OREGON CITY — Pendleton’s William Michael soared 13 feet, 6 inches in the air Saturday to win the pole vault at the Willamette Falls Invitational at Pioneer Memorial Stadium at Oregon City High School.
Michael opened at 12 feet, cleared the height on his second attempt, then passed to 13 feet, where he cleared on his third attempt.
He sailed over the bar at 13-6 on his first attempt, while Teddy Ratliff of Catlin Gabel cleared on his third attempt. Neither jumper cleared 14 feet.
Michael was the lone Pendleton athlete to win an event at the highly competitive meet, but others still had a productive day.
John Thatcher finished third in the 400 meters with a time of 49.38 seconds, then anchored the 4×100 relay team that placed third with a time of 44.28. Also on the team were Quinn Kennedy, Kyrael Davis and Gabe DeGrofft.
Thatcher combined forces with DeGrofft, Wyatt Taylor and Adam Urbina to finish seventh in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:42.49. Oregon City blew away the field with a time of 3:20.21 — 9 seconds better than No. 2 Clackamas.
The Bucks picked up big points in the javelin as Jaren Yoshioka placed third with a throw of 166 feet on his second throw of the day. Teammate Jubal Hoisington was fourth at 164 feet, a mark he hit on his first throw.
Kennedy added a seventh-place showing in the high jump (5-8), was eighth in the long jump with a personal best 18-11 3/4, and had a leap of 40-3 to place sixth in the triple jump. Grayson Mead was seventh in the triple jump at 40-0 3/4.
In the mixed 4×200 relay, Pendleton’s team of Landrie Davis, DeGrofft, Hazel Case and Thatcher placed fourth with a time of 1:40.12.
Oregon City won the boys’ team title with 99.5 points, while Clackamas was second (65) and Cleveland third (56.5). The Bucks were fifth with 46 points.
In the girls’ meet, Case was fourth in the long jump with a season-best 16-4 3/4, and was also eighth in the 100 with a season-best time of 13.03 seconds.
Ava Jackson placed seventh in the triple jump with a PR of 31-2 1/2, was eighth in the high jump after clearing 4-8, and placed eighth in the pole vault with a height of 8 feet.
Jesuit won the girls’ team title with 91 points, with Oregon City (70) second and Catlin Gabel (63) third. Pendleton was 18th with 12.5 points.
