13 Elkton and North Douglas/Yoncalla Track Hannah Maxwell sprints down a wet street during track practice. Justice Cox (left) and Rilie-Jo Olds (right) practice starting out of blocks. Elkton Rundown: Yoncalla/North Douglas Rundown: With no track within 30 miles of their school, the Elkton track and field team makes the most of what it has. “Everything is measured out believe it or not,” said coach Ken Maxwell. “Two laps around the school equals 460 meters.” Warming up in the parking lot, run- ning around the school and finding hills nearby to run on, the six-person team does a little of everything. While the number of team members is the same as it was last season, this year provides more opportunities as there are now four girls on the team. “I’m really excited we’re going to have a relay team this year for the 4x100. We haven’t done that since my sophomore year,” said senior Hannah Maxwell. In addition to a relay team, Hannah, Ken’s daughter, is looking to get back to state in the triple jump. Just two years ago there were only four people on the Yon- calla/North Douglas track and field team. Last season there were 15 and this season the number has ballooned up to 26. “Now I don’t have enough assistants, that’s the problem,” said second year coach Eric Sprinkle. “I’m spread pretty thin.” Sprinkle, with the help of his fiancé, are happy with this prob- lem. The pair started coaching at the middle school three years ago and are now bringing the two rival schools together to compete in the sport they love at the high school level. “We are here together, we are one team. It doesn’t matter where you spend your eight- hour school day because after Play with class Win with class Lose with class Youth, community, conservation & safety ... it’s what we do! that you’re here and we’re all to- gether,” said Sprinkle. On this year’s team, there are number of state-caliber com- petitors. While Laaron Lopez was the only returning athlete to make it to state last season, he is looking to be joined by teammate Brody Best (800) and on the girls’ side by Justice Cox (100, 200) and Rilie-Jo Olds (200, discus, shot put) who fin- ished in the top 10 in all her events last season. “I just need to not worry about my peers as much,” said Olds on what it will take for her to get to state this year. “I’m al- ways bad about trying to look good for someone else, I need to look good for myself and just work good for myself and that’s what will get me there.” Grove Medical Equipment “B UILDING A H EALTHY C OMMUNITY ” • Splints • Braces • Crutches • Knee Scooters and More.... 541-225-5443 grovemedical@outlook.com Join us on Facebook Your Sports Medical Supply Head- Quarters 148 Gateway Blvd (Bi Mart Plaza) Cottage Grove, OR 97424 Team Perspective with Justice Cox On last season I finished in third last year and had a really bad hip problem and tore my hip-flexor total- ly in half, I was in a wheel-chair actually. Yeah, after a season. And then I went onto crutches and then I built myself back up. So I still have a hard time which, it made my time go down a bit which stressed me out, but hopefully I can build up the strength in it to be where I was at least. On a teammate she is excited for Rilie-Jo. She’s really good at the 200, she’s not as fast as I am, but she’ll get there. She’s definitely working really hard to get there so I hope she does. On combining with North Douglas I like it because we get to be surrounded by kids that aren’t in our school and it’s – we get to make more friends because the new peo- ple come and we’re like, well this is how it is at our track and we invite you. We love to have them here.