Oregon’s top high school boys track and field athletes: Meet the state’s best sprinters
By René Ferrán
We’re highlighting many of the state's top returning high school track and field athletes.
Our second list focuses on the boys sprinters and hurdlers. Here are some of Oregon’s best in the 100, 200, 400, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
There are hundreds of great athletes in the state, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know about any athletes you think should be added!
Finn Quinn (McDaniel) photo by Taylor Balkom
—
Adam Maxwell, Sr., West Linn
Personal bests: 110-meter hurdles, 14.93 seconds; 300 hurdles, 38.93; High jump, 6 feet, 7 inches
Maxwell first arrived on the scene as a high jumper, finishing sixth as a freshman at the Class 6A state meet. Last spring, the University of Montana commit not only won the state title in the high jump, but he emerged as a hurdler, finishing second in the 300s and third in the 110s. “He is a very explosive athlete,” Lions coach Joe Cerny said. “He could do any event if we asked him to.”
Aidan Kindt, Sr., Mazama
Personal bests: 100, 10.95; 200, 22.22; Long jump, 20-6
Kindt took fifth at the Class 4A state meet in the 200 as a freshman and ran a leg on the champion 4x100 relay team. Last spring, he anchored the 4x100 to another state title and placed eighth in the 100 and 200.
Andrew Walker, Jr., South Medford
Personal bests: 100, 10.74; 200, 21.56
Walker didn’t compete in track until last spring, when he finished the season with a second-place finish in the 200 and a third in the 100 at the Southern Oregon championships. He’s come out of the blocks flying this season, running his personal bests at the Crater Twilight. “Andrew has embraced the dedication it takes to be a top sprinter, working hard at it since football concluded,” coach David Kirkpatrick said. “Every time he has a breakthrough with his block start or sprinting technique, he will jump and yell and hoop and holler. He gets really excited when he feels it all coming together.”
Anthony Popa, Jr., Delphian
Personal bests: 100, 11.17; 200, 22.57
Popa will look to defend his Class 2A state title in the 200, when he broke 23 seconds for the first time, while also hoping to improve upon his runner-up finish in the 100.
Asher Johnson, Sr., South Medford
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.78; 300 hurdles, 42.36
Once Johnson wakes up from his pre-practice nap with his dog, he gets right to work becoming one of the state’s top hurdlers. He finished third in the 110 highs at the Southern Oregon district meet last May, then opened this season by chopping two seconds off his personal best in the 300 hurdles at the Crater Twilight. “Asher is pure explosion and strength, the prime example of the athlete the coach needs to ‘hold back’ at times because he works so hard and challenges himself so much,” Panthers coach David Kirkpatrick said. “He loves hurdling more than anyone I know.”
Austin Stampflee, Jr., Glencoe
Personal bests: 100, 11.07; 200, 22.28; Long jump, 21-7½
Stampflee took home three medals from the Class 6A state championships, finishing sixth in the 100 and anchoring the 4x100 (third) and 4x400 (seventh) relays. He long jumped once last spring but was among the top 10 underclassmen — watch for him to jump more often this spring.
Blake Burby, Sr., Lake Oswego
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 16.17; 300 hurdles, 40.98
Burby came on during the second half of last season, culminating with a sixth-place finish in the 300 hurdles at the 6A state meet. He is also a talented skateboarder who is more of the strong, silent type of performer. “Last year, I think I heard Blake say about 10 words,” Lakers coach Vince Kinney said. “I don’t think I have ever seen him mad or have a frown on his face. He is very coachable and always has a positive attitude.”
Brandon Gailey, Sr., Mazama
Personal bests: 100, 11.05; 200, 23.15
Gailey’s freshman season was cut short following the Grants Pass Invitational, and his sophomore season never got off the ground. He made up for lost time last spring, running a leg on the Vikings’ state-champion 4x100 relay and finishing second in the 100 at the 4A meet.
Caden McIlhenny, Sr., Grant
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.28; 300 hurdles, 41.03
As a junior, McIlhenney posted runner-up finishes in both hurdles races at the PIL district meet, then followed by medaling in both at the 6A state meet — fourth in the highs and seventh in the intermediates.
