By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

STAYTON, Ore.–  This will be a good preview for what could be to come at the District Meet between Salem Academy’s Celia James and Santiam’s Averie Peterson in the 400-meter race Friday afternoon in the Regis Community Twilight Meet.

James slipped out of the blocks at the starting gun, but quickly recovered and finished the heat first and taking the event with a time of 1:01.24.  A PR as the sophomore is closing into the goal of cracking a minute in the event.

“It was good.  I was just focusing on my own race to be honest.  I need to get a faster start.  I got to keep a fast speed down the stretch and give it all I got,” James said.

James won the event as a freshman last Spring and is in prime position to defend her Title at Districts and State this year, winning both the District and State Titles in the 400 last year.  An experience that helped her going into those year.

“I’m just trying to PR in every event, every race and I feel like I’m on a track to break a minute and that’s my goal this year,” James said.  “I’m just hoping to do well.”

James also finished third in the 200-meter dash.    

Coming off a State Runner-Up appearance in the shot put as a sophomore, junior Caleb McGraw found himself in the finals with teammate Aden Dardis, who finished seventh at the shot put as a junior, as the two look to return to the State Meet once more this Spring.

“It’s really nice.  It’s like having a brother.  Just helping you with it,” McGraw said.  “Just get better technique, hopefully the weather will be nice.  Weather really affects it.”

The McGraw-Dardis duo went fourth and eighth in the discus.

Brady Brownell was eighth in the 400-meter race.  Chase Sullivan was fifth in the 1,500-meter race.  Ella Grubbs was eighth in the 300-meter Hurdles.  The 4×100 meter Girls relay team of Riley Tillery, Chase Sullivan, Lynia Jones and Celia James finished third.  The same relay team won the 4×400 meter relay.  Malena Robnett finished third in the Shot Put.  Emma Brewer was tied for third in the High Jump, Maddie Robertson was seventh in the event.  Brewer and Grubbs went six-seven in the Triple Jump.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald