Cheesemakers and Bobcats compete at state track meet

Athletes from Tillamook and Nestucca High Schools traveled to Eugene’s Hayward Field to compete in the OSAA Track & Field State Championships from May 16-18.

Three Nestucca athletes, Kyla Hurliman, Makayla Webber and Micah Rigg, and Tillamook Seniors Shayla Hillstrom and Juan Gomez all earned podium finishes to lead their teams at the meet.

Webber, competing in the 2A meet, finished in the top three in two events, taking second in the pole vault, clearing a bar at 9 feet 5 ¼ inches, and third in the triple jump, with a mark of 34 feet 2 inches.

Hurliman finished second in the state in the shotput with a throw of 34 feet 9 ¾ inches and finished in fifth in the discus competition with a throw of 100 feet 11 inches.

Rigg placed in two events, coming third in the 1,500 meters with a time of 5:03.50 and sixth in the 800 meters at 2:28.15.

Nestucca also had two boys place in events, with Jonah Higdon finishing fifth in the 1,500-meter race with a time of 4:19.30 and sixth in the 800-meter at 2:05.32, while Draven Marsh finished eighth in the pole vault competition clearing a bar at 11 feet 1 ¾ inches.

Hillstrom capped a successful high school career at the 4A competition, qualifying for both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, a feat which she managed in three consecutive seasons.

Hillstrom made the finals in both events, earning a fourth-place finish with a personal best time of 16.20 seconds in the 100-meter race, and a sixth-place finish with a 47.62 second race in the 300-meter event. This marked Hillstrom’s third podium appearance in the 100-meter event.

“What a hard-working athlete Shayla is. She does it the right way. She never misses a day, she trains with a purpose, buys into her workout plan and then stays late to get all of her hurdle work in,” said Tillamook Track Head Coach Kye Johnson. “I know she wanted a higher finish in the 300 at state but we are all so proud of her. She’s been a great teammate and a tone-setter for our team.”

Avery Reeder finished in sixth place in the women’s high jump for the Mooks, clearing 4 feet 11 ¾ inches, and Riley Huerta, a freshman, took eighth in discus with a personal best throw of 103 feet 3 inches.

On the boys’ side, Juan Gomez finished fourth in the 800-meter race with a time of 2:00.16 and Noel Guttierez came in eighth in discus with a personal best throw of 138 feet and 1 inch.