Oregon’s top high school boys 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 fourth list focuses on the boys 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!
Adam Maxwell (West Linn) photo by Taylor Balkom
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Aaron Chao, Sr., Lakeridge
Personal bests: 100 meters, 11.29 seconds; Long jump, 21 feet, 8¾ inches; Triple jump, 39-8 ½
Chao has not had the best luck during his two high school seasons, but he’s had two strong showings during the summer USATF season, winning state and regional titles after his freshman season and another state title last summer.
Adam Maxwell, Sr., West Linn
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 14.84; 300 hurdles, 38.93; High jump, 6-7
Maxwell emerged as a hurdler last spring, but he’s been a standout high jumper throughout his high school career. The University of Montana commit placed sixth at the Class 6A state meet as a freshman, then went undefeated as a junior, capping the spring by winning the 6A state title. “He is a very explosive athlete,” Lions coach Joe Cerny said. “He could do any event if we asked him to.”
Andrew Edwards, Sr., Henley
Personal bests: Pole vault, 13-9
Edwards is a two-time medalist at the Class 4A state championships, finishing seventh as a freshman and third last spring after winning the Skyline Conference district title.
Ankur Moolky, Sr., Sunset
Personal bests: Long jump, 19-11½; Triple jump, 41-9¼
Moolky has been primarily a triple jumper during his career, finishing second at the Metro district meet last spring to qualify for the 6A state championships. He added the long jump late in the season, and this season, he’s improved upon his personal best by 18 inches.
Austin Stampflee, Jr., Glencoe
Personal bests: 100, 11.00; 200, 22.28; Long jump, 21-7½
As a sophomore, 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 — and this spring, he won the title at the Mark Dean Invitational.
Benjamin King, Sr., Sunset
Personal bests: Long jump, 19-6½; Triple jump 41-8
King made the podium in both jumps at last spring’s Metro district meet, when he placed fourth in the triple and fifth in the long jump.
Blake Smith, Sr., Newberg
Personal bests: Long jump, 22-0½; Triple jump, 43-7¾
Smith kicked off his career by winning the Pacific Conference JV district titles in the long and triple jumps. During the pandemic-shortened spring season, he won the Pacific district titles, then followed by winning the 6A state title in the triple jump and taking second in the long jump. Several Big Sky schools have expressed interest, as has hometown George Fox. “We are extremely excited to see what Blake will do in his senior year,” Tigers coach Brandon Ramey said. “He is a great ambassador for Newberg and a great leader by example to our younger athletes of what can happen when you set goals and work hard to achieve them.”
Brody Justice, Jr., North Bend
Personal bests: Pole vault, 13-9
Justice cleared at least 12-6 at every meet last spring, capping his season with a third-place finish at the 5A state meet, where he went over 13-9 for the first time.
Chenoa Porter, Sr., Jefferson
Personal bests: High jump, 6-2; Long jump, 19-5½
Porter went unbeaten in four PIL meets during the COVID-shortened spring season before finishing second at the PIL district meet. He won the PIL Relays this April.
Christopher Gallinger-Long, Sr., Sherwood
Personal bests: Pole vault, 14-9
Gallinger-Long tried all sorts of events as a freshman, but he found his calling last spring with the pole vault. He won every meet, including the Pacific district title, until the 6A state meet, where he placed fifth. He broke the school record at his first meet this season despite battling an ankle injury, then reset it at a Pacific dual at McMinnville.
Cooper Becklin, Sr., Wilsonville
Personal bests: High jump, 6-5; Long jump, 19-6½; Triple jump, 41-51/2
Becklin finished first or second in 13 competitions encompassing all three jumps last spring, including a victory at the 5A state championships in the high jump. He cleared a personal best in the Wildcats’ first meet this spring.
Daivon Hendrix, Jr., Franklin
Personal bests: 100, 11.50; Long jump, 21-6¼
Hendrix was among the favorites to win the PIL long jump title last spring when he got hit in the foot by a discus during the district meet, making him unable to compete at district or state. He returned in August and jumped a career best at the AAU Junior Olympic Nationals. “He is hungry to get another chance,” Lightning coach Jacob Michaels said.
Davyon Sanders, Sr., Sherwood
Personal bests: High jump, 6-4; Long jump, 21-4½
Sanders brought home three medals from the 6A state meet last spring, finishing sixth in the long jump and second in the high jump and leading off the runner-up 4x400 relay team, helping the Bowmen win the team title. He’ll compete at Lane Community College next season. “Davy has been a joy to coach and a blessing to have on the team,” coach Terrel Smith said. “He is a great example of an athlete who powered through the recent COVID challenge and emerged a strong and confident person.”
Desmond Jenkins, Sr., Westview
Personal bests: 100, 11.49; 200, 23.54; Long jump, 21-7; Triple jump, 41-9
Jenkins jumped a personal best in the long jump in his first meet last spring, then jumped the exact same mark off his other foot on his next attempt. That success led his coaches to have him try the triple jump this spring. He also ran the third leg of the Metro district champion and 6A state runner-up 4x100 relay. “Desmond has an unbelievable amount of potential that we continue to see glimpses of every single week,” Wildcats coach Aaron Koford said. “We are excited to see what Dez will do this season.”
Eli Hayes, Sr., Henley
Personal bests: High jump, 6-0; Long jump, 21-2; Triple jump, 44-3
Hayes capped an undefeated season in the triple jump last spring with victories at the Skyline district meet and the 4A state championships — adding to his fifth-place finish at the OSAA state meet as a freshman. He is less than a foot off the school record in the event and nine inches off the long jump record.
