Charlie North (8:19.30), James Crabtree (8:19.63) Shows Signs Of What's To Come In Oregon

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Kim Spir

SHERWOOD, Ore. -- Charlie North wandered the infield wrapped in layers of quilted clothing like an Arctic explorer 90 minutes ahead of his appointed 3,000-meter clash with James Crabtree at the Sherwood Need For Speed Invitational. 

The wind was whipping from the west and the temperatures were in the mid-40s. 

The 'need for speed' was an open question. 

But as the featured race drew near, thankfully, the winds died down a bit. The race got off to a quick 64-second first lap and North, of Portland's Franklin High, and Crabtree, running on his home track, competed with everything they had. 

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As swams of athletes and coaches ran back and forth across the infield to cheer, the intensity of a big race picked up. 

Crabtree had the inside track on the final lap and made North work on his right shoulder as the pair ran side by side down the backstretch and around the final turn. 

"With 150 left, I will admit, I was getting a little nervous," North said. "I felt like I was red-lining there. Maybe I surprised myself with how much I actually had left."

North was able to outsprint Crabtree and win the race in 8:19.30, the fastest 3,000-meter race in the country so far this spring. Crabtree was next in 8:19.63 and Lincoln's Aiden Smith was near with a big PR of 8:23.03. Kai Mitchell-Reiss of Ida B. Wells was fourth in 8:24.82. 

It's shaping up to be a big spring for high school distance racing in Oregon. (The Oregon records in the girls mile and 2-mile both fell Saturday night at Arcadia). 

There are may be a half dozen or more boys in the state that are aiming to run under 8:20 for 3,000 meters, or even faster. 

Nine boys in the state have already run 8:30 or better, which is unprecedented in Oregon. (Michael Maiorano's sixth-place finish at Arcadia in 8:46.92 is one of the fastest in state history in the 3,200/2m).

For North and Crabtree, this was the first big test with more to come. 

"I was super happy that this 3K was going to be loaded with good guys," Crabtree said. "I was happy to be able to run fast on my home track."

Franklin's Kaiya Robertson, an Eastbay Cross Country Championships qualifier like North, ran a personal-best 4:29.17 to win the 1,500 meters. 

Crescent Valley freshman Emily Wisniewski flew by Lincoln senior Kendall York to win the girls 3,000 meters in 10:01.65 in her first crack at the distance in high school. 

Lincoln twins Enrico Ganz and Antony Ganz dominated the sprints and powered the Cardinals to wins in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Enrico won the 400 (50.50) and 200 (22.37) and was part of both relay wins. Antony won the 100 in 10.89, placed second in the 200 and was on the 4x100 relay. 

Lincoln also swept the team titles, with the boys scoring 101.5 points and the girls 96. 

Roosevelt freshman Ellie Heslam ran a personal-best 56.77 to win the 400 meters in windy conditions.