Charles Anderson, Sr., Roseburg
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.77; 300 hurdles, 42.03
Anderson, who enjoys rockhounding along the Oregon Coast for agates and jasper, made his mark on the track last spring with a fourth-place finish in the 110 highs at the Southern Oregon championships and a third in the 300s. Coach Gwen Bartlett called Anderson “an incredible role model on and off the track. Many of his peers look up to him and respect his efforts and personality.”
Chase Limbocker, Sr., Sunset
Personal bests: 300 hurdles, 39.92
Last spring, Limbocker won the Metro district title in the 300 hurdles and led off the victorious 4x400 relay. Three days later, he went to the 6A state meet and took third in the intermediates.
David Thomas, Sr., Beaverton
Personal bests: 200, 23.20; 400, 50.37; Long jump, 20-8¼
Thomas spent much of his childhood in Mexico before moving to Beaverton in time for high school. He turned out for track for the first time last spring and finished with a bang, placing second in the 200 and 400 at the Metro district meet and taking fifth in the 400 at the 6A state meet.
Draven Wilborn, Sr., South Albany
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 16.21; 300 hurdles, 42.01
As a junior, Wilborn went undefeated in the 110 hurdles during the regular season and finished first or second in the 300s at every meet until 5A state, where he took sixth in the highs and fourth in the intermediates.
Finn Quinn, Jr., McDaniel
Personal bests: 100, 11.22; 200, 22.47; 400, 49.51
Quinn emerged as one of the top sprinters during the spring season, winning the PIL district title in the 200 and finishing second at the 6A state meet in the 200 and 400.
Gavin Cougle, Sr., St. Mary’s (Medford)
Personal bests: 100, 10.74; 200, 21.84
Cougle more than held his own against big-school competition last spring, placing fourth in the 100 and 200 at the Southern Oregon championships. This year, he’ll be among the favorites at the 3A state meet. He cut more than a half-second off his personal bests in the 100 and 200 at the Medford Rotary Relays.
Jaxon Pullen, Sr., The Dalles
Personal bests: 100, 11.22; 200, 23.08; Long jump, 21-3½; Triple jump, 40-1¾
Pullen is one of the school’s top three-sport athletes and had a fabulous end to his junior track season, winning Intermountain district titles in the 100 and 200 and placing second in both sprints at the 5A state meet. He added a seventh at state in the long jump.
Jeremiah Schwartz, Jr., Ridgeview
Personal bests: 400, 51.11; Long jump, 21-4
Schwartz capped his sophomore season by shaving more than a second off his personal best to win the Class 5A state title in the 400 at Wilsonville High School. He also anchored the 4x100 to victory at the Intermountain district meet. He earned all-IMC honors in football (as a receiver) and basketball.
Kaiden Krieger, Sr., Powder Valley
Personal bests: 200, 23.69; 300 hurdles, 41.75; High jump, 5-10
Krieger kicked off his career with a third-place finish at the OSAA 1A state meet in the 300 hurdles and a seventh in the high jump. Two years later, he again medaled in both events — second in the 300s, third in the high jump — and added a runner-up finish in the 200 at 1A state to help the Badgers win the team title at Eastern Oregon University.
KJ Johnson-Gibson, Sr., Clackamas
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.75
Johnson-Gibson’s future lies on the football field, where he was a two-way standout for the Cavaliers, but he’s shown off his versatility on the track this spring after qualifying for the 6A state meet in the 110 hurdles last season. He ran a personal best in the highs at the season’s first meet in mid-March.
Kyron Albright, Sr., Beaverton
Personal bests: 100, 11.03; 200, 23.05
Albright finished second at the Metro district meet in the 100 and fourth in the 200 last season. He showed off his elite speed during football season, when he returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and earned a scholarship to Western Oregon. He’d like to cap his high school career by winning a first state medal after failing to reach the finals at May’s 6A meet.
