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3A boys state track: Oregon Episcopal's Nick Obletz wins 3,000 meters
Published Jan 01, 0001
Nick Obletz won his second straight Class 3A 3,000 meters title Thursday as the small schools made their debut at Hayward Field.
Nick Obletz won his second straight Class 3A 3,000 meters title Thursday as the small schools made their debut at Hayward Field.
But the senior from Oregon Episcopal School doesn't fit the state's mostly rural small-school profile.
He lives on Council Crest in Southwest Portland and counts among his
best friends Class 6A standouts Dan Oekerman of Beaverton and Kyle
Thompson of Central Catholic. He's going to Stanford in the fall and
traveled to London to watch Mo Farah and Galen Rupp
at the Olympic Games last summer. And unlike any other athlete in the Class 3A, 2A, 1A meet, Obletz
competed this spring at the biggest meets: Oregon Relays, Centennial and
the Jesuit Twilight meet.
"I really want to thank my school for that because they were able to
put me in a position to run (in those meets)," Obletz said. Obletz will
try to double back and win the 1,500 meters Friday, so in the 3,000 he
was content to run behind Creswell's Zach
Bellew and bide his time. It came with 600 meters left, when Obletz switched gears and pulled
away for a seven-second win in 8:59.85. Obletz has run 8:43.44 --
seventh-fastest among all classes this spring.
"We were going out there day by day and see what happens," Obletz said. "I just wanted to have fun today."
Elsewhere, Jordan Pelley of Santiam Christian won a tiebreaking
jump-off with Rogue River's Seth Gretz in the pole vault. They both
cleared 13-3 but then both missed at 13-6. So they each took another
attempt at 13-3. Pelley made it and Gretz missed
Published Jan 01, 0001
The UO men have put themselves in the conversation in recent weeks.
The Oregon Ducks begin their quest for a sweep of the NCAA Track & Field Championships today in Austin, Texas. The Ducks are at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds at Texas' Mike A. Myers Stadium, a three-day meet that serves as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships. The UO women have been second nationally outdoors for four consecutive seasons. They have been a mission to break through and win their first national outdoor title since 1985 since workouts began in the fall. The talk only intensified after the Ducks won the NCAA women's cross country and indoor track & field titles. That put them in position to become the first women's program in history for a triple crown -- NCAA titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track in the same academic year. The UO men began the season with a lower profile, but have begun edging their way into the conversation about the outdoor title in recent weeks. They have some punch in the field that the women's team doesn't, with throwers Sam Crouser and Greg Skipper, and still have plenty of point potential on the track with Mike Berry, Johnathan Cabral, Elijah Greer, Mac Fleet and Parker Stinson, among others. Decathlete Dakotah Keys already has qualified for the NCAA Championships. The USTFCCCA computer ranks both the UO men's team and the UO women's team third heading into the reqional qualifying meets. Track & Field News projects the UO women's team second, one point behind Kansas at the NCAA Championships. T&FN's men's projections show the Ducks tied for third with Arkansas, behind Texas A&M and Florida. It close enough on paper that with a few breaks and the home track advantage, a sweep is within the realm of possibility. I profiled Greer for this morning's Oregonian. Oregon's 800-meter specialst has jettisoned self doubt this year, and is walking, talking and running like a champion. His attitude is typical on a UO men's team that suddenly has pushed its way into contention. Now, the Ducks have to make good on that possibility by getting their potential NCAA scorers through the regional. OK, more links: Tortuous road to the NCAA Championships begins today in Austin for the Ducks. Injuries behind him, a healthy Ryan Crouser is calling the shots. Sara Almen and Kinsey Gomez will represent Oregon State at the NCAA West Regional. UCLA hurdler Turquoise Thompson's talent runs in the family. Quick facts about the NCAA West Regional track meet. The USTFCCCA's overview of the NCAA Regional meets. The Pac-12's overview of the NCAA West Regional. Seniors lead the Portland State women's distance crew to one of the best seasons in the history of the program. At the OSAA Class 5A state championships, everybody is chasing Summit. Scott Bush catches up with breakthrough, mid-distance runner Eric Sowinski for RunnerSpace.com. Sanya Richards-Ross on her new reality show: "I always thought my family was made for TV." The Superfan men's world power rankings, Adidas Grand Prix edition. There will a comeback theme percolating through the Adidas Grand Prix. Tender hamstring causes Aries Merritt to withdraw from the Adidas Grand Prix. South African Olympic Committee cuts funding for Oscar Pistorius and Caster Semenya. Semenya reportedly isn't training and might sit out this season. The caffeinated Flotrack guys recap a busy weekend in Run Junkie, with some props for Mary Cain, Nick Symmonds and Treniere Moser, among others. Kevin Liao's U.S. power rankings for mid-distance and distance events. The Concordia Cavaliers head to the NAIA Championships. Paul Merca: It's "go time" for Seattle Pacific heptathlete Ali Worthen, the former Marshfield star. Four Western Oregon javelin throwers will compete in the NCAA Division II Championships. Track & Field News' comprehensive lists for 2013. The links package from LetsRun.com. The links package from Track & Field News. Runner's World's daily wrap of racing news. The USTFCCCA Daily roundup. The links from Duck Sports Now. The links from Addicted to Quack. 
Oregon mid-distance threat Elijah Greer Molalla's Claire Thomas
-- Ken Goe
