Track: Valley Catholic girls step up at home, aim next at district and state titles

BEAVERTON – The Valley Catholic girls track and field team has been tough as nails all year long.

And the Valiants have needed that toughness – and shown it – more than ever over the past two weeks.

Valley Catholic, which has its sights set on the Lewis & Clark League championship, was jolted when junior sprint star Gabby Rosenthal tore her Achilles tendon during the April 27 Centennial Invitational.

Despite that, the Valiants have responded with only resolve and determination. They showed both in winning the four-way Lewis & Clark meet at Valley Catholic on May 7.

“It’s been a really tough couple weeks, trying to rebuild the 4 x (100 relay) especially, trying to find someone to fit the role that Gabby left,” said VC senior Claire McLoughlin, who won both the 100 and 200 meters races last week and also ran on her team’s winning 4 x 100 relay. “We’re just going to have to work on it a lot to build confidence.”

“We lost a big contributor … when Gabby Rosenthal when down with an Achilles injury two weeks ago,” said Valley Catholic coach Tom Manning. “She was the top sprinter at the time in the state for the 100 and 200 and was on our 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 teams that were ranked high in state. (But) Mikaela Bernards has stepped up big in both the hurdles and 100.”

The Valiants certainly stepped up in their sun-soaked home meet last week, piling up 114 points to easily outdistance second-place Portland Lutheran’s 65 points and third-place Catlin Gabel’s 53.

McLoughlin did her part in those sprints, running her second-best times of the year in her two individual wins, clocking a 13.21 seconds to take the 100, then coming back later in the meet to run 28.14 and win the 200. She also teamed with Reilly Blood (who took Rosenthal’s place), Bernards and Makenzee Cleveland to win the 4 x 100 at 51.04.

“Today, we had Reilly (Blood) run the first leg, and honestly, we just wanted to get the baton around. That was the big goal,” McLoughlin said. “She’s never done a 4 x 1 before so it was kind of a struggle, but she did really well. I’m proud of her.”

The Valiants also got two wins from junior Addie Flemmer, first scoring in the long jump with a winning mark of 14 feet, 11.5 inches, then repeating that success in the triple jump at 30-11.

VC’s other wins on the girls side came from: Makenzee Cleveland in the 800 at 2:31.25; Bernards in the 300 intermediate hurdles at 49.74; and Sophie Ey in the pole vault at 7-6.

“We have a number of underclassmen that have stepped up big this year,” Manning said. “Makenzee Cleveland is starting to run fast in both the 400 and 800 and should place high at both districts and state, (and) Addie Flemmer has also posted some competitive marks in both jumps. The hope is to win district and be in contention for a trophy at the state meet.”

The boys team placed third in a strong field led by Southwest Christian’s 93.5 points, 88 from Catlin Gabel and VC’s 64.5.

The Valiants made their mark this day in the 800 and 1500 meters races, with junior Cooper Roach racing to victory – one of only two by Valley Catholic athletes on the day – in the 800 at 1:57.12 and beating Oregon Episcopal’s Nick Obletz (second in1:58.90) and Southwest Christian’s Nick Martin (third in 2:02.21) in the process.

“Cooper Roach continues to have an incredible season,” Manning said. “He has broken the school record in both the 800 and 1500 this season.”

VC’s other win on the boys side came from sophomore Wilder Boyden, who topped the 1500 field with a time of 4:21.41 while freshman teammate Ben Davidson was second at 4:28.97. The Valiants also got a runner-up effort from Tysen Prunty in the 300 intermediate hurdles at 43.24.

Next up for VC is the Lewis & Clark League district meet, set for May 17-18 at Catlin Gabel. Field events begin at noon Friday for both boys and girls, and running events at 2 p.m. Friday for the boys and at 2:25 p.m. Friday for the girls. On Saturday, field events begin at noon for the boys and at 1:30 p.m. for the girls, while running events begin at 2 p.m. for the girls and at 2:05 p.m. for the boys.

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