Strong effort falls short for OSD track athlete

From: Salem Statesman Journal, OR - May 25, 2003

Jon Myers of the Panthers takes third in the 100 and the 200.

BILL POEHLER
Statesman Journal

MONMOUTH — Oregon School for the Deaf has waited a long spell for a boys state track and field championship.

The Panthers will have to wait a little longer.

Senior Jon Myers had the best chance of bringing the school a state title, but fell just short by finishing third in two events at Saturday's Class 1A state track and field championships at Western Oregon University.

Oregon School for the Deaf's only boys event championship came in 1965 when a relay team won the 880-yard relay in a time of 1:35. Bryan Griffin came close, finishing second in the 100 two years ago.

Myers was one of the favorites for the state meet in the 100, 200 and long jump.

In the long jump he scratched on all three of his preliminary attempts and missed the finals.

"That's all I have left," Myers said through interpreter Alan Yankus, the school's track coach. "The long jump, scratch, scratch, throw it out. Now I'm focusing on what's ahead and do my best."

Myers was third in the 100 and 200 with times of 11.91 and 23.61.

"Jon ran really well in the 100 and 200 and placed about where we thought," Yankus said.

Myers also ran on the 400 relay team — including Matt Schindel, James VanWormer and Tyler Schindel — that finished sixth with a 46.98 time.

North Clackamas Christian won the boys team title with 79 points. Wallowa won the girls team title with 60 points.

St. Paul, which won five of the first 10 state girls titles, finished 10th in the team standings.

Junior Melissa Vachter finished second in the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.92 and third in the 300 hurdles with a time of 51.09.

St. Paul's 400 relay team, which included Vachter, Crystal Krahmer, Jordan Murphy and Kimmie Ernst, finished fourth with a 53.7 time.

Copyright 2003 Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon