By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

STAYTON, Ore.–  Regis Cameron Diacetis has the look like he’s entering the peak of his powers in the shot put in his final Regis Twilight Meet where he picked up his sixth win in the event this season.  All while PR-ing in the event with a throw of 46-feet-four-inches Friday afternoon with the 2A District Meet coming up next week in Mount Angel.

“I’m glad actually.  I think I’m number-one in the shot put right now…I’m really glad this year because last year was a weird year and this year, the weather has been really bad, but it’s been a fun year,” Diacetis describes his season to this point.  “It’ll be a big week (upcoming) for sure in shot put and Disc(us).  Hopefully I’ll do well in Discus today with the wind, with the weather today it’ll be tough.”

Diacetis would finish third in the Discus, throwing into a gusty wind that had made the last Invitational of the year before Districts and State feel like more of a wind tunnel ride you see at the fair.  Constantly blowing, stronger at times compared to others, that made it difficult to just throw, jumps and pace in.

But nonetheless, the athletes went out and put their best foot forward to see where they’re at and how they can improve entering their last guaranteed week of practice before Track and Field’s postseason.

“It’ll help me adjust to everything.   I didn’t think I did best…I feel like I wasn’t powerful and do better in practice, probably more power and more lean,” Salem Academy’s Abby Halladay said following her 100-meter hurdles.

Halladay was second in the 100-meter hurdles, third in the 300-meter hurdles and helped the Crusader 4×100 meter relay team finish first in the meet with a time of 53.07.

Stayton’s Haley  Buthenschoen   and Maddy Mitzel both PR’d in the 1,500-meter race as they finished second and third respectively behind East Linn Christian’s Daisy Lalonde.  Lalonde won the event in 5:01.49,  Buthenschoen   was at 5:03.23 and Mitzel at 5:09.43.  Butchenschoen was hanging close with Lalonde, but the head-wind they all were facing in the finall 100-meters of every lap caught the 4A Eagles runner from surpassing the 2A Eagles runner in the race.

“Honestly, I died there at the end because of the wind.  But the first three laps I was good, at the end I was so tight I couldn’t run any faster,” Buthenschoen said with a smile.  “I just got to make sure I keep myself healthy (entering Districts) and not getting injured right before Districts.”

Stayton will be at Sweet Home High School for the Oregon West Conference Meet.  Salem Academy and Regis are both at Kennedy.

In terms of PR’s, the Sheridan 4×100 meter relay too PR’d in a stacked first and fastest heat of the meet as the Spartans finished third in the heat going into their District Meet also at Kennedy High School

“There’s a lot of great athletes out here and us finishing third-olace (in our heat) and all within a second of each other is a great accomplishment .  We’re starting off good and I can’t wait,”  Sheridan’s Caden VanScoyk said.

The senior Spartan also finished sixth in the Long Jump, helped Sheridan finish eighth in the 4×400 meter relay and was 11th in the 200-meters.  Teammate Jon Crawford was second in the 200-meter and third in the 100-meter dashes.

Stayton’s Travis King (200-meter), Alissa Humprehys (200-meter, 300-meter hurdles), Brendan Del Grande (3,000-meters) brought home first place in their respective events. Regis’ Whitley Stapp (High Jump), Salem Academy’s Posi Olofin (Triple Jump) and the Crusaders Chase Brown (Triple Jump), Delphian’s Portia Binford (100-meter) and Zahar Rotman (100-meter) too brought home first-place in their events.

Gervais’ Izzy Boyd (Triple Jump), Regis’ Aidan Kiacius (Pole Vault), the Rams Stapp (Long Jump), Salem Academy’s Brown (High Jump), the Cougars Olivia Boyd (High Jump), the Crusaders Annabelle Brawley (Javelin), Salem Academy’s Caleb McGraw (Discus and Shot Put) finished second. Delphian’s Girls 4×100 meter relay, Binford (300-meter hurdles), Stayton’s Hope Bridge (800-meter race), Crosshill Christian’s Jacques Armstrong (400-meter race) and Delphian’s Taeyah Saechao (200-meter dash) all finished second in their events as well.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald