Halladay leads strong field in girls mile at Jesuit

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

Programming Note: Friday night's live webcast of the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays from Portland, Ore. begins at 2:30 p.m. Pacific. WATCH LIVE | LIVE RESULTS

For a span of four years, the girls 1,500 meters was the headline race of the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays in Portland. Between 2011 and 2014, the race was won in 4:26 or better. 

It was the 2012 edition that saw Alexa Efraimson, then a freshman at Camas WA, lead eight girls under 4:30. Efraimson would go on to win three elite 1,500-meter titles, running 4:21.00 as a junior.

In 2015, the elite 1,500-meter race was replaced with a mile. While the boys had no trouble moving up in distance and running fast times, including Michael Slagowski’s historic 3:59.53 last year, the girls settled for fast-finishing races that led to exciting races, but slow times.

That could change this year. Lexy Halladay, a Mountain View ID freshman, leads the way. She ran 4:26.59 at the Oregon Relays. She also anchored her team to a win in the distance medley relay with a 4:49 1,600-meter split.

With Halladay on Friday night is Lake Stevens WA sophomore Taylor Roe. She leads Washington in the 1,600 meters (4:52.33) and the 3,200 meters (10:30.00) and is second in the 800 meters (2:12.96).

Other girls who could factor in include Olivia Brooks of Summit OR, Kelly Makin of Sunset OR and Madison Elmore of South Eugene OR. Elmore is a freshman.

The boys elite mile will likely not be the same drag race as last year when Slagowski chased his sub-four mile. Caleb Seely of Wilson OR leads the entries with a 4:12.70 seed time. However, nine athletes are seeded within four seconds of the lead, creating the potential for a great race. James Mwaura of Lincoln WA is the WA#1 runner in the 1,600 meters.

The boys elite 100 meters could also prove to be a close race. It features the top-two athletes from both Oregon and Washington. Anthony Albright of Beaverton OR leads the way with a 10.61 seed time. Braden Lenzy of Tigard OR has run 10.62 this season while Rocky Mountain ID athletes Austin Lane and Carter Kuehl have run 10.64 and 10.71, respectively.

Not to be outdone, the girls elite 100 meters features an Oregon and Washington battle. Grants Pass OR senior Deshae Wise will face off against Tahoma WA sophomore Aliya Wilson. Wise holds the OR#1 time of 11.79 while Wilson holds the WA#1 time of 11.86.

Also on the track, Dai’lyn and Jai’lyn Merriweather will compete in the 100 meters as well as the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays. The senior twins, headed for the University of Maryland in the fall, made a big splash two weeks ago at the Oregon Relays with meet record wins.

On the field, the jumps could prove to be just as hot as the races on the track. Wilson’s sister, Alisha leads both the long and triple jump fields with season bests of 19-1 and 39-4.25, respectively. She will be challenged by Judith Baxter Game, of Grant OR, who has season bests of 18-10 for the long jump and 37-10.75 for the triple jump. Camille Weaver of Summit OR could also figure into the triple jump with an identical best as Baxter Game.

The boys triple jump could see a new meet record. Newberg OR senior Taylor Howard has jumped 47-6 this season, a foot better than the meet record.

Walla Walla WA senior Mitchell Jacobson enters the meet with a high jump best of 6-10. If he is able to match that on Friday, he will break the meet record. He may be pushed by Centennial Invitational winner Beau Sheeran of Beaverton OR who has a best this season of 6-8.

In the boys pole vault, South Eugene OR sophomore Simon Park leads the way with a season best of 16-0.75. Even if Park is unable to duplicate his earlier success, the meet record of 14-8 could still go down. Eight athletes have cleared 14-6 or better this season.

Battle Ground WA senior Curtis Stradley is entered in the boys javelin. He has thrown 211-1 this season.