Track and Field Athletes Making Progress Despite Wintry Weather
Their track remains buried under snow, but College of the Siskiyous track and field athletes are moving ahead and getting ready to compete in their third meet of the 2023 season Saturday at Lewis & Clark in Portland.
Head coach Julius Jones said the Eagles haven't seen their track for nearly three weeks but are "still seeing positive results" after working in the weightroom and gym.
The men's team features 17 athletes, including returning sophomores Aiden Ellis of Reno, NV; Elijah Grover of Eugene, OR; Nevin Malchow of Athena, OR; and Caleb Ramos of Red Bluff.
The three members of the women's team are returning sophomore Teya Amidei of Eagle Point, OR; and freshmen Christine Bangert of Weed and Frances Fleener of Ontario, OR.
New to the men's team are Adam Abrahamson of Independence, OR; William Allen of Newberg, OR; Zane Callison of Yreka; Chase Callison of Yreka; James Coefield of Portland, OR; Marcus Dilworth of Edmonds, WA; Christian Givan of Alturas; Dylan Kier of Vancouver, WA; Jehan King of Madison, AL; Jarvis McKyer of Bryan, TX; Edric Moroyoqui of Yreka; and Trey Woodrich of Astoria, OR.
They had their first competition at the Shasta College Cody Beaumont Meet March 3rd in Redding, then faced some higher-level competition at Chico State's Wildcat Invitational March 10th and 11th.
Assistant coach Steve Pyles praised Jones for being "an exceptional trainer" who knows how to get athletes prepared even when they're stuck indoors.
Jones came to Siskiyous two years ago as an assistant football and track and field coach. He earned Master's degrees in Sports Management and Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida. He did his undergraduate work at West Virginia University, earning a Bachelor's degree in Athletic Coaching Education with an emphasis on Strength and Conditioning.
Jones, who has also worked as a personal trainer, said his indoor training program is designed to simulate actual movements for throwers, while jumpers work on their jumps and sprinters work on sprint mechanics.
Pyles, the Eagles' head cross country coach, is a former longtime track and field assistant coach at Yreka High School who has been an assistant at the college since 2017. He has worked with pole vaulters and high jumpers throughout the county for many years.
Not expecting to be able to use their field until after spring break, the Eagles planned to start holding some outdoor practices at Yreka High School.
Jones said they have the potential to get some athletes into this year's state meet and are looking to finish in the men's top three at the Golden Valley Conference Championships, scheduled for April 29 at Butte College. Last year, the Eagle men finished just three points out of third place in the GVC.
Some early season highlights for the Eagles include:
At the Chico State Wildcat Invitational:
Chase Callison set a PR in the 800 meters.
Aiden Ellis won the javelin at 46.49 meters and Dilworth scored a point for placing 8th, just ahead of teammate Nevin Malchow. Ellis also scored a point with an 8th place finish in the long jump and Dilworth placed 10th.
The previous weekend at Shasta College in Redding, Ellis won the javelin with a state qualifying throw of 51.09m, which was just short of his 51.49m winning throw in last year's Golden Valley Conference championships. Also at last year's GVC championships, Ellis placed second in the pole vault, third in the long jump, won the triple jump and placed 6th in the discus.
Teya Amidei scored the only 4 points for the Eagle women's team at the GVC meet last year by placing second in the javelin at 33.76m
Edric Moroyoqui was one of only two competitors in Chico to post a mark in the men's triple jump and placed second.
Jehan King placed 11th in the discus.
For the Eagle women at Chico, Frances Fleener scored 2 points for a 7th place finish in hammer and 1 point for an 8th place finish in shot put; and Amidei scored 3 points for 6th place in javelin.
At the Shasta College Cody Beaumont Meet
Ellis won the javelin at 167-7, placed 2nd in the triple jump at 34-7, and 4th in the long jump at 20-1.5.
Dilworth won the long jump at 21 feet, 8 inches, placed 5th in the javelin at 124-10 and 6th in the 100 meters in 11.55.
Moroyoqui placed 4th in the triple jump at 34-7 and 13th in the long jump.
King was 6th in the discus 102-3 and 7th in the shot put at 38-5.
Coefield was 6th in the hammer at 88-2, 9th in the shot put at 36-2 and 10th in the discus at 88-3.
Malchow was 7th in the javelin and 16th in the long jump.
Zane Callison was 9th in the javelin, 12th in the hammer and 13th in the shot put and discus.
Chase Callison was 10th in the 1500 and 12th in the 800.
Grover was 10th in the hammer and 12th in the shot put and discus.
Ramos was 15th in the long jump.
For the Eagle women in Redding:
Fleener was 3rd in the hammer at 69-8, 4th in the shot put at 36-5.75, and 7th in the discus.
Amidei was 4th in the javelin at 102-0.
Bangert was 10th in the javelin.
By Steve Gerace