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Driskell injury puts damper on North effort By KRIS HENRY In what should have been a day of rejoicing, the North Medford trumpets were muffled following a freak accident Saturday at the 36th annual Yreka Lions Track & Field Invitational. The Black Tornado boys dominated the 16-team field to finish first and the girls team posted a strong outing in finishing second. But the combined efforts lost a bit of their luster when North senior Simon Driskell caught his spikes on the Yreka track and crumpled to the ground with a broken tibia and fibula following his blistering win in the 400 meters. Driskell's injury occurred on his first step over the finish line in what was his best -- and unfortunately last -- race for the Black Tornado. "It was definitely a bittersweet day," said North Medford coach Mark Hodges. "We lost a big guy today. I would trade it all to have that kid back. "He was just now beginning to develop as a sprinter. He had been a middle distance runner before, and we converted him into being a sprinter. He was just coming into his own." Driskell posted his second win over teammate Nick Dunn in taking the 400, with both runners breaking the 50-second mark. Driskell won in a time of 49.56, with Dunn second at 49.59. Tony Smith of Rogue River was third (50.26). Even with the shocking conclusion to his best race, Hodges said Driskell was surprisingly composed. "I have a lot of respect for him," the first-year coach said. "He handled it very bravely. There was no yelling or crying. He just asked me his time, and I told him his time, and then he just reached out his hand and said, `Thank you."' Driskell was taken to a local hospital in Yreka and then transferred to Providence-Medford Medical Center. He had a pin and screws nailed into his left leg Saturday evening. Hodges said Driskell will be able to run with the pin still in his leg within a year, but the pin is scheduled to be removed in about a year. Dunn regrouped from the jarring injury to his teammate and won the 300 hurdles in a time of 40.81. "Nick really bounced back and ran a great race in the 300 hurdles," said Hodges. "He was very aggressive and didn't back down after Simon's injury. He was incredible. There's a lot of heart there." Scott Myers posted two strong efforts in winning the shot put (54-3) and discus (156-8) for North, while Perry Custance of South Medford cruised to a win in the 800 (1:57.08). The Panthers finished second to North in the boys standings, and third in the girls standings. North's girls short relay team set a meet record as Keri Cain, Emily Dunn, Jamie MacLauchlan and Jennifer Abbott teamed to post a 49.95 mark. Shaking off a hamstring injury, Abbott also won the 100 (12.45) and 200 (26.24). North swept the top three spots in the 100, with Emily Dunn second at 12.75 and Cain third at 12.76. Rogue River's Sarah Zempel won the discus (118-10) and shot put (38-7), while South Medford's Sarah Eyman continued her strong work in winning the 800 (2:21.66) and 1,600 (5:20.86). BOYS TEAM SCORES -- 1, North Medford, 104.5; 2, South Medford, 77; 3, Yreka, 64; 4, Rogue River, 35; 5, Central Valley, 34; 6, Lakeview, 32; 7, (tie) Lost River and Fortuna, 25; 9, Lassen, 24; 10, Henley, 22; 11, Mazama, 20; 12, Red Bluff, 19.5; 13, Eagle Point, 8; 14, St. Mary's, 4; 15, Phoenix, 2; 16, Etna, 0. SHOT PUT -- 1, Scott Myers, NM, 54-3; 2, Cameron Gallop, SM, 49-1; 3, Potter, Y, 48-11; 4, Seth Jeynes, M, 48-1; 5, Mendenhall, RB, 45-5; 6, Justin Baehmann, NM, 44-8. DISCUS -- 1, Scott Myers, NM, 156-8; 2, Zamora, L, 