PHOTOS BY LON FRENCH
Junior javelin hurler Mad Scott joined senior runners Gabe Arce-Torres and Preston Nightingale with winning efforts Thursday to lead the Taft High boys to the Sheridan West Valley League track and field championship.
Scott won the javelin with a throw of 151 feet, while sprinter Arce-Torres won the 200- and 400-meter dashes, and distance specialist Nightingale captured the 3,000-meter run.
The Class 3A Tigers, who will compete May 11-12 in the West Valley League Championships in Dayton, outdistanced Class 4A Yamhill-Carlton 139.25-106 for the boys’ title.
The Taft girls, who were led by sophomore Ella Knott’s victory in the javelin, finished fifth behind winner Southwest Christian.
“I’m thrilled with how competitive our group has been all season, and thankful for the many hours the coaching staff has worked with the kids,” said Taft Coach Joey Arce-Torres, who also credited Athletic Director Bart Rothenberger for the success of the school’s spring sports programs. “I’m overwhelmed by the dedication the athletes have shown.”
Sophomore Kaden Wright finished second for the boys in the 100-meter dash, while Nightingale was runner-up despite a personal-record time in the 1,500.
Junior Micah McLeish was second behind Nightingale in the 3,000, freshman JJ French tied for second in the pole vault, and sophomore Elin Fitch was second with a personal-best leap in the triple jump.
Also posting PRs for the boys were junior Joram Hoff and freshman Ethan Price (3,000); sophomore Tristin Beach and senior Hunter Riggs (discus); junior David Jin (110 hurdles); junior Jacob Moyoral (300 hurdles); junior Logan Mclendon (javelin); freshman Chris Gomez (high jump); and freshman Oscar Rodriguez-Meza (triple jump).
Knott was third in the 400 and senior Noelani Napoleon third in the discus, both with personal-best efforts.
Junior Savannah Russo, who PR’d in the 400, was third in the javelin.
Sophomore Autumn Ellis (3,000), junior Maleah Smith (shot put), sophomore Alexia Almaraz (discus) and sophomore Mya Cooper (javelin) also had career-best performances.
Team Results
| Boys | ||
| 1. | Taft | 139.25 |
| 2. | Yamhill-Carlton | 108 |
| 3. | Southwest Christian | 98 |
| 4. | Delphian | 86.25 |
| 5. | Sheridan | 71.5 |
| 6. | Santiam Christian | 52.5 |
| 7. | Colton | 42.5 |
| 8. | Falls City | 34 |
| 9. | Grandview Christian … | 15 |
| 10. | Perrydale | 6 |
| Girls | ||
| 1. | Southwest Christian | 128 |
| 2. | Yamhill-Carlton | 123 |
| 3. | Perrydale | 81 |
| 4. | Santiam Christian | 73 |
| 5. | Taft | 72.5 |
| 6. | Sheridan | 45 |
| 7. | Falls City | 43.5 |
| 8. | Colton | 29 |
| 9. | Delphian | 12 |
| 10. | Grandview Christian … | 3 |
CVL 6th Grade District Championships
Also on Thursday, Taft’s Talyn Biddle and Miranda Hankins swept the boys and girls discus events at the Coast Valley League’s 6th Grade District Championships in Dayton.
Biddle also won the shot put and was third in the javelin to help the Taft boys finish third behind winner Yamhill-Carlton. The girls, with Hankins finishing second in the javelin, placed sixth behind champion Dayton.
Zayden Parsons, Caden Brown, Enrique Islas Jr. and Erick Moreno-Zamorano took first place in the 4×400 relay for the boys.
Islas Jr. placed third in the 200 meters, while Moreno-Zamorano was third in the 800.
Team results
Boys
| 1. | Yamhill Carlton | 102 |
| 2. | Willamina | 77 |
| 3. | Taft | 65 |
| 4. | Amity | 62 |
| 5. | Faulconer-Chapman | 40 |
| 5. | Delphian | 40 |
| 7. | Dayton | 31 |
| 8. | Nestucca Valley | 14 |
| 9. | Gaston | 6 |
Girls
| 1. | Dayton | 142.5 |
| 2. | Nestucca Valley | 93 |
| 3. | Amity | 44 |
| 4. | Yamhill Carlton | 41.5 |
| 5. | Faulconer-Chapman | 32 |
| 6. | Taft | 25 |
| 7. | Gaston | 22 |
| 8. | Delphian | 7 |
Faulconer-Chapman middle school meet
On Tuesday, Taft placed third behind Amity in the boys competition and fourth behind the Warriors in the girls at the Coast Valley League Faulconer-Chapman middle school meet in Sheridan,
Brayan Mateo won the boys 200-meter dash and Jayden Howland the 800-meter run.
Eston Whisler, Mario Frias Cortes, Howland and Mateo teamed to win the 4×400-meter relay.
Mateo was second in the 100, Austin Winters was second in the 1,500 and Kaden Hindman was second in the javelin.
Gavin Koceja (400), MaKaden Melton 100 hurdles) and Hindman (high jump) posted third-place finishes.
On the girls side, Jaelyn Olmeda was second in the 400 and KayDince Beach second in the javelin,
Olmeda, Jayden Baker, Ada Huynh and Nicole Reyes placed second in the 4×400 relay.
The Tigers will host the Coast Valley League’s 7th/8th Grade District Championships on Monday, May, 7, at Voris Field.
Team Results
Boys
| 1. | Amity | 126 |
| 2. | Faulconer-Chapman | 113 |
| 3. | Taft | 103 |
| 4. | Nestucca Valley | 92 |
| 5. | Delphian | 43 |
Girls
| 1. | Amity | 155 |
| 2. | Faulconer-Chapman | 137.5 |
| 3. | Nestucca Valley | 78.5 |
| 4. | Taft | 67.5 |
| 5. | Delphian | 42.5 |
Taft High schedule
Taft middle school schedule
Class 3A teams and leagues
