With the track and field regular season winding down, Tualatin Head Coach Hashim Hall said he’s pleased with where both his teams are heading into districts and states.
Last year, the girls team won the state title, and the boys finished 11th in the state meet out of 39 teams competing.
One thing Hall wants is for the younger or less experienced athletes is to look to their teammates, which he thinks can help propel them forward.
“Kids are focused inward. We as a staff have to point out what some other kids are doing,” he said. “Look how hard they’re working. Look how they approach their workouts. Look how the conversation is between events. Look how they warmup and prepare. Then they state noticing.”
Lucky for Hall, he has a bunch of athletes on the team he wants to be examples for their younger teamers, such as senior Lauren Ayers, who won the state title in the 3000 meter last year, and finished second in the 1500 meter and second as part of the 4×400 relay team.
“She is our leader,” Hall said. “She’s hardworking and super talented, kind, and a great teammate.”
Another senior Hall shouted out was Ethan Grimm, who finished third at the state meet last year in the javelin with a throw of 174-feet, 11.5-inches He has surpassed that distance at every event this spring, and on April 3, he set a school record in the event with a throw of 193-feet, 6-inches at a dual meet in Oregon City.
He beat his own record nearly a week later with a throw of 196-feet, 8-inches in a dual meet against Lakeridge. It’s listed as the longest throw by any high school athlete in the state and one of the top 15 throws nationally this season, according to AthleticNET, an online database that keeps track and field results.
Hall said Ayers and Grimm are two Timberwolves the coaches try to point out to the younger athletes.
“Of course, they know that Lauren is special and they know Ethan is special,” he said. “I like to think that from the surface level they are seeking out that, but if they don’t, we try to push them into that direction.”
One welcome sight for Hall and the rest of the team at their April 23 meet against Tigard was the return of Elizabeth Graham. The senior had been dealing with a hip issue, Hall said, and the Tigard meet was the first time she was able to participate in all her events this season.
“They were not (personal records) for her because she’s just coming back but it’s important to have her because of how important she is for the states,” Hall said. “Our states are better when she’s a part of it.”
Last year at the state meet, Graham finished second in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump. This year, she competes in those events and on the 4×100 relay team.
Another member of that relay team is senior Kyra Bakke, who Hall said he’s counting on if the girls are to repeat as state champs. Last year, Bakke finished third in the state in the high jump. She also competes for the Timberwolves in long jump and triple jump.
Senior Alyssa Aune finished sixth in the state meet last year in the discus with a throw of 113-feet, 3.5-inches. Her best throw this season so far was 129-feet, 1-inch, which is the fifth-best in the state this season.
On the boys side, Hall said junior Vincent Sadighi is having an impressive season.
“He was a 100, 200 guy and now he’s running pretty good at the 400,” Hall said. “Because of that, we have two relays that have talent. The four-by-four has shown more of that this year.”
Hall said freshman Cole Hachmeister has earned a lot of opportunities in his first year with varsity.
“He’s very important to our 4×100,” Hall said. “He might even be on the 4×400 because he’s been working so hard. He’s the fastest freshman we’ve had at our school.”
On the field event side of things, Hall said senior Tyler Craft will be key to the team in the state meet. Last year, Craft finished third in state in the triple jump.
Hall also praised senior Cameron LaGrow, who had his season-best discus throw of 111-feet, 10-inches last year at the district meet. He has surpassed that distance by at least 10 feet in every meet this season, which his personal best throw of 146-feet, 10-inches coming earlier this season.