3, Justin Baehmann, NM, 128-10; 4, Dan Johnson, NM, 122-5; 5, Vezerian, Y, 120-8; 6, Mendenhall, RB, 118-3. HIGH JUMP -- 1, Loftus, Y, 6-6; 2, Colin Grant, SM, 6-4; 3, Denbrook, Lake, 6-2; 4, Ethan Wallenberg, SM, 6-2; 5, (tie) John Bracken, NM, and Lalaguas, RB, 6-0. LONG JUMP -- 1, Strubel, Lake, 20-10; 2, Masson, Y, 20-3; 3, Drumm, CV, 20-0; 4, Krieger, H, 19-9; 5, Matt Griffith, SM, 19-7; 6, Moore, Y, 19-5. TRIPLE JUMP -- 1, Strubel, Lake, 45-5; 2, Drumm, CV, 41-11; 3, Ethan Wallenberg, SM, 40-6; 4, Matt Griffith, SM, 40-3; 5, Bryon Monical, P, 40-3; 6, Moore, Y, 40-2. POLE VAULT -- 1, John Bracken, NM, 12-0; 2, North, H, 12-0; 3, Matt Downey, NM, 12-0; 4, Kehr, H, 11-0; 5, Steve Hammond, EP, 10-6; 6, (tie) Coleman, F, and Callihan, F, 10-6. 110-METER HURDLES -- 1, Carter, LR, 15.87; 2, Jeff Jentzsch, RR, 16.13; 3, Rajunus, LR, 16.60; 4, North, H, 17.24; 5, Sparks, M, 17.77; 6, Jones, Y, 18.00. 300-METER HURDLES -- 1, Nick Dunn, NM, 40.81; 2, Carter, LR, 42.95; 3, Kirk Roberts, EP, 42.96; 4, Chris Vorgang, NM, 43.65; 5, Platner, RB, 44.16; 6, Tony Roberts, RR, 44.30. 100 METERS -- 1, Trammell, M, 10.81; 2, Holman, F, 11.17; 3, Falkowski, L, 11.30; 4, Justin Baldoni, SM, 11.35; 5, Masson, Y, 11.36; 6, Lalagura, RB, 11.37. 200 METERS -- 1, Tony Smith, RR, 22.59; 2, Osuji, RB, 23.01; 3, Strubel, Lake, 23.21; 4, Eng, Y, 23.44; 5, Oliviera, F, 23.49; 6, Andres Reed, SM, 23.76. 400 METERS -- 1, Simon Driskell, NM, 49.56; 2, Nick Dunn, NM, 49.59; 3, Tony Smith, RR, 50.26; 4, Osuji, RB, 51.00; 5, Embury, Y, 52.43; 6, Hood, Y, 53.00. 800 METERS -- 1, Perry Custance, SM, 1:57.08; 2, Shaun Olson, SM, 2:01.95; 3, Pohlmeyer, CV, 2:03.70; 4, Nick Niemeyer, NM, 2:06.3; 5, Coppi, Y, 2:06.74; 6, Ben Anderson, NM, 2:06.88. 1,600 METERS -- 1, Svilich, Y, 4:37.77; 2, Nick Niemeyer, NM, 4:39.52; 3, Pohlmeyer, CV, 4:41.98; 4, Joel Sullivan, SM, 4:48.58; 5, Nathan Love, RR, 4:51.56; 6, Harper, H, 4:55.56. 3,200 METERS -- 1, McCloud, L, 9:41.07; 2, Springhorn, CV, 9:53.31; 3, Warren Clarida, RR, 9:57.70; 4, Trevor Coolidge, StM, 9:58.86; 5, Alando Pacas, SM, 10:26.70; 6, Kedrick Charlton, NM, 10:37.55. 4X100 RELAY -- 1, Fortuna, 43.70; 2, Yreka, 44.26; 3, South Medford, 44.74; 4, Mazama, 44.90; 5, North Medford, 45.30; 6, Henley, 45.90. 4X400 RELAY -- 1, South Medford, 3:31.58; 2, North Medford, 3:31.94; 3, Yreka, 3:32.40; 4, Fortuna, 3:33.56; 5, Rogue River, 3:37.89; 6, Lost River, 3:41.61. GIRLS TEAM SCORES -- 1, Henley, 134; 2, North Medford, 90; 3, South Medford, 67; 4, Rogue River, 66; 5, Yreka, 47; 6, Eagle Point, 19; 7, Phoenix, 18; 8, Red Bluff, 13; 9, Lassen, 11; 10, Fortuna, 9; 11, Central Valley, 8; 12, (tie) Lakeview and Etna, 5; 14, St. Mary's, 4; 15, (tie) Mazama and Lost River, 0. SHOT PUT -- 1, Sarah Zempel, RR, 38-7; 2, A. Meyers, H, 35-6; 3, Alisa Lee, EP, 33-8; 4, M. Rose, RR, 33-1; 5, N. McGowan, L, 32-9; 6, P. McFarland, Lake, 32-7. DISCUS -- 1, Sarah Zempel, RR, 118-10; 2, N. McGowan, L, 111-9; 3, Kerby Boschee, NM, 105-4; 4, K. Richardson, Y, 102-1; 5, Ariel Seimans, RR, 100-3; 6, L. Thede, H, 97-4. HIGH JUMP -- 1, H. Radke, H, 5-2; 2, A. Baker, RB, 5-0; 3, Misty Bernhardt, EP, 5-0; 4, M. Paulison, RB, 5-0; 5, Teri Sylva, SM, 4-10; 6, N. Nash, E, 4-10. LONG JUMP -- 1, H. Radke, H, 15-5; 2, Jennifer Bones, P, 15-2; 3, Kendra Mitchell, NM, 14-11; 4, Whitney Grant, SM, 14-9; 5, J. Bugbee, F, 14-8; 6, Teri Sylva, SM, 14-7. TRIPLE JUMP -- 1, Jennifer Bones, P, 33-1; 2, H. Radke, H, 32-5; 3, Emily Dunn, NM, 32-4; 4, Misty Bernhardt, EP, 32-0; 5, Kristen Zielony, StM, 31-6; 6, M. Paulson, RB, 31-0. POLE VAULT -- 1, Nakeli Maurin, NM, 8-6; 2, B. Shelton, Y, 8-6; 3, T. O'Conner, H, 8-6; 4, Aubrey Harrington, EP, 8-0; 5, Gina Alvis, SM, 7-6; 6, B. Cory, H, 7-6. 