Meet Builds To Crescendo With Sensational 9:53.16 For Niwot Boys, Following 11:33.22 For Girls

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

DyeStat Photos 

EUGENE - Niwot High's top distance stars will eventually separate and go their separate ways to college futures and new horizons. 

But in this moment, like so many before, the runners wearing the green and white take comfort and pride in running for one another. 

Distance medley relay races on Saturday to conclude the Oregon Relays came with the same team-first and let's-have-fun-together mentality that fueled so much success in cross country over the past few years. 

A boys team of Hunter Robbie, sprinter Josh Archuleta, Rocco Culpepper and Quinn Sullivan all performed up to their high standards and won the CIRCUIT High Voltage boys DMR in 9:53.16. It's the fastest high school DMR ever in April. 

One night after a 1-2-3 finish in the mile, Culpepper, Sullivan and Robbie returned to the comfort of running for one another. 

"I love all relays," Robbie said. "It's so fun to do something with your team. It's not just you on the line. It pushes you (a bit) harder."

Robbie led off with 3:05 for 1,200. Archuleta opened up the lead with a swift 47.65 400 leg. Culpepper ran 1:54.89 on the 800-meter carry (he was doubling back after running a PR 1:50.56 in the 800). And Sullivan capped it with a 4:05.59 close. 

Niwot also crushed the girls DMR, ripping away from anticipated competition from Lincoln OR, Sehome WA and J Serra CA so that by the time Addison Ritzehein took the baton on the anchor she was all alone. 

Elise Hagen opened it with 3:34.57 to give Niwot a four-second lead. Sammie Holliday ran 58.34. Anna Prok ran 2:18.04. And Ritzenhein closed in 4:42.27. 

Niwot's time of 11:33.22 is No. 16 all-time, and slightly faster than the 11:33.51 that Niwot ran at Nike Outdoor Nationals for an all-time Colorado state best in 2021. 

The other featured finals Saturday that were part of The CIRCUIT were the 800 finals. 

The girls race went down to the wire, with Wilson (Long Beach) CA's Shirayah Lewis-Williams holding off Oregon recruit Annabelle Carr from Coeur d'Alene Charter ID as they raced side by side in the last 100. Lewis-Williams won it in 2:10.01 to Carr's 2:10.30. 

Sunset's Naomi Cesar, a junior who has represented The Philippines on interntional stages over the past year, moved up late to take third in 2:12.23.

Mana Voss from Central Kitsap won the boys 800 meters in a time of 1:50.00 and held of Culpepper, who was second in 1:50.56. Findlay Hartshorn of The Bear Creek School WA was third in 1:51.21. 

Defending champion Wyland Obando of Wilson (Long Beach) CA was dealing with a sore hamstring and finished seventh. The six who finished in front of him all ran personal bests. 

Wilson picked up 20 of its points in the 800-meter sprint medleys. The boys pulled away from Liberty NV in the final section and won in 1:31.90. Grant of Portland was second overall in 1:33.87 after winning the second-fastest section. 

The Wilson girls were in command with a lap to go but Newberg OR's Sophia Castaneda willed herself into the race after scratching Friday's 400 with illness. Castaneda split 53.70 and just missed a chance to catch Wilson's London Welch before the tape. Wilson won it in 1:45.46 and Newberg was second in 1:45.79. 

Big Ten recruits Sutton Flint and Daisha Brunson won the high hurdles. Flint, of Liberty (Issaquah) WA, won the boys 110 hurdles in 14.14. He's headed to Iowa in the fall. 

Brunson, making the trip out from Hoffman Estates (Conant) IL, ran 13.77 for the win the girls 100-meter hurdles. She's heading to Michigan (as is Castaneda). 

Wilson's Saniah Varnado ran a US#4 time of 41.71 for a new meet record to win the 300 hurdles. 

Kingston Penny of Palm Desert CA ran a personal best 37.42 to win the boys 300 hurdles. 

Saturday's evening session began with the 4x100 relay finals. Mountain View ID won the boys race in 41.42 after Wilson dropped the baton on the third exchange. 

The Wilson girls withstood a challenge from Mt. Prospect (Prospect) IL to win the girls 4x100 in 46.85.

In other relay finals, Crater OR won the boys 4x800 relay with 7:52.81 and Clovis CA won the girls race in 9:25.02. 

Wilson swept the boys and girls 4x200s. The boys ran 1:28.05 to outrun defending champion Liberty NV (1:28.35). The girls won easily in 1:38.13.

The standout of Saturday's field events was Simon Rosselli of Mead WA, who threw a US#1 and meet record 214-2 to win the boys discus. He also won Friday's shot put with 65 feet. 

Yevhen Zhmailo from Lake Washington broke the meet record in the boys triple jump with US#1 51 feet, but barely missed out on a bigger mark on his fourth and final jump, which was ruled a foul. That jump appeared to be beyond 53 feet. 

Kayla Williams of Spanaway Lake WA broke the meet record in the girls triple jump with 41-0.50, which was US#7.

Kimberly Beard of King's WA won the girls discus with 148-10.

Addison Kleinke of Churchill OR overcame a potential no-height with a third attempt clearance at 12-5 and eventually won the competition with her make at 12-11.50. Tayanah Balensifer of West Linn also made 12-11.50. 

Luke Barrrick of Onalaska WA won the boys pole vault with 15-11. 

Topher Gabel of Sandy OR won the boys high jump at 6-8.