Oregon’s top high school girls track and field athletes: Meet the state’s best jumpers
By René Ferrán
We’re highlighting many of the state's top returning high school track and field athletes.
Our third list focuses on the girls jumpers. Here are some of Oregon’s best in the long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault.
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!
Kyra Bakke (Tualatin) photo by Taylor Balkom
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Addy Braun, Sr., Sunset
Personal bests: Pole vault, 11-0
The Apollos have produced several standout pole vaulters over the past few years, and Braun is the latest of the bunch. She placed second at the Metro district meet and third at the 6A state meet last spring, and she won the Laker Classic on April 1.
Amariah Clay, Sr., Beaverton
Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 15.93; Long jump, 16-5; Triple jump, 34-8
As Beavers coach D’onte Claypool noted, Clay was born ready to compete — her mom was a college basketball player who became pregnant with Amariah during the season. Last spring, Clay finished sixth in the 100 hurdles at the 6A state meet, but she had a disappointing end to her season in the jumps, leaving her plenty of incentive for this spring. She plans to run for Willamette University.
Anika Sukumar, Jr., West Linn
Personal bests: Long jump, 18-7; Triple jump, 38-5¾
Sukumar made the state’s all-time top-50 lists in both of her specialties at last year’s 6A state championships, winning the title in the triple jump and placing second in the long jump. She also ran legs on the 4x100 (third at state) and 4x400 (fifth). “Anika is a technician when doing her events,” Lions coach Joe Cerny said. “She is very precise in her approach to training and competition.”
Anya Shockley, Sr., Sisters
Personal bests: High jump, 5-3; Long jump, 15-10; Triple jump, 33-7
As a junior, Shockley finished second in the high jump and long jump at the Oregon West district meet and placed sixth in the high jump at the 4A state championships a week later.
Autumn Murray, Jr., Cascade Christian
Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 17.06; 300 hurdles, 50.26; Long jump, 17-3
Murray made a big leap in the final two weeks of her first high school season last spring, adding more than a foot to her personal best in the long jump and finishing second at the 3A state championships. This spring, she’s won titles at the Medford Rotary Relays and Jim Robinson Twilight.
Ava Carry-McDonald, Sr., Summit
Personal bests: Long jump, 18-2; Triple jump, 37-2
In the final month of her junior season, Carry-McDonald went from a 32-foot triple jumper to a 37-footer at a three-team Central Oregon meet. She added a title at the Grants Pass Rotary Invite and a fourth-place finish at the 6A state championships. The Northeastern commit and daughter of Summit principal Michael McDonald now hopes to make a similar jump in the long jump — she took second at the Chandler Rotary in Arizona last month. “Ava is like a second daughter to me,” Storm coach David Turnbull said. “She has been with our program for a long time. She knows Summit and what we do better than anyone. I expect big things for her.”
Breanna Raven, Jr., Thurston
Personal bests: 400, 59.52; 800, 2:24.92; Long jump, 18-2; Triple jump, 33-8
Raven won the Eugene City championships last spring in the long jump, completing a season in which she started as a 14-foot jumper and finished in the 18s. She added the triple jump this spring and has gone over 33 feet.
Caroline De la Motte, So., Wilsonville
Personal bests: Long jump, 16-9¼; Triple jump, 34-9
De la Motte finished first or second in the triple jump at every meet last spring, including a runner-up finish at the 5A state championships. She has improved her personal best in the long jump twice this spring.
Dakota Webb-Hawkins, Sr., Lake Oswego
Personal bests: 100, 12.97; Long jump, 16-8; Triple jump, 35-10¾
Webb-Hawkins finished fifth in the triple jump at the OSAA 5A state meet as a freshman at Putnam before transferring to Lake Oswego the summer before her junior year. Last spring for the Lakers, she medaled at the 6A state meet in the long jump (seventh) and triple jump (eighth). She plans to work in the political world one day, and coach Vince Kinney said, “Her passion for making the world a better place radiates from her. Dakota is always positive and always has a smile on her face.”
Delaney Neal, Sr., Clackamas
Personal bests: High jump, 5-2; Long jump, 15-3½
As a junior, Neal finished second at the Mt. Hood district meet in the high jump and placed eighth at the 6A state championships.
DeShanae Norman, Sr., Clackamas
Personal bests: 400, 59.80; 100 hurdles, 15.21; 300 hurdles, 46.33; High jump, 5-10; Long jump, 19-0
Norman has had a well-traveled career. She was a standout freshman at Benson, where she won PIL district titles in both hurdles and the high jump and took fourth in the long jump at the 6A state meet. She transferred to Gladstone and competed for the Gladiators last spring, becoming the ninth Oregon girl to clear 5-10 in the high jump when she won the Tri-Valley district title. She won 4A state titles in the high hurdles and long jump (she was third in the high jump). Now, she’s at Clackamas, looking to make her mark with the Cavaliers before becoming a heptathlete in college.