100-METER HURDLES -- 1, C. Mayer, H, 16.32; 2, Heather Frigaard, SM, 16.34; 3, T. Caldwell, H, 16.80; 4, J. McFall, Y, 17.09; 5, J. Childress, Lake, 17.29; 6, Sara Rountree, NM, 17.32. 300-METER HURDLES -- 1, Heather Frigaard, SM, 48.30; 2, T. Caldwell, H, 49.20; 3, J. Klaja, H, 49.40; 4, J. McFall, Y, 49.86; 5, Shantae Sabin, Lake, 50.68; 6, Joanna Thomson, NM, 51.63. 100 METERS -- 1, Jennifer Abbott, NM, 12.45; 2, Emily Dunn, NM, 12.75; 3, Keri Cain, NM, 12.76; 4, Tara Smith, RR, 12.78; 5, T. Mack, H, 13.16; 6, M. Funaro, Y, 13.20. 200 METERS -- 1, Jennifer Abbott, NM, 26.24; 2, Denali Tice, NM, 26.52; 3, E. Mathis, H, 27.20; 4, M. Kroetch, Y, 27.23; 5, Rachel Hinze, RR, 27.40; 6, Dani Rouhier, EP, 27.51. 400 METERS -- 1, T. Mack, H, 1:01.20; 2, J. Spicer, H, 1:01.52; 3, L. Meyer, F, 1:01.80; 4, E. Mathis, H, 1:02.42; 5, Lindsay Clarida, RR, 1:02.93; 6, Dani Rouhier, EP, 1:03.12. 800 METERS -- 1, Sarah Eyman, SM, 2:21.66; 2, C. Dawson, Y, 2:21.69; 3, Bobbi Wright, RR, 2:27.30; 4, A. Graham, H, 2:29.04; 5, L. Quinn, Y, 2:29.95; 6, D. Duffy, L, 2:30.00. 1,600 METERS -- 1, Sarah Eyman, SM, 5:20.86; 2, Selena Harmon, RR, 5:32.98; 3, B. Jertberg, H, 5:36.40; 4, Lauren Fety, RR, 5:37.56; 5, C. Whitlow, Y, 5:46.99; 6, Leah Sawyer, StM, 5:47.77. 3,200 METERS -- 1, Noi Hilgendorf, SM, 12:05.88; 2, C. Harvey, CV, 12:07.99; 3, Kelly Sullivan, SM, 12:29.90; 4, L. Boyle, H, 12:37.41; 5, C. Whitlow, Y, 12:40.35; 6, Martina Patella, StM, 13:18.03. 4X100 RELAY -- 1, North Medford, 49.95; 2, Rogue River, 51.23; 3, Henley, 51.28; 4, Yreka, 52.17; 5, South Medford, 52.41; 6, Eagle Point, 52.51. 4X400 RELAY -- 1, Henley, 4:10.62; 2, North Medford, 4:15.69; 3, Rogue River, 4:22.40; 4, Yreka, 4:22.87; 5, South Medford, 4:28.45; 6, Fortuna, 4:33.27. BONANZA INVITATIONAL -- At Klamath Falls, Jordan Ferrell won two events and finished second in two others to lead Cascade Christian to a runner-up finish in the 10-school meet at Oregon Tech. Bonanza won the boys event with 154 points, while the Challengers totalled 107. Ferrell won the high jump (6-2) and long jump (19-3) and placed in the 100 (12.24) and 200 (25.30). The Challengers went 1-2 in the 400, with Brian Prins posting a 55.79 winning time and Rick Cummings finishing second at 56.58. Prins also took third in the 200 (25.52) and sixth in the long jump (16-9). Will Vanderstoel helped Cascade's total by placing in three events. Vanderstoel was second in the javelin (133-2), fourth in the 100 (12.40) and sixth in the 200 (26.29). Brandon Armstrong had a strong showing in the discus (2nd, 114-1) and shot put (3rd, 36-). Cascade Christian finished third in the girls meet with 73 points. Henley's junior varsity won with 89 points, followed by Tulelake with 82. Cascade's only winning performance was turned in by Kelly Clarke with a 96-10 throw in the discus. Clarke added a second in the shot put (29-4), fourth in the javelin (87-9) and fourth in the high jump (4-6). Kali Warren placed in three events for the Challengers. Warren was second in the 400 (1:06.37), third in the 200 (29.70) and fifth in the long jump (13-3). Shannon Roberts and Jessica Ennis were double placers for the Challengers. Roberts registered a third in the 100 hurdles (19.03) and sixth in the 300 hurdles (54.39), while Ennis took fourth in the 800 (2:57.43) and sixth in the discus (65-3). Heidi Flood provided the Challengers a third in the 1,500 (6:02.37). Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA