Eight years after capturing its first boys track state championship, Oregon City appears to be following a similar formula to contend for the 6A title.
The Pioneers once again have elite sprinters, top-notch relays and enough talent in field events to pile up points.
“That's how we did it in 2017,” coach Adam Thygeson said. “I think we have a chance. We've got two big sprinters, and we've got some points that we can sneak here and there.”
It all starts with senior Keaton Moore and sophomore Colin Smith. Moore leads the state in the 200 meters and is No. 2 in the 100. Smith tops the 400 and is No. 4 in the 200.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Moore has raised his game after a junior season in which he placed second in the 200 and fifth in the 100 at state. He has clocked 10.63 in the 100 – behind only Jesuit senior Grant Valley (10.50) – and 21.53 in the 200. The times put him in the top 25 all-time in the state in both events.
Moore has broken the 100 school record set by Rieker Daniel (10.66), the catalyst of the 2017 state title team. And he is closing on in Daniel's record of 21.49 in the 200.
“He wants to get that record, and he wants to be a double champion at state, and in both relays,” Thygeson said. “Picking up four state titles would be a great way to finish it off. … He's in a good spot mentally. I know he's feeling a lot of pressure because times all across the state are crazy this year.”
The 5-7, 133-pound Smith has been coming on fast ever since running 11.04 in the 100 last June in Nike Outdoor Nationals, setting Oregon City's freshman record.
He has been on fire in the past week. He ran the 400 in 48.03 in the Summit Invitational on May 3, taking one second off his PR and shattering the school record (48.66). And he ran the 200 in a personal-best 21.64 in a meet against Tualatin on Wednesday, finishing ahead of Moore.
“It's mind-boggling that as a sophomore he's already at these numbers,” Thygeson said. “The sky's the limit for him. I think the fact that he's only a sophomore, he doesn't feel pressure at all yet. So he's just out there running, and not thinking while he's running. He doesn't know how to be scared yet.”
It helps that Moore is there to mentor Smith.
“It's very much a big-brother, little-brother thing,” Thygeson said. “He kind of follows Keaton around. Keaton's been trying to lead him in the ways of the sprints.”
Behind Moore and Smith, Oregon City has the state's No. 1 times in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Senior Easton Hunt, junior Chase Borden, Smith and Moore moved to the top of the state list in the 4x100 on Wednesday by clocking 41.73, a school record and the No. 12 time in state history. Smith, junior Cole Solari, sophomore Hunter McKenzie and Moore ran the 4x400 in 3:19.70 in the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays, No. 20 all-time and just off the school record (3:18.98 in 2019).
The addition of Hunt, who played on the golf team the last three springs, turned out for track for the first time and has been integral. He was sidelined with a sore hamstring for a few weeks before returning to the 4x100 lineup last weekend.
“Getting him back in the mix with the other guys made a difference,” Thygeson said.
The Pioneers nearly won a trophy at the 6A meet the last two seasons, missing fourth place by two points in 2023 and 1.5 points in 2024. To claim one this season, they will need big performances from Moore and Smith and plenty of help elsewhere.
Oregon City has several others among the 6A leaders: senior Bear Hatch (No. 3 in javelin), junior Gavyn Welch (No. 7 in discus), senior Tyler Scott (No. 8 in 800) and Borden (No. 8 in high jump, No. 9 in long jump).
Lutes overtakes Pre
Marshfield senior Bodey Lutes ran the 800 in 1:53.0 in the Coos County Meet on May 2, breaking the school record (1:53.8) that was held by the legendary Steve Prefontaine since 1969.
Lutes, the two-time reigning 4A champion in the 400, had not run the 800 since the 2023 season, when he recorded a best of 1:55.85 and finished as the state runner-up. He now ranks No. 1 in 4A and No. 3 among all classifications in the event.
Lutes also has the leading 4A times in the 400 (48.28) and 200 (21.62), events in which holds school records. He is part of 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams that are ranked No. 1 in 4A.
Lutes is the son of Amy Nickerson, an 11-time individual state champion at Coquille in the late 1990s.
Raider record
Crescent Valley senior Adam Teglassy broke a 48-year-old school record in the 400 in a Mid-Willamette Conference meet against Central and Corvallis on April 29.
Teglassy finished in 48.13, smashing his old PR of 48.85 from last year and beating the school record of 48.84, set in 1977. He is No. 2 in the state this year behind Marshfield's Lutes.
Dickson hits 200 PR
South Albany junior Pharalynn Dickson, 5A champion in the 100, 200 and 400 the last two years, set a personal-best in the 200 in a Mid-Willamette Conference meet against Dallas and McKay on Tuesday.
She ran the 200 in 24.09, beating her previous best of 24.23, which she set the previous week. Dickson is ranked No. 1 in 5A and No. 2 for all classifications in the 100, 200 and 400.
jerryu@osaa.org
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