Document text
Who's Who gives insight on Oregon track & field Tuesday Apr 3, 2001 at 2:00 AM Dec 17, 2010 at 9:00 AM Greg Stiles The 2001 edition of Who's Who in Oregon Track & Field arrived this week, 330 pages of insight into the past year's performances — including cross country. Jesuit's boys and girls teams earned No. — dual meet rankings. The last school to sweep the top spots was Oregon City in 1988. Grants Pass and Klamath Union were No. 4 and No. 9 among boys. Benson, Grants Pass and Mountain View all appear to have a lot of solid talent returning, Who's Who editors Dave Martin and Billy Snow write. We're sure they will let Jesuit know they are around. Klamath Union, South Medford, Roseburg and Ashland were ranked 6-8-10-11 among girls dual teams, earning the Southern Oregon Conference Who's Who plaudits as the best league in the state. The same couldn't be said for the Skyline Conference, even though Henley retained the No. — ranking among Class 3A girls for the ninth straight year. Henley coach Ron Smith has nine teams on the all-time 3A girls top-20 list. Last year's squad pushed the 1980 Henley team, coached by Jim Jones, off the list. Three Rogue River teams coached by Bill Willard (1977-78, 1980) are also among the all-time list. The 1978 squad still ranks No. — and the 1977 team No. 4. Former Crater star Bryan Berryhill is tied for producing the most state meet points by a Class 4A boy in the 800 meters. Berryhill is No. 2 behind Gus Envela on the 400-meter list. Envela, the former McKay High flash, has produced more individual points (no relays) than any Class 4A boy, scoring 104, from 1983-86. Marshfield's Fran Auer Sichting rolled up 100 in girls competition, 1969-72. Ellannee Richardson is the all-time individual point producer for any class, scoring 150 points, 1995-98, for Gladstone in the 3A girls competition. Seven Oregon girls and five boys return with national rankings this spring. Ashland senior Paris Edwards had the 20th-best clocking in the 3,000 meters last year at 9:59.06 and is ninth among returners. With PRs of 4:34 (1,500) and 9:58.6 (3,000), Who's Who says. Edwards finds herself just out of both all-time lists, and is the fastest 4A returner. Who's Who editors really like Klamath Union sophomore Lauren Jesperson. Any freshman who runs 49.7 (400) and 1:55.1 (800) like Jesperson did last year gets our attention, Who's Who states. A phenomenal talent who can run anything from 400 to 5,000, Jesperson could challenge for top spots in the all-time top 10 in the 800. Glancing through the top-10 lists for each classification, one discerns former St. Mary's star Mike Wisnovsky's Class 2A 800 mark of 1:56.4 for juniors is in danger. Catlin Gabel's Ben Decherd ran a 1:55.01 as a sophomore last year. A little safer is the 1:52.5 2A standard Wisnovsky set as a senior. shaving 3/10ths of a second off her best of 56.37, defending 4A state champion Sara Schaaf of Klamath Union could become the fastest SOC 400 runner ever. Janette Martin of South Medford ran a 56.1 400 in 1999 and is No. 8 on the state's all time list. As noted earlier, Class 4A girls shot put champion Jackie Woods won't be out to defend her 4A crown. But she retains her freshman class mark of 41-0?. Class 3A state shot put champion Sarah Zempel's best of 40-7? was eight feet shy of the all-time 3A mark recorded by North Valley's Christy Ward in 1988. Four of the top eight 4A girls discus marks belong to SOC throwers. Roseburg's Tonia Roth (148-0, 1992) and Windy Dean (146-11, 1994) are four and six on the list. Former Crater throwers Debbie Tally (146-3, 1980) and Shawnti Moore (146-1, 1994) are seven and eight. Last year's 4A javelin duel between South Eugene's Katy Polansky and Newberg's Sarah Malone was the best ever among the state's girls. Polansky's 174-2 ranked second nationally. Malone had a best of 171-0. The previous best combo was in 1981 when David Douglas? Julie Waage (164-9) and Medford's Julie Vobara (163-2) locked horns. Kitsy Hall's 1976 3A standard of 165-5 still stands. The latest challenge to fall short was by The Dalles? Lindsey Johnson, who threw 157-9 last year — fourth on the all-time list. Gravity has strengthened its grip in the past 10 years. Only once since Laurel Roberts of Oregon City cleared 5-foot-11 in 1988 has a Class 4A girl encroached on the top-10. The most recent addition was Nancy Rissmiller of Tigard, who topped 5-8? in 1994. The Class 3A mark of 6-0 by Joni Huntley of Sheridan was set in 1974. Shari Collins also topped 6-0 in 1981 and 1982. Amo Olson of Douglas was the only serious challenger to the 3A record by clearing 5-10? in 1990. The best 2A high jumper of the 1990s was Miranda Brownson of Yoncalla, who went 5-8 in 1999. Kim Holliday of Grant Union set a Class 3A record of 38-4 in the triple jump last year. She graduated holding the freshman, junior and senior records as well. The 1992 sophomore mark of 37-9? still belongs to North Valley's Maya Carnegie. TOM WELTER SUCCEEDS outgoing Oregon School Activities Association executive director Wes Ediger in July. The executive board made the announcement Monday. Welter has been assistant executive director for the past six years, interpreting rules, dealing with eligibility appeals and coordinating state championship events. Ediger sounded an ominous note regarding the future of the state's 16-team basketball tournaments when he addressed the organization's delegate assembly Monday. The Class 4A boys tournament held in Portland since 1966. Ediger noted that Oregon is one of the few states with five-day tournaments and a consolation bracket. He said tournament games hosted by schools would generate more income than morning and afternoon games played at a single site. The delegate assembly amended its constitution, requiring schools to forfeit contests when they're coach is not certified. The rule takes effect next fall.