Elizabeth Grandle, Sr., Molalla
Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 16.13; High jump, 5-4¼; Long jump, 16-8
Grandle hopes to be a heptathlete in college. She won the Summit Heptathlon title last month while clearing a career best in the high jump. That follows a runner-up finish at the 4A state meet last spring to go with a sixth in the high hurdles and an eighth in the long jump.
Emma Gates, Sr., Cascade
Personal bests: 100, 12.30; 200, 25.35; 400, 59.50; High jump, 5-11; Long jump, 17-2
Gates became the fifth girl in state history to go over 5-11 in the high jump last April at an Oregon West dual meet. She went on to win the 4A state title for the second time — her first was at the OSAA meet as a freshman — and ran the third leg on the title-winning 4x400 relay. She also won OWC district titles in the 100 and 200 before placing second in the 200 and third in the 100 at state. During the indoor season, she cleared 6 feet to win the Husky Invitational and placed second at the Nike Indoor Nationals. Now, she’s hoping to become the fourth Oregonian to go over 6 feet outdoors, with Rachel Proteau’s state record of 6-1 squarely in her sights before she heads to the University of Arizona.
Grace Leasure, Sr., Oregon City
Personal bests: High jump, 5-6; Triple jump, 37-10½
Leasure likely will end her track career next month, then begin her college basketball career at Seattle Pacific after leading the Pioneers to within a victory of the 6A state tournament. She’ll look to defend her Three Rivers district titles in the high and triple jumps (setting school records in each) and improve upon her third-place finish in the triple and fourth in the high at the 6A state meet. “Grace is another example of our older athletes taking on roles and providing leadership for our younger athletes after two difficult seasons,” coach Kristin Mull said.
Gracie Arnold, Sr., Cottage Grove
Personal bests: Javelin, 108-1; High jump, 5-2
Arnold won a Sky-Em district title in the high jump last spring and finished seventh at the 4A state meet (matching her finish at the OSAA state meet as a freshman) to go with an eighth-place finish in the javelin.
Hollie Lewis, Sr., Sisters
Personal bests: High jump, 5-3; Long jump, 16-8½
Lewis won the Oregon West district title in the long jump last spring, then followed with a fourth-place finish (and personal-best leap) at the 4A state meet. She tied the school record in the high jump during the season but did not compete in the event at state.
Isabella Sanderl, Jr., Summit
Personal bests: High jump, 5-5; Triple jump, 32-0
Sanderl focused on the high jump as a sophomore, going undefeated during the season — including a title at the Grants Pass Invite — and moving within one inch of the school record before finishing with a sixth-place showing at the 6A state meet. Storm coach David Turnbull has her expanding her repertoire this spring, adding the triple jump. “She’s far too good of an athlete to just be doing a single event,” he said.
Jayden Gustaveson, Sr., Redmond
Personal bests: High jump, 5-2; Triple jump, 33-4¾
Gustaveson won Intermountain JV district titles in the high and triple jumps as a freshman, then won the IMC district high jump title and took second in the triple last spring. She finished her season by medaling in both at the 5A state meet, taking third in the high jump and sixth in the triple.
Katelyn Howard, Sr., Lake Oswego
Personal bests: Pole vault, 11-9
The Lakers have boasted a strong vaulting program the past few seasons, producing last year’s 6A boys state champion and runner-up. Howard looks to join them after finishing second in the girls competition. Howard, who travels to Arizona every season to hone her craft, has improved from a 7-foot vaulter as a freshman to just three inches off the school record this spring. “She is a master at her craft, and her hard work has shown by becoming one of the better vaulters in the state,” coach Vince Kinney said.
Kyra Bakke, So., Tualatin
Personal bests: High jump, 5-6; Long jump, 16-2½
Bakke capped her freshman season by improving from a third-place finish at the Three Rivers district meet to winning the 6A state high jump title, clearing 5-5 to beat out a loaded field. She’s gone even higher this spring, moving to within an inch of the school record.
Lucy Langer, Sr., Jesuit
Personal bests: Pole vault, 10-9
Langer has not lost in a Metro League dual meet the past two seasons. She finished last spring with a third-place finish at the district meet and a fifth-place showing at the 6A state championships.
Lydia Stuart, Sr., South Salem
Personal bests: 100, 12.97; Pole vault, 11-6
Stuart has steadily improved in her specialty event, going from an 8-foot vaulter as a freshman to an 11-6 vaulter by the end of her junior year by working with her club coaches. This winter, she won the George Fox Indoor, Olinger Invite and North Salem Fieldhouse Open, clearing 12-5½ indoors.
Mackenzie Walker, Sr., St. Mary's (Medford)
Personal bests: 300 hurdles, 48.85; Pole vault, 11-6
Walker has become a consistent 11-foot vaulter, doing so in her final four meets last season — including at the 3A state meet to earn the title — and again this spring to win the Crater Twilight. She also won the Medford Rotary Relays. On the track, she placed second in the 300 hurdles at state.
Maddie Sisley, Sr., Astoria
Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 16.38; Long jump, 17-7¾; Triple jump, 34-9
Sisley won medals in three events at the 4A state meet last spring, placing third in the long and triple jumps and fourth in the high hurdles. This season, she swept the long and triple jump titles at the Mark Dean and Lower Columbia invitationals.
