EUGENE – On Friday's 50th anniversary of Steve Prefontaine's death, Crater's Tayvon Kitchen paid tribute by channeling the competitive spirit of the distance-running legend at Hayward Field.
Kitchen already had set the state record in the 3,000 meters this season, but he found some extra motivation to do more on the first day of the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 5A track and field championships.
“I just wanted to go out there and embody Pre,” Kitchen said. “Go from the front, go hard like he did.”
Kitchen bolted to the front and kept the pedal down to blow away the field, finishing in 7 minutes, 58.92 seconds. The time not only broke his own state record of 8:01.56, but it moved him up to No. 2 in the national record book, behind only Drew Griffith of Butler, Penn. (7:58.66 in 2024).
Considering Griffith's time came en route during a two-mile race, Kitchen's performance is the best ever for a 3,000. Kitchen reflected on his achievement, saying he was “standing on the shoulders of the giants” who came before him, from Prefontaine to his former Crater teammate, Tyrone Gorze.
“Other people have come to the state meet and pushed things hard,” said the Brigham Young-bound Kitchen, who won state cross country titles the last two years. “So it's not just me, there's a lot of people who have done really impressive things in the Oregon state meet.”
Urged by the crowd, which sensed history in the making, Kitchen dug deep to break the eight-minute barrier despite running far ahead of the runner-up, Caldera junior Mason Morical (8:20.42).
“Oh my goodness, people were so loud,” Kitchen said. “It was incredible, really. The crowd was getting very hype. It was a lot of fun. I could just hear people screaming as I was running those last few laps. It was awesome.”
Kitchen admitted it was a bit risky to start so fast. He said he was “lactic” on the final lap, but he was able to push through.
“On the start line, I felt like I could feel this, like Pre almost, I've just got to take it from the gun and go,” Kitchen said. “I took it out a little fast. I wasn't holding back. It still went well. I'm happy that I went out that hard.”'
Kitchen nearly matched his indoor best of 7:55.48.
“I wanted to maybe PR today, but I knew I'd be stretching it to go solo,” he said.
That's because senior teammate Josiah Tostenson, who set the state record in the 1,500 this season, did not run in the 3,000. Tostenson will compete in the 800 and 1,500 finals Saturday.
“It's harder without him,” said Kitchen, who will race against Tostenson in the 1,500. “When we have each other, we can work together. When we're alone, we kind of have to do our own thing. But he's super dialed for the 800 and 1,500. I can't wait to see what he does.
“We might not be racing together, but we're still cheering for each other, and with each other in heart.”
Crater coach Justin Loftus is eager to see how Saturday plays out.
“They definitely feed off each other,” Loftus said. “They both do well going solo, too. So we'll see how that goes in the next two days. The season's been so amazing so far. They feed off whatever history is out there, and they love it.”
Also in the 5A meet Friday, Central senior Gabriel Haines captured titles in the discus (156-5) and shot (52-2 ¾). Last year, Haines was third in the shot and sixth in the discus.
Parkrose senior De'Vontae Hillman took the long jump at 22-1 ½.
6A
In the 6A meet, Sherwood senior Dylan Weniger won a hotly contested 3,000 in 8:21.17 shortly after Kitchen had thrilled the crowd with his record run.
“We were so curious in the tunnel,” Weniger said. “We really didn't see a time until we came out to the track. We saw sub-eight, and we were like, 'Wow.' I knew we weren't going to do that.”
The title capped a brilliant season for Weniger, who had the No. 3 time in the state behind Kitchen and Tostenson. He said his season turned after he finished seventh in the 3,000 at the Oregon Relays in early April.
“I didn't feel 100 percent prepared, and for some reason, late night, flashing lights, I was really overwhelmed and didn't have the race I wanted," he said. "That was like a precedent for my season. I learned a lot from that.”
He said running 8:14.39 at district gave him a shot of confidence entering state.
“I knew if it was tactical, if I was there with 400 to go, I knew I could take it,” he said.
Jefferson junior EJ Cozart Jr. was a surprise winner in the long jump, coming through with the go-ahead leap of 22-11 ¼ on his fifth attempt.
“I felt myself in the air for a long time,” Cozart said.
Cozart said he had something to prove after last year, when he had the best mark in the Portland Interscholastic League but took sixth in the district meet and failed to qualify for state.
On Friday, he had just enough to beat senior Eli Forsha of Sheldon, who jumped 22-10 ½. Central Catholic junior Joseph Donnelly, the state leader this season, placed third at 22-7.
Lincoln senior Brady Holland was hopeful to sweep the shot and discus, but after winning the shot, he settled for third place in the discus.
His throw in the shot of 56-10 fell short of his personal best of 58-0 from the district meet.
“I was hoping to get 60,” Holland said. “I still have nationals. But it's going to be sad not representing Lincoln anymore.”
