Roosevelt junior sprinter Aster Jones continued her climb up the state's all-time lists with her performance in the Oregon Relays at Hayward Field last weekend.
Jones improved on her personal bests in winning the 100 and 200 meters. She clocked 11.55 seconds in the 100, beating her previous best of 11.80. She ran the 200 in 23.44, smashing per old outdoor PR of 24.02.
On the state's all-time lists, she now stands at No. 5 in the 100 and No. 4 in the 200.
It was an impressive season debut in both events for Jones, the reigning 6A champion in the 100.
“I was not in any way surprised by her performance,” Roosevelt coach Jonquil Vann said. “She was ready to grind it out and work hard this weekend, and that's exactly what she did.”
Vann said that Jones' times reflect her commitment to training during the winter. Jones made steady improvement in the 200 during the indoor season in February and March. She dropped her time to 23.47 at Nike Indoor Nationals on March 16.
“That was a huge piece for her,” Vann said. “Her whole goal was just to prepare better for the spring season.”
Roosevelt has added Jones' club coach, Deshawn Fontleroy, to its staff this season. Jones trains at Roosevelt under sprint coach Rasuli Webster, the Portland Interscholastic League assistant coach of the year in 2024.
Jones also benefits from training with senior teammate Ellis Heslam, who in last year's 6A meet placed fourth in the 400 and sixth in the 200.
“With Aster's talent and commitment to the sport, and having Ellie and Deshawn and Rasuli, it's just a wonderful group of people that are helping push her forward,” Vann said. “It's the perfect combination of everything.”
Jones has followed in the footsteps of her sister, Lily, a three-time 6A runner-up (twice in 100, once in 200) at Roosevelt and now a junior on the team at Oregon. Aster's 200 time last weekend eclipsed Lily, who is No. 6 all-time at 23.75. Lily is No. 4 in the 100 at 11.41.
Aster was a Level 10 gymnast before switching to track in high school, in part because she drew motivation from watching Lily's success in the sport.
“She never really considered track until she got to high school,” Vann said. “I think growing up watching Lily, she was like, 'Maybe I'll give this a try.'”
A relative newcomer to the sport, Aster has vast potential.
“This always shocks people, but she still has a whole another high school season ahead of her,” Vann said. “This is only her third year of running track and field. Who knows what she's capable of?”
Jesuit's Foster soars at Oregon Relays
Jesuit junior Iman Foster delivered a breakout performance in the triple jump at the Oregon Relays, building on a highly successful winter indoor season.
Foster won the triple jump with a mark of 39 feet, 7 ¾ inches, moving her into a three-way tie for sixth place all-time in Oregon. Foster, who placed 11th in the 6A meet last year, added a foot to her PR by jumping 37-11 ¼ at Nike Outdoor Nationals last June and rocketed to 41-1 at Nike Indoor Nationals last month.
The state record is 41-2 ¼, set by McDaniel's Maleigha Canaday-Elliott last year.
Sheldon senior Eli Forsha, the reigning 6A champion in the boys triple, also soared to a new best. He won with a mark of 48-11 ½, beating his previous best of 47-1 ½ and vaulting to No. 12 on the state's all-time list.
Forsha's performance in the best by an Oregon boy since Grant's Harrison Schrage went 49-8 in 2016.
Tigard junior Marissa Johnson won the shot, discus and hammer. Last year, Johnson repeated as 6A champion in the shot and claimed her first title in the discus.
Other girls winners included Lakeridge senior Chloe Huyler (mile), Newberg junior Sophia Castaneda (400), West Linn senior Hayden Williams-Downing (javelin) and Mountainside senior Catherine Phillips (high jump).
Other boys winners included Central Catholic junior Joseph Donnelly (long jump), South Salem junior Calvin Stewart (high jump), Baker junior Rasean Jones (110 hurdles), Jesuit senior Grant Valley (100), Jesuit junior Kellen Williams (mile) and McNary sophomore Derek Olivo (javelin).
Moore off and running
In his first 200 of the season, Oregon City senior Keaton Moore moved to the top of the season's best list.
Moore finished in 21.80 in a home meet against Clackamas and Westside Christian on April 2. It beat his previous best of 21.88 from last season, when he placed second in the 6A meet.
Last month, Moore ran the 100 in a personal best 10.74, which is tied for the No. 2 time in the state this season.
jerryu@osaa.org
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