Landyn Dupper, Sr., Roseburg
Personal bests: 100, 10.86; 200, 22.20; Long jump, 20-11
Dupper emerged as one of the state’s top sprinters last spring, when he shaved more than four-tenths of a second off his personal best in the 100, won the Southern Oregon district title and placed third at the Golden West Invitational in Sacramento, Calif. He signed with Western Oregon for football in February and ran a personal-best 100 at the Medford Rotary Relays on April 2. “His determination and motivation to continue preparing postseason was exceptional,” coach Gwen Bartlett said. “He’s a quiet young man with a great sense of humor.”
Malcolm Boyd, Sr., Summit
Personal bests: 100, 11.24; 200, 22.55; 400, 49.74
Boyd made the finals in all three sprints at last spring’s Class 6A state meet, finishing sixth in the 400 (his strongest event), seventh in the 100 and eighth in the 200. He ran a personal best in the 400 at the Nike Chandler Rotary in Arizona this spring. “He’s one of the strongest sprinters we’ve ever had,” Storm coach Dave Turnbull said. “His strength serves him well in the 400. The school record is going down soon.”
Micah Perry, Jr., Barlow
Personal bests: 100, 11.13; 110 hurdles, 14.41; Long jump, 21-6
Perry might want to try every event on the schedule, but he’s settled on three that suit him quite well. He won Mt. Hood district and 6A state titles in the 110 hurdles last spring, and he placed fourth at state in the long jump. Over the summer, he won USATF state titles in the 200 and 110 hurdles. Bruins coach Scott Jones said he’s “not sure anything really fazes him. The stage never seems too big. I personally don’t think there is a better hurdler in the state.”
Nathan Fields, Sr., Churchill
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.53; 300 hurdles, 40.10; Long jump, 20-10; Triple jump, 45-9
Fields had a banner junior season, winning a 5A state title in the triple jump while adding a second-place medal in the 300 hurdles and a third-place medal in the 110 highs.
Nathan Rider, Sr., North Medford
Personal bests: 100, 10.69; 200, 21.87
Rider’s name might not be well-known outside Southern Oregon, but after winning a regional title in the 200 (with the state’s top time among nonseniors last spring) and taking second in the 100, he finished fourth in the 200 at the Golden West Invitational. He then ran a personal best to win the 83rd Medford Rotary Relays title in the 100. The Sacramento State signee will be among the contenders at the 6A meet at Hayward Field next month. “I am excited to add Nathan to our talented group of sprinters,” Hornets coach Kenny McDaniel said upon Rider’s signing in November. “He’s the type of sprinter who has a huge range. His overall development is raw, which is the most exciting element to Nathan’s skill set.”
Noah Nelson, Sr., Ida B. Wells
Personal bests: 400, 50.56, 800 1:58.07
Nelson, the 160-pound PIL district champion in wrestling this winter, now hopes to continue his development as one of the league’s top middle-distance runners. He qualified for the 6A state meet in the 400 after placing fourth at the PIL district meet in the 800 last May. He also anchored the Guardians’ fourth-place 4x400 relay at the state meet. “Nobody competes like Noah in the anchor of the 4x400,” coach Thor Esbensen said. “He loves the thrill of the final lap.”
Noah Ogoli, Sr., Tualatin
Personal bests: 100, 11.44; 200, 23.21; 400, 50.87
Fresh off leading the Timberwolves boys basketball team to its first Class 6A state title, Ogoli looks to finish his high school career by helping the Timberwolves reclaim the OSAA state title they won in 2019. He placed third at the Three Rivers district meet in the 200 as a junior and second in the 400.
Nolan Malcomson, Sr., Ida B. Wells
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 14.72; 300 hurdles, 38.49; Long jump, 20-3
Malcomson has been among the state’s best hurdlers since his freshman year, when he placed sixth in the 110 hurdles at the 6A state meet. Two years later, he went undefeated in the 300 hurdles, capping his season with a 6A title, and he led off the victorious 4x100 relay and placed second in the 110 hurdles. He’s less than a second off the school record in the 300 hurdles, chasing the mark set by his coach, Sol Sallos, in 1990. “It is great to see athletes chase their coaches’ records,” said head coach Thor Esbensen. “Nolan is as calm, cool and collected as it gets when it comes to competition. We have never had an athlete so at peace before competing. He loves it.”
