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Basin produces 3 champions
May 18, 2007
MONMOUTH - Bonanza senior John Laidet has always had the physical gifts to compete at the state level in track and field, but he reached a low point mentally in last year's Class 2A championships.
Friday, he reached the pinnacle.
Laidet rebounded from three straight scratches as a top seed last year to win his first state title, winning the shot put by more than five feet at McArthur Field on the Western Oregon University campus.
“I know both sides, how losing and how winning feels,” Laidet said. “You appreciate the wins, the accomplishments you have, more.
“From the lowest point to the highest point over the course of a year, this is something I had to prove to myself, that I could just get over that.”
Laidet came back strong from a hamstring injury that lingered for the middle portion of the season, and he made his final throw of the day worthwhile. With the victory already locked up, he unloaded for a throw of 51 feet, two inches, surpassing his previous mark of 49-8.
“The guy that was closest to me, I saw his last throw and it was only 47, so I knew I had it,” Laidet said. “All my worries, all my butterflies, were out. I just relaxed and let it go.”
The discus, where Laidet is the No. 2 seed behind Scott Huitt of Union, is up next today.
A step in the right direction
The victory also was a great start in the Antlers' quest for a team championship.
Senior Andy Davis and sophomore Stephen Dickinson each have high marks in the high jump and 110-meter high hurdles, and senior Kyle Gomez earned high seeds in the 100, 200 and 400 dashes.
After four final events, Bonanza and Oakridge are tied for sixth place with 10 points. Cascade Christian leads with 15.
On the girls side, Lakeview's quest got off to an even better start.
Two state champions emerged for the Honkers on the first day of the Class 2A state meet. Junior Keli Hall won the high jump for the third title of her career, while freshman Ashley Baldovino started the day with a victory in the 3,000.
Hall was the only athlete to clear 5-3, defeating Zoe Skordahl of Oakridge by one inch, and top-seeded Dani Case of Chiloquin by two. Hall also set a school record in the process.
“I just really wanted it,” Hall said. “It was a big deal to win the high jump this year, so I really put all I had into it.”
Now comes the tough part for Hall. The state-meet record holder in the 400 will attempt to go 3-for-3 in the event today, and then she will run the 200, where she also is the favorite.
Finally, she will anchor the top-seeded Lakeview 4x400 relay, which came from behind to win its heat Friday.
“I think I feel more pressure than most, because we have a really young team,” Hall said. “I think it makes us more confident. We know we are able to do it.”
Baldovino, also a member of the Honker relay squad, won her championship in 10 minutes, 45.53 seconds and defeated Jessica Lundin of Heritage Christian by more than 16 seconds.
Lost River sophomore McCayla Claver was third in the race.
“I didn't expect to win, or anything, or have a good lead at the start,” Baldovino said. “I did better than I thought I would.”
Looking to double up
Today, Baldovino will run in the 1,500 finals and attempt to pull off a double that was accomplished by Henley's Taylor Wallace (Class 3A) and Triad's Rachael Estrabook (Class 1A) last year.
“It's really bumped (my spirits) up a lot,” Baldovino said of Friday's win. “I am really confident about my 1,500, and I hope our relay team's really good, too.”
Lakeview leads with 20 points after five finals. Stanfield, Elgin and Cascade Christian are tied for second with 16 apiece.
Other Basin place winners Friday were Chiloquin's Arlan Wilder (third, boys triple jump), Ruby Davis (sixth, girls javelin) and Lorena Ochoa (seventh, girls javelin); and Lakeview's Caleb Howard (fourth, boys 3,000).
- By Josh Petrie
MONMOUTH - Bonanza senior John Laidet has always had the physical gifts to compete at the state level in track and field, but he reached a low point mentally in last year's Class 2A championships.
Friday, he reached the pinnacle.
Laidet rebounded from three straight scratches as a top seed last year to win his first state title, winning the shot put by more than five feet at McArthur Field on the Western Oregon University campus.
“I know both sides, how losing and how winning feels,” Laidet said. “You appreciate the wins, the accomplishments you have, more.
“From the lowest point to the highest point over the course of a year, this is something I had to prove to myself, that I could just get over that.”
Laidet came back strong from a hamstring injury that lingered for the middle portion of the season, and he made his final throw of the day worthwhile. With the victory already locked up, he unloaded for a throw of 51 feet, two inches, surpassing his previous mark of 49-8.
“The guy that was closest to me, I saw his last throw and it was only 47, so I knew I had it,” Laidet said. “All my worries, all my butterflies, were out. I just relaxed and let it go.”
The discus, where Laidet is the No. 2 seed behind Scott Huitt of Union, is up next today.
A step in the right direction
The victory also was a great start in the Antlers' quest for a team championship.
Senior Andy Davis and sophomore Stephen Dickinson each have high marks in the high jump and 110-meter high hurdles, and senior Kyle Gomez earned high seeds in the 100, 200 and 400 dashes.
After four final events, Bonanza and Oakridge are tied for sixth place with 10 points. Cascade Christian leads with 15.
On the girls side, Lakeview's quest got off to an even better start.
Two state champions emerged for the Honkers on the first day of the Class 2A state meet. Junior Keli Hall won the high jump for the third title of her career, while freshman Ashley Baldovino started the day with a victory in the 3,000.
Hall was the only athlete to clear 5-3, defeating Zoe Skordahl of Oakridge by one inch, and top-seeded Dani Case of Chiloquin by two. Hall also set a school record in the process.
“I just really wanted it,” Hall said. “It was a big deal to win the high jump this year, so I really put all I had into it.”
Now comes the tough part for Hall. The state-meet record holder in the 400 will attempt to go 3-for-3 in the event today, and then she will run the 200, where she also is the favorite.
Finally, she will anchor the top-seeded Lakeview 4x400 relay, which came from behind to win its heat Friday.
“I think I feel more pressure than most, because we have a really young team,” Hall said. “I think it makes us more confident. We know we are able to do it.”
Baldovino, also a member of the Honker relay squad, won her championship in 10 minutes, 45.53 seconds and defeated Jessica Lundin of Heritage Christian by more than 16 seconds.
Lost River sophomore McCayla Claver was third in the race.
“I didn't expect to win, or anything, or have a good lead at the start,” Baldovino said. “I did better than I thought I would.”
Looking to double up
Today, Baldovino will run in the 1,500 finals and attempt to pull off a double that was accomplished by Henley's Taylor Wallace (Class 3A) and Triad's Rachael Estrabook (Class 1A) last year.
“It's really bumped (my spirits) up a lot,” Baldovino said of Friday's win. “I am really confident about my 1,500, and I hope our relay team's really good, too.”
Lakeview leads with 20 points after five finals. Stanfield, Elgin and Cascade Christian are tied for second with 16 apiece.
Other Basin place winners Friday were Chiloquin's Arlan Wilder (third, boys triple jump), Ruby Davis (sixth, girls javelin) and Lorena Ochoa (seventh, girls javelin); and Lakeview's Caleb Howard (fourth, boys 3,000).
- By Josh Petrie
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| Veteran star hopes for seventh finals bid |
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