Holland's mark in the discus was 154-6, behind sophomore teammate Greyson Murff, who won with a throw of 156-4. McNary sophomore Derek Olivo (155-0) was second.
4A
Cottage Grove senior Carter Bengtson, the two-time cross country champion, claimed the 3,000 for the first time.
Bengtson set a 4A meet record by finishing in 8:26.40, winning by 19 seconds. The previous meet record was 8:31.08 (Alexander Garcia-Silver, Marshfield, 2023).
Crook County senior Eli Oelkers and Junction City junior Kaleb Moore repeated their titles in the long jump and shot, respectively.
Oelkers jumped 22-7 ¼, 11 inches off his personal best. Moore won with a throw of 57-8 ½, overcoming the La Grande duo of junior Bekham Hibbert (53-9) and sophomore Brogan Hedgepeth (53-6 ½).
In the discus, Cascade senior Liam Brewer (176-2) won a duel with La Grande's Hedgepeth (175-5). In the pole vault, The Dalles senior Julian Morehouse (14-7 ½) narrowly defeated Henley sophomore Jesse Smith (14-4 ¾).
Girls
6A
Lakeridge senior Chloe Huyler, who set the 6A cross country record in the fall, repeated as champion in the 3,000. Huyler clocked 9:25.01 to win by more than 24 seconds.
“It means a lot,” the Notre Dame-bound Huyler said. “This is my senior year, and I just wanted to come here and really enjoy every single moment. I think I did that throughout this race.
Huyler ran 9:17.85 this season, the No. 2 time in state history behind Lake Oswego's Kate Peters (9:15.14 in 2022). Peters' time was a split during a two-mile race.
“I'd really like to officially break the state record,” Huyler said. “I think I was really close a couple weeks ago. So maybe in like a real competitive race, like Brooks, I think that's definitely doable.”
Huyler will go for a double in Saturday's 1,500, where she will face the reigning champion, Lincoln sophomore Ellery Lincoln.
“That's definitely the race I was looking forward to the most,” Huyler said. “So to get this done today, and really focus on tomorrow, I'm really excited.”
Also successfully defending their titles were West Linn senior Hayden Williams-Downing (javelin) and Nelson junior Kinsley Juliano (pole vault). Williams-Downing threw 152-0 and Juliano vaulted a personal-best 12-8 ¼.
Westview junior Saskia Dorf was the winner in the long jump (18-5).
5A
Crescent Valley senior Emily Wisniewski, who in the fall became the first Oregon girl to win four cross country titles, picked up her fourth championship in the 3,000.
The road to the fourth title was rough, however, as Wisniewski struggled with shin soreness and low iron this season.
“At one point, when I took time off, I thought I was just going to have to wait until Nike Outdoor to go,” she said. “It's been a little battle, but I'm happy just to be out here.”
Wisniewski's winning time of 9:39.35 was off her PR of 9:28.52, set in 2023.
“I was a little disappointed,” said Wisniewski, who has signed with North Carolina State. “I didn't really feel like I was hoping to feel out there. But I'm just happy to get the title.”
Churchill junior Addison Kleinke, the two-time reigning champion and state record-holder in the pole vault, showed her versatility by winning the long jump.
Kleinke leaped 18-5, off her PR of 19-0 ½, but good enough to beat Caldera sophomore James Heinly (17-8).
“It's been meshing really well with the pole vault, so it's all pretty natural,” Kleinke said. “My speed is definitely helping.
“They feel mentally very different. Because I'm so used to being on a pole vault runway, I kind of feel like a veteran over at pole vault and a newbie at long jump.”
Kleinke said winning a title in a second event is “really rewarding.”
“There's been a lot of hard work, a lot of frustrations,” she said. “Long jump isn't as consistent as pole vault because there's a specific mark you have to hit, so that's been a big struggle for me.”
Centennial junior Alana Allen won the high jump (5-4 ½) and Wilsonville senior Amina Redford won the javelin (146-10).
4A
La Grande senior Cecilia Villagomez-Edvalson won the 4A title in the 3,000, beating her teammate, junior Brooke Perry, the two-time reigning champion.
Villagomez-Edvalson ran 10:07.72 and Perry finished in 10:12.37, both personal bests.
In cross country, Villagomez-Edvalson won the state title in 2023 and Perry was champion in 2024.
“It's definitely hard because we're such close friends,” Villagomez-Edvalson said. “But we kind of make an agreement, like no matter what, we're not going to go easy with each other on the track.
“We're pretty close. I think it's special. My mom tells me all the time, she enjoys seeing us be so competitive on the track but remain so close off the track. Because Brooke is like a little sister to me.”
Philomath got titles from seniors Janice Hellesto (long jump) and Anneka Steen (high jump). Hellesto jumped a personal-best 18-6.
North Bend senior Drew Hood won the javelin (133-9).
jerryu@osaa.org
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