EUGENE — Coquille had a trio of state champions Thursday as the Red Devils started their quest for a third straight team title at the Class 3A state meet at Hayward Field.
Callie Millet, Holli Vigue and Melanie Lambson all won events and the Red Devils picked up a few other points along the way to take the first-day team lead.
Millet, competing six days after injuring her foot at the district meet, had the three biggest throws of the javelin competition before passing on her final two to save her foot for her other two events. Her winning throw of 125 feet, 10 inches, came on her first attempt in the finals, but she led the entire way after throwing 121-1 on her first try with only a short approach on the runway.
It was her second straight title in the event.
“I was hoping to PR, but with my foot the way it was, that wasn’t realistic,” said Millet, who had a season best of 135-7.
She came back to place sixth in the discus and will compete in the pole vault on Friday, with every attempt likely to be painful, and she is unlikely to match her season best of 10-6 which is second best behind teammate Reagan Krantz.
“I’m really hoping we can take home the state title again,” she said. “I’m doing what I can for the team.”
Vigue had a poor showing in the javelin, finishing 10th and missing the final with a best of 97-3.
She made up for it in the discus, re-setting her own school record with a toss of 131-4 on her third attempt.
“I hate to lose,” Vigue said, adding that her aggression from the javelin gave her more incentive in the discus. She won the same event last year after a disappointing district meet where she failed to qualify for state in the shot put (she enters as the No. 2 seed in that event Friday).
All six of Vigue’s throws were better than the second-place finisher’s best mark.
“I’m really happy (with the discus),” she said. “If just want to make (coach Brandon) Bowen and my dad proud.”
Millet, meanwhile, placed sixth with a throw of 100-9, giving the Red Devils 13 points in the event.
Vigue said having both teammates on the podium together was great.
“It’s so cool,” she said. “It’s nice to be with your teammate.”
Lambson was far from her best in her best event, the long jump, scratching on four of her six attempts.
But her jump of 16-10 in the fifth round was good enough to pass Catlin Gabel’s Caroline Mauro and give the Red Devils their third title.
“I was hoping for a PR, but I like first place better,” said Lambson, adding that she was a little nervous with her scratches. The big jump that put her in the lead was a relief.
“I’m just so excited,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to win.”
Mauro came in as the top seed, and her teammate Ella Bulkley was third as Catlin Gabel kept the pressure on Coquille in the team race. The Eagles also got big points in the high jump, but Coquille also scored in the event.
Mauro cleared 5-7 ¾ to win the high jump and teammate Abby Greenspan was second (5-2 ¼) for 18 points for Catlin Gabel.
Coquille’s Emelia Wirebaugh was part of a four-way tie for fifth place at 4-8 ¾, and the 2.5 points along with Coquille’s scoring in the other events gave the Red Devils 35.5 points. Catlin Gabel had 32 and qualified well in several running events.
In the only running final of the day, Coquille’s Bryleigh Mead was one place from scoring in the 3,000, finishing ninth in 11:53.51.
Coquille’s only girl in a running preliminary, Ada Millet, had the fastest qualifying time in the 300 hurdles.
Coquille’s only boy in action Friday, shot putter Jerico Jones, made the final but placed ninth with a throw of 41-5 ¾.
Siuslaw, seeking a second straight boys title had a big day with multiple placers in a couple of events.
In the long jump, Kale Jensen was second (21-0 ¾) and Will Johnson fourth (20-9 ¼).
And in the pole vault, Justin Allen was fourth, Dylan Jensen fifth and Will Johnson sixth, all clearing 12-7 ¼. Maximus Reynolds was sixth in the shot put (42-11).
Siuslaw’s girls had a pair of placers. Jane Lacouture was fifth in the javelin (109-3) and Allison Hughes was seventh in the 3,000 (11:28.07).
Local News
Comments / 0