“This was truly a remarkable season for Kennedy track and field,” Coach Steve Ritchie said. “Our young boys team worked hard and improved by leaps and bounds. I am excited to see their success in the future.
“Our girls team was also quite young, and exceeded all expectations in coming so close to a state championship. As a coach, I couldn’t ask for more,” Ritchie said. “Our girls gave it everything they had at the state meet, and scored 60 points – the highest team total ever for third place at state.”
The 60 points scored by the Trojan Girls was the second-highest state meet point total ever for the team, behind only the 63 points scored by the 1985 state championship team. It earned the Trojans’ first trophy at the state meet since 1987. Portland Christian was first with 80 points and Reedsport was second with 67.
The girls team took second place in its district.
Senior Bridget Donohue led Kennedy at state by winning the 800 meters by more than two seconds in a personal record time of 2:25.49. Donohue also placed second in the 1500 meters with a PR of 4:57.48, which made her the second-fastest ever at Kennedy in that event.
“It was especially great to see Bridget Donohue finish her career like the champion she is,” Ritchie said. “All the other girls return next year, so I am already excited about the 2013 season and can’t wait to see how they do.”
Freshman Amelia Grosjacques placed second in the 100 meter hurdles in 17.23, and freshman Loghan Sprauer placed third in the 400 meters, breaking her own school record in the process with a time of 59.46 seconds.
Freshman Lauren Stokley took third in the 3000 meters with a PR of 11:39.80. Junior Sadie Manley placed third in the 100 meters in 13.14 and fifth in the 200 in 27.41. Sophomore Madison Sprauer ran a PR time of 49.71 to capture fifth place in the 300 meter intermediate hurdles.
Kennedy’s 4×400 meter relay squad of Manley-Lucero Cruz-Donohue-Loghan Sprauer took third place in that event in 4:14.41, and the 4×100 team of Grosjacques-Loghan Sprauer-Autumn Barth-Manley took seventh place despite dropping the baton on the first exchange.
The only Kennedy boy to qualify for state was sophomore Daniel Glaede who placed sixth in state in the javelin with a best throw of 149’08”.
