3 behind Tualatin’s Caleb Lakeman. Shipsey, Augustine, Mitchell-Reiss and Anderson are doubling from Friday’s 3,000, while Heslam and Danielson will be relatively fresher with only an 800 prelim in their legs — will that make the difference?

3,000

Favorite: Jacob Nenow, Sr., Jesuit

Contenders: Wesley Shipsey, Sr., Central Catholic; Joshua Augustine, Sr., Jesuit; Gus Clevenger, Sr., Jesuit; Kai Mitchell-Reiss, Sr., Ida B. Wells

Darkhorse: Anthony Giesch, Sr., Newberg

Giesch, who won the Jesuit Twilight Relays 3,200 last month, needed a wild card to make a loaded field that includes a trio of Crusaders led by Nenow, the reigning state cross country champion. Lincoln’s Anderson, runner-up to Nenow in cross country, also made the field as a wild card.

110 Hurdles

Favorite: Micah Perry, Sr., Barlow

Contenders: Jayden Jessee, Jr., Grants Pass; Gray Ogrodowski, Jr., Sunset; Julian Krozel, Sr., Lincoln; Jeff McMillan, Sr., Sunset

Darkhorse: Matthew Nivala, Sr., West Salem

Perry, No. 4 on the all-time state list, will take a crack at becoming the second Oregon boy to break 14 seconds in the event — Bob Gray went 13.73 for David Douglas in 1988.

300 Hurdles

Favorite: Micah Perry, Sr., Barlow

Contenders: Aaron Busi, Jr., David Douglas; Keleb Mwaala, Sr., Central Catholic; Eron Harvey, Jr., Oregon City; Garrett Speer, Sr., Jesuit

Darkhorse: Julian Krozel, Sr., Lincoln

The absence of state leader Boden Hanley of South Eugene because of injury makes Perry — who ran 38.52 in his fourth career race to win the Mt. Hood district title — the favorite, as no other runner in the field has run sub-39.5.

4x100

Favorite: Sheldon

Contenders: North Salem, Oregon City, South Medford, Grant

Darkhorse: Sunset

The Irish knocked off South Medford to win the Southwest district title last week, and with only anchor leg Brock Thomas (100) running an individual event this weekend, they’ll be fresh and hungry for Saturday’s race.

4x400

Favorite: Lincoln

Contenders: McMinnville, McDaniel, Tualatin, Westview

Darkhorse: Oregon City

Alexander Rhodes’ return at the PIL championships helped the Cardinals hold off McDaniel and post a state-leading time of 3:20.43 heading to the state meet — just outside the top 25 times on the all-time state list.

Shot Put

Favorite: Parker Jarvis, Sr., Grants Pass

Contenders: Ethan Sanft, Sr., Southridge; Nywaun Campbell, Sr., Roosevelt; Colby Stampflee, Jr., Glencoe; Devin Brooks, Jr., Clackamas

Darkhorse: Jason Layton, Jr., Tigard

The 6A meet has very few virtual locks this spring, but Jarvis in the shot put is one. His personal best of 60-6¾ (No. 34 on the all-time state list) is six feet farther than anyone else in the field. Brooks became the fifth thrower over 50 feet in the field with his victory at the Mt. Hood district meet.

Discus

Favorite: Nywaun Campbell, Sr., Roosevelt

Contenders: Lander Marak, Jr., Sandy; David Fuiava, Sr., North Medford; Ethan Sanft, Sr., Southridge; Austin Milton, Sr., Sherwood

Darkhorse: Anthony Dickson, Sr., Reynolds

Campbell, who won the Jesuit Twilight Relays this month, leads a crowded field with the top three (Campbell, Marak, Fuiava) within three feet of each other.

Javelin

Favorite: Austin Milton, Sr., Sherwood

Contenders: Ethan Grimm, Jr., Tualatin; Drew Smith, Jr., Sherwood; Caleb Perry, Fr., Barlow; James Richardson, Sr., Mountainside

Darkhorse: Caleb Jannsen, Sr., Oregon City

Milton is another overwhelming favorite, with his personal best of 209 feet from the Jesuit Twilight Relays more than 24 feet farther than his nearest challenger and No. 18 on the all-time state list. Grimm threw once this season before winning the Three Rivers district title.

High Jump

Favorite: Houston Klug, Jr., North Medford

Contenders: Jayden Jessee, Jr., Grants Pass; Terek Logan, Jr., Sheldon; Calvin Stewart, Fr., South Salem; Mobolaji Majekodunmi, Sr., South Salem

Darkhorse: Riley Mcvicar, Sr., Sandy

Klug separated himself as the favorite by clearing 6-7 to win the Southwest district title, putting him three inches clear of the rest of what figures to be a crowded field of contenders, all of whom have gone 6-4 this year.

Pole Vault

Favorite: Terek Logan, Jr., Sheldon

Contenders: Kevin Swindler, Sr., Tigard; Francis Anderson-Blankenship, Sr., South Eugene; Graham Olson, Sr., Mountainside; Troy Hockett, Jr., David Douglas

Darkhorse: Griffin Haider, Jr., South Salem

Logan won the 3A state title in this event last season with Harrisburg. This season, he’s added 2½ feet to his personal best, clearing 15-1 on Saturday to win the Southwest district title. Swindler went 15-0 to win the Jesuit Twilight and won the Three Rivers district title Friday.

Long Jump

Favorite: Owen Phillips, Jr., Sheldon

Contenders: Austin Stampflee, Sr., Glencoe; Terek Logan, Jr., Sheldon; Benati Louvouezo, Jr., Grant; Dylan Douangphrachanh, Jr., Benson

Darkhorse: Logan Hilty, So., West Salem

Stampflee is the defending champion in the event, but Phillips has gone over 23 feet twice this season, including a state-leading 23-3½ last weekend to win the Southwest district title.

Triple Jump

Favorite: Benati Louvouezo, Jr., Grant

Contenders: Grant Nyhus, Sr., Lincoln; Owen Phillips, Jr., Sheldon; Logan Hilty, So., West Salem; Shanko Kornachuk, So., Lakeridge

Darkhorse: Jude Cirioli, Jr., West Linn

Louvouezo and Nyhus — the top two 6A jumpers in the state rankings — waged a fierce duel for the PIL district title last week, with the Generals junior eking out victory by two inches.

Team

Favorite: Lincoln

Contenders: Sheldon, Barlow, Sunset, West Salem

Darkhorse: Lakeridge

The Cardinals got a boost from Rhodes’ return, adding a potential 20-point scorer to the mix. Sheldon’s title chances depend on a deep group of jumpers the Irish will need to score big points.

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