12A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 13, 2015
Polk County Sports
CLASS 5A PREP TRACK AND FIELD
White looks to follow in dad’s steps
Sophomore hopes to make his presence felt by qualifying for state meet
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Dallas sopho-
more Aaron White is out to
make a name for himself.
He enters this week’s Mid-
Willamette Conference track
and field championships
with the league’s best mark in
the triple jump (42 feet, 6
inches) and the sixth best
long jump (20-1½).
But when White looks to
earn a trip to the state track
and field meet, he’ll be
doing more than just an-
nounce himself to the track
and field community.
He’ll help carry on a fami-
ly legacy.
White’s foray into the long
jump and triple jump wasn’t
by chance. White’s father,
Jason, was one of Dallas
H i g h’s m o s t t a l e n t e d
jumpers.
“My dad held the high
school record for about 25
years in the triple jump,”
White said. “He was one of
my coaches when I was lit-
tle. He had me try the long
jump and in high school, I
did the triple and it’s kind of
been my thing since.”
And as White has seen his
marks in the long jump and
triple jump improve, he’s
inching closer to his father’s
triple jump mark of 44-7 —
something they both would
love to see happen.
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Dallas sophomore Aaron White is ranked first in the triple jump in the Mid-Willamette Conference.
“I think he wants me to
beat it,” White said. “He’s
worked with me a lot at it.
Jumping, it’s easy doing it,
but getting good at it is real-
ly hard.”
White has excelled his
sophomore season, despite
battling a hip injury.
“I hurt my (left) hip my
freshman year during bas-
ketball,” White said. “It has a
tendency to pop out of
place.”
While White is unsure
whether he’ll be 100 percent
healthy for districts, the
thought of what he could do
once he is healthy, is an ex-
citing one.
“Hopefully it’s better and I
can jump to my full poten-
tial,” White said.
White’s biggest obstacle
may not come in the form of
an injury, however.
“Most of my jumps that
are really good I end up
scratching on,” White said.
“It does (get in your head).
You think about it while
you’re running down the
runway and it kind of gets to
you.”
White won’t be alone in his
quest for a state berth. Brett
Rowden ranks in the top six
in both the shot put (fifth in
the MWC) and discus.
For the girls, sophomore
thrower Kyleen Benz is
ranked first in the discus
and third in the shot put,
senior Danielle Remington
is ranked third in the pole
vault and Kayley Sayer is
fifth in the long jump.
All of these athletes, and
more, stand a chance at
making their presence felt,
Dallas coach Bill Masei said.
In a competitive league,
Masei isn’t sure how many of
his athletes are going to be
running at the state track
and field meet. But, for
White, the MWC district
meet can be more than just
a state qualifier. It can be his
moment to shine. And that’s
a thought White can’t wait to
see happen.
“It’d be big for me,” White
said. “I’d sort of make a
name for myself. There’s not
a whole lot of sophomores
who get to go to state.”
McBeth: Sophomore grateful for opportunity
Continued from Page 10A
For a runner who made
her name by pushing her
limits, she had to learn when
to take her foot off the gas.
“I’m learning where my
body’s limits are,” McBeth
said. “I’ve learned to keep
under a certain mileage
number a week or to only
cross-train for a certain
amount of time. I’ve had to
learn when my body is
telling me to slow down.”
A limited race schedule
may seem like trouble, but
McBeth established herself
as a contender. In the 1,500,
her time of 4 minutes, 53.55
seconds is the sixth fastest in
Class 5A, despite running
the event just four times.
Qualifying for state, how-
ever, won’t be an easy task.
“Our league is so incredi-
bly talented,” McBeth said.
“It’s a matter of smart racing.
The older girls will try to
control the race. I have to
focus on running a smart
race more than anything.”
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Central senior Alex Quinn (center) prepares for the 100-meter hurdles on May 6.
McBeth will also compete
as part of the 4 x 400-meter
relay team at districts.
She will be one of several
contenders the Panthers
hope to see qualify for the
state meet. Senior Julia
Kenyon owns the MWC’s top
CLASS 1A PREP TRACK AND FIELD
mark in the high jump (5
feet, 3 inches), while Taylor
Knauss is ranked in the top
four in both the high jump
and triple jump.
Senior Sai Tapasa has the
fifth best throw in the MWC
in the shot put, while Reba
Hoffman is ranked sixth in
the league in the long jump.
On the boys side, Kaj
Bansen is tied for the
league’s best mark in the
high jump, while Kyle
Miller is ranked second in
the discus. Thomas Peter-
son is ranked second in the
MWC in the 100 and third
in the 200. Max Lydum and
Doug Clem are ranked
third in the MWC in the
shot put and javelin, re-
s p e c t i v e l y, w h i l e A l e x
Quinn is ranked fourth in
the 300 hurdles and fifth in
the 100 hurdles.
In a highly competitive
league, Central coach Eli
Cirino is excited to see what
happens.
“We have a few kids with a
chance to advance to state,
but overall, it’s just going to
be fun to see where we stand
in this league,” Cirino said.
