Coming off a stellar senior cross country season that included a state championship, 6A meet record and regional title, the table was set for a big track season for Lakeridge's Chloe Huyler.
The Notre Dame-bound Huyler took a conservative approach to the start of the season, but has gradually ramped up, and the results are starting to come.
Last week, Huyler ran the 3,000 meters in a personal-best 9 minutes, 17.85 seconds in a Three Rivers League dual meet at Tualatin. It is the fastest time ever recorded in a 3,000 race in state history and just off the 9:15.14 split that Lake Oswego's Kate Peters ran in a two-mile race at the 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals.
“I wouldn't say I was surprised, because honestly I thought I was going to run like sub-9:20,” said Huyler, who set her previous best of 9:33.15 in the 6A meet last year. “I was more just relieved to have finally been able to race to what I know of my fitness.”
Lakeridge coach Scott Spear said it was a “controlled” effort by Huyler.
“She's progressing perfectly in the right direction,” Spear said. “Now we're in the championship phase of the season. It'll be fun. Things can really happen right now. The hunger is always there, it's just a matter of being sustainable. She loves racing, we've just got to make sure we're not overdoing it.”
In a two-mile race at the Arcadia (Calif.) Invitational on April 12, Huyler passed the 3,000 mark at an estimated 9:22, but the split wasn't recorded due to an out-of-position camera. Still, it was a strong indicator of where she stood.
“Coming off of Arcadia, I was pretty disappointed with how I ran,” she said. “I feel like I was in a lot better shape than what that race reflected.”
At Tualatin, Huyler ran in a co-ed race. Two boys helped her establish a fast pace, and she spent the last 800 dueling with Tualatin sophomore Jayden Atkins, who won in 9:16.68.
“It was really helpful to have him running his own race,” Huyler said. “To run 9:17 is really special. I think I can definitely improve my time, especially coming off of that race. I felt really good during it, and I feel like I can push it even more. Especially at state, I hope to go even faster.”
Huyler said she is building off her cross country base.
“I gained a lot of fitness throughout cross country,” she said. “I took a few days off after cross country, but that momentum, and the confidence and fitness, really carried through from the fall season.”
Huyler's other big test this season came April 25 in the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays, where she squared off in the mile against Lincoln sophomore Ellery Lincoln, the reigning 6A champion in the 1,500. Huyler ran a strong 4:41.57, but settled for second place to Lincoln, who clocked 4:39.37
“Running 4:41 and not winning is kind of disappointing,” said Huyler, who took third in the 1,500 at state last year. “I've tried a lot of different strategies with Ellery. She's an insanely talented runner, and she always out-kicks me. I was disappointed with the outcome, but I think there's a lot to build off of. I learned a lot from that race going forward.”
Spear said he liked how Huyler was aggressive and willing to push from the front against Lincoln.
“I loved the moves,” Spear said. “Ellery was just sharper. She's got speed like no other. For Chloe, it's just making it her race and not somebody else dictating what's happening.”
Huyler said she is likely to take a different approach against Lincoln in the 1,500 at state.
“No matter how fast I go, she's still able to stay with me and then pass me,” Huyler said. “I'm going to have to go in with a different strategy. I don't know exactly what that will be.”
Spear is altering Huyler's training regimen as the season winds down.
“We're slowly starting to shift toward a little bit more speed,” he said. “But we're relying on that strength aspect of things. She's built so much base strength, we don't want to ignore it.”
Notes:
Girls
Two of the state's best hurdlers, Tualatin senior Campbell Brintnall and Wells senior Avery Coker, went head-to-head in the Cardinal Invite on Friday at Lincoln. Coker edged Brintnall 14.35 to 14.36 in the 100 hurdles and Brintnall beat Coker 42.98 to 44.53 in the 300 hurdles. Brintnall holds the top time in the state in both events. Her time in the 300 hurdles took three-tenths of a second off her PR and moved her to No. 6 on the state's all-time list. She also ranks No. 6 in state history in the 100 hurdles. …
Newberg junior Sophia Castaneda moved closer to the state record in the 400 with her performance in the Summit Invitational on Saturday. She won in 53.62, improving on her best of 53.76. She is No. 2 on the state's all-time list behind Josie Donelson, who ran 52.83 as a senior at Lake Oswego last year. … Also at the Summit Invitational, Nelson's 4x400 team of Kyra Aguon, Grace Bach, Lauren Puerta and Molly Harrison set a state-best time of 3:57.78.
Boys
Jesuit senior Grant Valley recorded a state-best time to win a supercharged 100 in the Cardinal Invite. Valley finished in 10.50 – lowering his PR from 10.69 – to hold off Central Catholic's Joseph Donnelly (10.64), Tigard's Daniel Rotaru (10.74) and Lincoln's Elwood Gordon (10.80). The times by Valley, Donnelly and Rotaru rank first, third, and fourth in the state this season. …
Crater senior Josiah Tostenson and sophomore teammate Maxwell Miracle recorded the state's two fastest times in the 800 this season in the Medford Rotary Relays on Saturday. Tostenson won in 1:51.62, a personal best by three seconds, and Miracle finished in 1:52.73, shaving more than one second off his PR. The Washington-bound Tostenson set the state record in the 1,500 this season. …
Junction City junior Kaleb Moore, who already led the state in the discus (179-3), moved to No. 1 in the shot by throwing 59-7 in the Junction City Invitational on Saturday. His previous best was 56-8. … Oregon City sophomore Colin Smith took one second off his PR in the 400 by clocking a state-best 48.02 in the Summit Invitational on Saturday. His previous best was 49.03.
jerryu@osaa.org
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