Ryan Talbot, Sr., Harper
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.10; 300 hurdles, 42.92; Pole vault, 14-6
Talbot won an OSAA 1A state title in the 110 hurdles as a freshman, then came back last spring to finish second in the event. In the meantime, he picked up the pole vault and could win an unusual double title at Hayward Field next month — not since Austin McNichols of Lowell (1A) and Liam Hemshaw of Marist Catholic (5A) in 2014 has anyone won the high hurdles and pole vault titles in the same year at an OSAA state meet.
Savien Burk, Sr., Mazama
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 16.33; 300 hurdles, 41.89
Burk won the Skyline district title in the 300 hurdles and placed second at the 4A state meet last May while also taking sixth in the 110 hurdles. He opened this season by winning the 300 hurdles title at the 83rd Medford Rotary Relays.
Stryder Todd-Fields, Sr., Central Catholic
Personal bests: 100, 11.00; 200, 22.39
Todd-Fields didn’t turn out for track until last spring, when he showed off the blazing speed he’d displayed on the football field for the Rams for three years. By the end of the six-week season, he’d won a Mt. Hood district title in the 100, placed fourth at the 6A state meet and led off the state-champion 4x400 relay. He’s off to a strong start to his final season, winning the 100 at the Grizzly Bear Open in a personal-best time and the 200 at the Laker Classic. “We saw great potential from the shortened season, and he has shown great maturity and leadership in his second year on the team,” said Rams coach Robyn McGillis.
Tanner Crosswhite, Sr., Thurston
Personal bests: 200, 22.60; 400, 51.50; Long jump, 20-8
Crosswhite enjoyed a fabulous finish to his junior season, winning four Eugene City Championships titles — in the 200 and 400 and as anchor to the Colts’ victorious 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Tyce Chaney, Sr., West Salem
Personal bests: 100, 11.31; 200, 22.43; 400, 49.36
Chaney didn’t get much of a chance to show off his talents during his COVID-abbreviated junior season, but he showed enough at all-comers meets during the summer to attract the attention of Abilene Christian, where he recently signed a letter of intent. “He has prepped all winter for this season,” Titans coach Erich Herber said. “He will be a state contender in the 400 and 200.”
Tyler Bradley, Sr., Lakeridge
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 15.44; 300 hurdles, 39.85
As a freshman, Bradley won the Three Rivers JV district title in the 110 hurdles. Two years later, he was runner-up in both hurdles races at the TRL district meet, then finished fourth at the 6A state meet in the 300s and fifth in the 110s. In his first meet this spring, he won the 110 hurdles title at the Grizzly Bear Open, running a personal best in doing so.
Vincent Senn, Sr., Ashland
Personal bests: 200, 22.95; 400, 51.40; 800, 2:00.49
Senn started his high school career as a middle-distance standout, making the Midwestern district final in the 800 as a freshman. As he has matured, he’s gravitated to shorter races. Last spring, he placed third at the 5A state meet in the 400, and this season, he’s broken 23 seconds in the 200.
Xavier Simpson, Sr., Central Catholic
Personal bests: 100, 10.84; 200, 22.24
Simpson was a football-track standout to begin his high school career, playing receiver for the Rams and winning three Mt. Hood district track titles as a freshman — the 200, where he was sixth at the 6A state meet, and as anchor of the 4x100 and 4x400 (fourth at state). Last spring, he finished second at state in the 100 and fourth at the West Coast AAU Junior Olympics in Las Vegas, and this school year, he dropped football to focus on track.
Zachary Larson, Sr., Lakeridge
Personal bests: 400, 51.43; 300 hurdles, 41.59
Larson is better known for his prowess on the football field, where he was a first-team all-Three Rivers cornerback, but he also made great strides on the track last spring. He reached the 6A state final in the 300 hurdles, placing eighth, and anchored the TRL district-champion 4x400 relay.
