Track and field shines at NWAACCs

The Saints track and field team emptied the gas tank one last time, and Mt. Hood athletes finished the season with their heads held high after a noteworthy performance in the NWAACC championship meet, held on Monday and Tuesday.

After two fierce days of competition in Spokane, the women’s team finished in fourth place, with 115 points, just 15 points short of third-place Clackamas Community College. The men’s team finished in seventh position with 36 points, falling just short of sixth place, by only six points.

“The NWAACC Championships is the meet every athlete wants to peak (at) as far as their performances. (We) did that at both the Southern Regional Championships as well at the NWAACC Championships,” said Mt. Hood head coach Doug Bowman.

Once again, sophomore McKenzie Warren swept the throws, just like she has been doing for most of the season. She took home three titles as she finished first in the shot put (13.29 meters), discus (43.73 meters) and hammer (46.57 meters). She won the “Field Athlete of the Meet” award and left no question on why she deserved it, as she earned 30 points for MHCC.

Three Saints finished in decent positions in the 200-meter dash, as sophomore Caitlyn Safley ran for fifth place (26.22 seconds), freshman Marley Yates came in seventh (26.51) and sophomore Kristi Kachel came right behind, in eighth place (27.39).

Safley finished second in the 400-meter run (57.90), while freshman Shanice Lakes came in third (58.01).

Long-distance runners also made their appearance in the scoring sheet. Freshman Emily Trosino placed eighth in the 5,000-meter run (19.49.06), while freshman Kim Smith ran for eighth place in the 10,000-meters (46.48.14).

Freshman Courtney Andre had a memorable meet, finishing fourth in both the 100-meter high hurdles (15.31) and the 400-meter high hurdles (64.36).

Andre also joined Safley, Kachel and Yates in the 4 x 100-meter (48.73 seconds) and Safley, Lakes and Yates in the 4 x 400-meter relay (4:04:37), helping Mt. Hood earn fourth place in each.

In other field events, Yates leaped for third in the high jump (1.68 meters), while her teammates, freshman Xayna Robinson (1.63 meters) and sophomore Carrie Haguewood (1.53 meters), finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Robinson also finished sixth in the triple jump (10.79 meters), while Lakes barely outjumped her for fifth (11.01 meters).

Lakes also threw for 11th place in the shot put (10.87 meters).

Sophomore Lihau Perreira had a personal best in the javelin, as she threw for 39.28 meters, finishing fifth. Another sophomore, Megan Nelson, finished in eighth with 38.22 meters, while freshman Rachael Woodcock finished 12th, with 32.48 meters.

“Overall the MHCC women were great and I, as well as the coaching staff, are very proud of them,” said Bowman.

The men’s team also saw several strong performers give it their all one last time, which translated to good results.

The top point-getter for the Saints men was freshman Tyler Jackson, who had a big meet, finishing second in the shot put with a personal best throw of 14.4 meters. He recorded another personal record in the discus, at 43.99 meters, finishing in fourth place.

Long distance runner freshman Brandon Raleigh had a good meet as he finished fifth in the 1,500-meters (4.06.71), and 11th in the 5,000-meter run (16.30.89).

In the 4 x 100 meter relay, the Saints earned the sixth position (44.16) and they came in seventh in the 4 x 400 meter relay (3.29.54).

Freshman Josh Visan jumped for seventh place in the pole vault with 4.02 meters and also threw for 11th in the javelin, with 49.82 meters.

Sophomore Justin Schlaht earned seventh place in the hammer throw (42.29 meters) and seventh in the javelin (54.91 meters).

Bowman said he was happy with the Saints’ showing in Spokane.

“This championship meet is the ending of a year’s hard work, and it showed,” said Bowman, eager to recruit more athletes to wear the red and black next season. “MHCC track and field (has) great athletes who want to not only improve their performances, but also want (to), and have, represented Mt. Hood and our community well.”

He also thanked parents, spectators, friends and MHCC students “for supporting these outstanding athletes” throughout the season.