By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

STAYTON, Ore.–  Hope Bridge cracked the five-minute mark in the 1,500-meter race at the Regis Community Twilight Meet Friday afternoon.  Finishing the event in 4:56.62, a PR, and pulling away from Elmira’s Alyssa Johnson to close out the final lap of the heat they were in.

“I was kind of slowing down, I wasn’t really going at my pace.  I really wanted to break five (minutes) and it really helped motivation wise to know that someone was their behind me.  It really pushed me to kick it on in the last one,” Bridge said of the last lap.  “This year is definitely a better comeback than sophomore and junior year, it’s what I’ve been excited about that.”

Bridge describes this year’s success as being in a better mental space than she has been as the senior Eagle distance runner has already signed to run at George Fox University this next year.

“I thought I would never run in college, it’s a dream come true.  I’m really excited  and it really motivated me to keep working harder to do my best when I get to that level,” Bridge describes.  “Working together with my teammates and pushing each other is part of why I am so good .  My teammate Haley (Butenschoen), she’s been a really good help with pushing me to getting better and to where we should be.”

Butenschoen won the 800-meter race and Evelyn Welch won the 300-meter hurdles with a 48.38 PR.  Alexie Nussbaumer was fifth in the discus.  Molly Schotthoefer was tied for third in the High Jump.