Raiders set to host Cascade Conference Championships next Friday and Saturday in Ashland

McMINNVILLE — The Southern Oregon track and field team concluded the regular season on a high note, registering three NAIA qualifying marks and a program record on Saturday at the Linfield Open.

Katherine Martinez set a school record and became an automatic qualifier in the women’s pole vault by clearing 12 feet, 4 ¾ inches (3.78m). It was a 3 ½-inch personal best for the senior, who also recorded her previous best at Linfield four weeks ago.

Martinez landed in the No. 8 spot on the NAIA outdoor performance list and is just the second woman in Raider history to vault over 12 feet. She surpassed Stephanie Techler’s 11-year-old record of 12-1½.

Abi Stevens notched the ‘A’ standard in high jump, winning with a mark of 5-7 ¼ (1.71m). Her jump ranked ninth on the national performance list and confirmed the senior’s fourth consecutive outing for the discipline at the national meet. Stevens also won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.23 seconds.

On the men’s side, Kobe Johnson became a provisional qualifier in shot put, throwing a personal best 52-10 ¼ (16.11m). He achieved the distance on his fourth attempt and threw nine inches further than his previous season best. The senior from Springfield took first, claiming his third straight victory in the shot put.

In the men’s 400, Trey Lucas won in 49.42 seconds, and Dylan Heath took second in a season-best and Cascade Conference-qualifying time of 50.14 seconds. Lucas and Heath accompanied Rafe Blandini and Rogue Newton for a win in the 4×400 relay (3:20.76).

Ilyhia Greely finished first in discus (39.71m/130-03) and fourth in hammer (41.61m/136-06).

JaQuieze Holland placed second in the triple jump (12.61m/41-04 ½) and fourth in the long jump (6.47m/21-02 ¾).

Mercedes Harms set a 10-second personal best and finished runner-up in the 5,000-meter, crossing the line in 19 minutes, 12.11 seconds.

On Friday, SOU’s distance squad reaped enjoyed a big night at the Oregon State High Performance meet as Frankie Maciel and Mason Weisgerber took over the Nos. 2 and 3 spots on the school’s all-time 5,000-meter list for the Raider men, and Cammeo Ramirez and Alyssa Johnson did the same for the Raider women.

Maciel finished fourth in the 5K invite race in 14 minutes 14.98 seconds, while Weisgerber was right behind in fifth at 14:15.92. The duo dipped well under the NAIA’s ‘A’ standard time of 14:25.50 and posted the nation’s fourth- and fifth-fastest performances of the year.

Only Eric Avila, the former national champion and Olympic Trials qualifier, has run faster for the Raiders.

Ramirez ran a 16-second personal best (17:02.64) and Johnson (17:02.83) PR’d for the second consecutive outing in the women’s 5K invite. They placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

The Raiders will next host the Cascade Conference Championships next Friday and Saturday at Raider Stadium.