“It’s been a great season, a
little humbling sometimes,
but we now know that we
can compete at this level,
and our kids are anxious to
show what they can do in
our first 5A district meet. …
We have a very young group
with lots of freshmen and
sophomores competing and
we are looking to have a
great experience that leaves
them excited and hungry for
the future.”
The future is something
McBeth is hoping to focus
on as well.
After seeing her running
future nearly vanish before
her eyes, McBeth has a new
outlook at districts. Much
like her coach, she’s excited
to see what happens when
she steps on the track.
“I’m just looking for any-
thing that I can get at this
point,” McBeth said. “I’m
happy to get the times that I
have so far. I’m going to be
thankful for whatever hap-
pens, honestly.”
CLASS 2A PREP TRACK AND FIELD
Yeager hopes to earn Price, Vergin eye state
state bid in final year berths for the Pirates
Senior ranked second in shot put and discus
By Lukas Eggen
Perrydale duo look to place at district meet
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
SD1 Track and Field Championships
FALLS CITY — Falls City
senior Tristan Yeager didn’t
enter the 2015 season de-
manding a state berth from
himself.
His biggest accomplish-
ment may have come before
the season even started.
“I wasn’t really expecting
anything when I first started
the season,” Yeager said. “I
was just glad I talked my
pals Arlin Schwanke and Bo
Beauchamp to do track.”
Yeager came out for the
track and field team for the
first time as a junior, when
he gravitated toward the
throwing events.
“I just like to throw be-
cause it’s fun,” Yeager said.
“I’m not a big fan of running
long distances or running in
general.”
As a senior, Yeager is
ranked second in Special
District 1 in the shot put and
discus with throws of 41 feet,
What: Special District 1 track and field championships.
When: Friday, 11 a.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.
Where: Portland Christian.
Admission: Adults, $5; students, $2.
Who: Athletes from Falls City, C.S. Lewis, Columbia Christian,
Columbia County Christian, Crosshill Christian, Damascus
Christian, Jewell, Life Christian, North Clackamas Christian, Ore-
gon School for the Deaf, Portland Lutheran, Portland Waldorf,
Southwest Christian, St. Stephen’s Academy, Willamette Valley
Christian and Portland Christian high schools.
What’s at stake: Winners and second-place finishers from
each event at the district meet automatically qualify for the
Class 5A state track and field championships, May 22-23 at
Hayward Field in Eugene. Any athlete meeting a predeter-
mined qualifying standard may also qualify for state, regardless
of number.
5½ inches and 130-8, re-
spectively. He is also ranked
fourth in the javelin with a
mark of 139-6.
“The key to a successful
throw is when everything
goes smoothly, and at the
end, it’s explosive,” Yeager
said.
Yeager enters as Falls City’s
best chance at sending an
athlete to the state track and
field meet. While he’s trying
to keep his expectations in
check, he knows making
state in his final year would
be the perfect way to end his
high school career.
“It would mean a lot to go
to state,” Yeager said. “I’ve
been waiting a long time to
get another chance to go, so
hopefully this time it goes in
my favor.”
The Itemizer-Observer
PERRYDALE — The Perrydale track and
field team has never had the biggest team
in its conference.
But coach Brian Evans
has high hopes for his
athletes.
Junior Taylor Price and
senior Alysia Vergin will
be in the mix to place at
districts and qualify for
state, Evans said.
Price is ranked second
in the 300-meter hurdles
Vergin
and javelin.“Taylor start-
ed throwing javelin and set a school
record,” Evans said. “To be honest, I’d be
surprised if Taylor doesn’t go to state in one
or both events.”
Vergin is fifth in the 100 hurdles, sixth
in the 100 and seventh in the triple jump.
She’s looking to end her high school ca-
reer with one more memory.
“Since it is my senior year and knowing
this is my last shot for state gives me a sur-
real feeling,” Vergin said. “I’m not ready for
it to be over. ... At this point, qualifying for
state means everything to me. It would be
the perfect way to end my seventh and final
year of track.”
Tri-River Conference Track
and Field Championships
What: Tri-River Conference track and field
championships.
When: Thursday, 2 p.m.; Friday, 3:30 p.m.
Where: Kennedy High School.
Admission: Adults, $6; students, $4.
Who: Athletes from Perrydale, Central
Linn, East Linn Christian, Kennedy, Regis,
Santiam and St. Paul high schools.
What’s at stake: Winners and second-
place finishers from each event at the district
meet automatically qualify for the Class 5A
state track and field championships, May 22
at Hayward Field in Eugene. Any athlete
meeting a predetermined qualifying stan-
dard may also qualify for state, regardless of
number.
On the boys side, senior Kirk Fairchild
enters the week fifth in the high jump.
While Perrydale lacks the numbers to
compete for a team title, Evans is hopeful
that the Pirates will have several strong in-
dividual performances.
And, for Price and Vergin, he sees a gold-
en opportunity for both to book their trips
to Eugene.
“I’m very excited for both girls,” Evans
said.