TDHS X Country: Hermiston & Oregon City: Fast, flat, and fierce
Ultimook race on Sept. 2 in Tillamook
By Jill Bell
“It’s the second to last one that counts- anyone can do the last,” Aaron Long reminds the team as they briefly recover from their last 800m interval. Sweat dripping from foreheads, ragged breathing, but a fiery determination behind their eyes, they toe up to the line for one more…and then another.
It’s the seemingly insignificant moments like these that make all the difference in meets: how the grind of the second mile goes, how to adjust when the finish is still far away. In many ways, the last two meets have been like the “second to last” and then the “last” interval of a workout: learning, working, then seeing a glimpse of that work pay off.
Hermiston: Runner’s Soul - Sept. 9
With no shade on the course and temperatures and humidity into the 90’s, the racing conditions favored the earlier JV races. Sophomores Aiden Erickson and Phoenix Nanie whittled their times down to 18:47 (4th) and 19:30 (a 20 second personal best, 16th), earning spots in the coveted eight man varsity for Oregon City, while Angel Garza-Ocampa got one step closer to the 20 minute barrier, finishing at 20:21. In the girls’ JV, Riley Elliot finished 16th, shaving her time down from just below 30 in Tillamook to 25:46.
For the girls’ varsity team, junior Alaina Casady led her team at 14th in 21:15, with senior Ruby Jaimes Mora just under 23 at 22:51. Newcomer Kestley Hodges took a full minute off her previous week’s time, proving definitely the strength and toughness of the freshman squad.
For the boys’ varsity, Tyson Long and Gabe Castillo finished a minute apart- 18:04 and 19:00, respectively, with the ADJ bunch spliced nearer the 19:30’s: Egan Ziegenhagen, Trey Hodges, and Caleb Caldwell. Once again, The Dalles deep varsity/JV overlap made for some interest for Oregon City: along with Nanie, freshmen Zeb Stelzer and Sawyer Dray edged in at 19:37.
Oregon City - Sept. 16
After another week of tough training, the Riverhawk squad was back with a vengeance at Oregon City- a flat, fast, and well-packed course replete with 5 and 6A competition. The squads held their own to finish first among the smaller schools, with the boys finishing eighth and the girls coming in at 6th.
A difference in starting position made all the difference for Aiden Erickson. Normally in the back, the lean 6’3” sophomore toed the line for the varsity boys’ race, in the front quarter of the pack for the entire race. That lead translated into a 26-second PR from last year, with Erickson finishing sub 18 at 17:56. Ahead of Erickson was Tyson Long, right above the 17-minute barrier at 17:07 for 27th place. The improvement by 20 seconds over his district time from last year seemed to galvanize Long, already thinking ahead to the next meets.
The Dalles boys managed a near repeat of last year’s “10 under 19”, with Egan Ziegenhagen (18:09), Gabriel Castillo-Quintana (18:16), Caleb Caldwell (18:34), and Noah Preston (18:56), with four more just at or right above 19: Josef Lutz (19:00), Zeb Stelzer (01), Angel Garza (04.1), and Sawyer Dray (04.5). The freshman squad also broke the 20-minute barrier for the first time, with Rhett Loughmiller, Jack Dewey, and Maverick Varland logging times in the 19:40s and 50s.
“I was so proud of the girls’ team that I didn’t even realize that I had PR’d,” effused Alaina Casady, who led the girls’ race at 20:13, 13th place, a 4 second PR, and one step closer to her goal of going sub 20. She had every reason to be proud: the girls’ team saw strong PR’s, with upperclassmen Ruby Jaimes Mora (21:48) and Nayeli Vergara (22:02) straddling 22 minutes. Sophomore and first-time runner Laura Black shaved 2 minutes off her time, finishing at 23:28, while fellow newcomer Kestley Hodges also under 24 (23:44).
It was an exciting race for the girls’ JV squad, too, with restored confidence for all involved. Whether it meant completing the race, going well under 30 minutes for the first time, or getting closer to their goals, they seemed to “catch the bug” of racing, rather than just running. “I kept telling myself to catch one more girl…then I’d go get the next one!” remarked Rokiah, finishing hot in the top third at 24:50.
Now at the halfway point in their season, the Riverhawk harriers have a chance to take stock of their progress so far, set goals, and then get back to training. There’s nothing more to do than run one more…and then the next one.
The Riverhawks’ next run happens to be their last home meet - The Bridget Nelson Meet - this Friday, Sept. 22 at Sorosis Park. Middle school races start at 3 p.m., with high schools starting at 4 p.m. Come cheer them on!
You can follow the rest of their schedule and times on athletic.net.
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