Madeline Obuchowski, Jr., La Salle Prep
Personal bests: Pole vault, 11-0
Obuchowski primarily focused on the pole vault her first season with the Falcons, which finished with a third-place showing at the 5A state meet. She cleared 11 feet for the first time two weeks later at a club meet. This spring, she’s added the high jump and long jump to her schedule — much to the delight of coach Mikel Rathmann. “They’re two very technical events to go along with the pole vault that is also extremely hard to master,” he said. “Just seeing her take on these three technical events really shows how detail-oriented she is. She works hard to master all the little finite details of all three.”
Maleigha Canaday-Elliott, So., McDaniel
Personal bests: 200, 26.86; High jump, 5-2; Long jump, 17-2; Triple jump, 36-4¼
Canaday-Elliott won the PIL district title in the triple jump as a freshman and placed second in the high and long jumps. She finished the season by placing sixth with a then-PR jump at the 6A state meet — a mark she improved upon in winning the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic, moving her within 18 inches of the school record. She tied the school record in the long jump with her second-place leap at the Need for Speed.
Mallory Turner, Sr., Sutherlin
Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 16.27; High jump, 5-2
Turner ran faster as a freshman, when she finished fourth at the OSAA 3A state meet in the high hurdles, but she finished atop the podium at 3A state in the high jump and high hurdles last spring.
Mia Fowler, Sr., Ida B. Wells
Personal bests: Pole vault, 11-0; Long jump, 15-4
Fowler was destined to be a pole vaulter for the Guardians. Her father, Jeff, is the team’s vaults coach, and her brother, Ben, was a two-time PIL district champion. Last spring, Mia took second at the PIL district meet and seventh at the 6A state meet, and she cleared 11 feet for the first time this spring in finishing second at the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic. “Mia is very talented in the air,” said head coach Thor Esbensen. “She has great body awareness and thrives in all three aerial events.”
Nikki Prall, Jr., Lincoln
Personal bests: Pole vault, 12-7¼; Long jump, 16-1½; Triple jump, 34-3
Prall celebrated an undefeated season in the pole vault as a sophomore by vaulting a personal best (and school record) to win the 6A state title. In August, she won the Northwest Pole Vault Grand Prix in Salem, moving to sixth on the state’s all-time list with her winning vault. In February, she went over 13 feet indoors, and a month later she took third at the Nike Indoor Nationals. And that’s just on the track — she’s also one of the top players on the Cardinals tennis team and won the state title in the giant slalom at the OISRA championships in early March. “She is a special athlete and a phenomenal competitor,” coach Eric Dettman said. “She’s one of my favorite athletes to watch compete as she walks around with a calm demeanor, but there’s a fierceness within her that is rarely seen.”
Rhys Allen, Jr., Willamette
Personal bests: Pole vault, 10-6
Allen finished her first high school season by winning the Eugene City championships and placing fourth at the 5A state meet.
Rylee Lemen, So., Putnam
Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 16.46; Javelin, 126-1; High jump, 5-3; Long jump, 15-4
Lemen hardly performed like a freshman last spring, winning the 5A state title in the javelin and placing second in the high jump. She won both events at each of Putnam’s first two meets this spring.
Simone Tillman, So., Hood River Valley
Personal bests: 100, 13.08; 200, 26.34; 400, 1:00.32; Pole vault, 10-0; Long jump, 16-0
Tillman dabbled in many events as a freshman, winning an Intermountain district title in the 200 and placing second in the pole vault. She finished sixth in both events at the 5A state meet.
Sophia Beckmon, Jr., Oregon City
Personal bests: 100, 12.14; 200, 23.75; 400, 58.74; Long jump, 19-10¼
Beckmon might be the best two-discipline trackster in the state this spring. Not only is she among the top sprinters, but she holds the state record in the long jump set when she won The Outdoor Nationals title at Hayward Field. She took third in the long jump at the Nike Indoors in February. “Sophia could probably be fantastic at any sport, but from an early age, she took an interest in track and field and has stayed focused on the sport she loves,” Pioneers coach Kristin Mull said. “She puts in the work and effort required to perform at the highest level in our sport. It’s going to be exciting to watch her continue to strive for excellence over the next two years.”
Whitley Stepp, Sr., Regis
Personal bests: High jump, 5-5½; Long jump, 15-6½; Triple jump, 32-11¾
Stepp started her career at Northwest Christian in Lacey, placing second at the WIAA Class 2B state meet in the high jump. She moved to the Stayton area before her junior season and picked right up where she left off, winning the 2A state title in the high jump, taking second in the triple jump and placing fourth in the long jump while also running third leg on the third-place 4x100 relay.
Zoe Dunn, Jr., The Dalles
Personal bests: Long jump, 17-7¾; Triple jump, 34-10
Dunn won the Intermountain district title in the long jump last spring and followed with a third-place finish at the 5A state meet. She’s added the triple jump to her repertoire this season and won the long and triple jumps at the Mullen Leavitt Invite, then won the long jump and took second in the triple at the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic.