Elijah Wytcherley, Sr., Glendale
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 16-14; 300 hurdles, 43.93; Javelin, 154-4; High jump, 6-7; Long jump, 19-4½
Wytcherley might have designs on becoming a decathlete in college, but in the meantime, he’ll look to defend the 1A state title he won last May at Eastern Oregon University. He also placed fourth in the javelin and eighth in the high hurdles at the state meet.
Gavin Fleck, Sr., Summit
Personal bests: Pole vault, 14-7
Fleck enjoyed a fantastic final week of his junior season, winning titles at the Grants Pass Invite and the Bend Large School Championships, going over 14-6 for the first time there, and then repeating that performance during a third-place finish at the 6A state meet. He moved within one inch of the school record with his runner-up effort at the Arcadia Invitational on April 9. “Gavin was scrawny and small his freshman year, and now he is one of the most talented vaulters we’ve ever had,” Storm coach Dave Turnbull said. “He serves as an inspiration for some of our younger athletes who feel they are too small. Stick with it, keep training, and you will get better — that’s what Gavin has taught our program.”
Hudson Pate, Sr., Barlow
Personal bests: High jump, 6-2
Pate is a two-sport athlete in the spring, not only playing tennis for the Bruins but also high jumping for the track team. He placed second last spring at the Mt. Hood district meet. “Such a hard-working athlete who enjoys track; he plays multiple sports, and that really helps his athleticism,” said track coach Scott Jones. “We make it work so he can do both.”
Hunter Angove, Sr., Bandon
Personal bests: Pole vault, 14-0
Angove looks to join former Bandon standout Hunter Hutton (2017-18) as a two-time state pole vault champion after winning district and 2A state titles as a junior. He placed sixth at the OSAA state meet as a freshman.
Jayden Christy, Jr., Santiam Christian
Personal bests: 110 hurdles, 16.39; High jump, 6-2
Christy will attempt to build off a solid first season for the Eagles, when he placed second at the district meet and fourth at the 3A state meet in the high jump while posting third-place finishes at both state and district in the high hurdles.
Joey Chandler, Jr., Ida B. Wells
Personal bests: Pole vault, 14-6
Chandler, who was a gymnast growing up, showed his potential in his highly technical specialty last spring, clearing 14-6 in early May. He also showed how fickle this event can be, no-heighting at the PIL district and 6A state meets — giving him plenty of incentive for this season. “Joey came into our season as an outstanding and proven vaulter,” Guardians coach Thor Esbensen said. “COVID interrupted his career, but we’re excited to see what he can do with his first full season.”
Jonathon Parks, So., Marshfield
Personal bests: Pole vault, 14-0; Long jump, 20-8
Parks kicked off his career with Sky-Em district titles in the pole vault and long jump, coming back the next week to place fourth in the pole vault at the 4A state meet. He vaulted 14-6 indoors in the winter at the UCS National Pole Vault Summit and won the Marist Invite this spring.
Nathan Bingaman, Sr., Imbler
Personal bests: Triple jump, 42-2¾
Bingaman posted the best triple jump among 1A athletes last spring in winning the Jo-High Invite, but a week later, he struggled to an 11th-place finish at the 1A state meet, leaving some unfinished business for this spring.
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 and adding a second-place medal in the 300 hurdles and a third-place medal in the 110 hurdles.
Nathan Wachs, Jr., Redmond
Personal bests: 100, 11.60; 200, 23.34; High jump, 6-2
As a sophomore, Wachs did well enough as a sprinter to qualify for the 5A state meet in the 100 and 200, but it’s in the high jump that he excelled — he won the Intermountain district title and placed third at state.
Noah Goodrich, So., Summit
Personal bests: High jump, 6-0; Triple jump, 41-6½
In his freshman season, Goodrich qualified for the 6A state meet in the high and triple jumps, and Storm coach David Turnbull sees the latter as the event that will be his best by the time he’s a senior. “Potential abounds with this one,” Turnbull said. “He should be good wherever we put him. He’s not afraid to put in extra training and work hard.”
Owen Kendall, Sr., Summit
Personal bests: High jump, 6-2; Triple jump, 42-0
Storm coach David Turnbull called Kendall “our most explosive jumper.” He showed his potential last season by placing seventh at the 6A state meet in the triple jump with a personal-best performance. “Owen is a fantastic athlete, and we’re looking forward to a great season with him,” Turnbull said.
Reece Nelson, Sr., Joseph
Personal bests: High jump, 6-2; Long jump, 19-1½
Nelson last season qualified for the 1A state championships in both his events, taking home a second-place medal in the high jump. This season, he won the Mullen Leavitt Invite and took second at the Carnival of Speed.
Rocco Marshall, Sr., Wilsonville
Personal bests: 100, 11.11; Long jump, 22-8
Marshall tried several events as a freshman but settled on the long jump last spring, and he posted the best mark by a nonsenior at any classification in winning the 5A state title. He’s again branching out this spring, adding the 100 and the shot put to his schedule.
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 at state in the event. In the meantime, he picked up the pole vault and moved to fourth on the all-time 1A state list last May 14. He 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.
Taylor Morehouse, Sr., The Dalles
Personal bests: Pole vault, 14-10
Morehouse qualified for the OSAA 5A state meet as a freshman but vaulted up the 5A ranks last spring, clearing 14 feet for the first time outdoors to win the state title. This spring, he moved to second on the school’s record list with his victory at the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic.
Trent Summers, Jr., Marshfield
Personal bests: 300 hurdles, 44.89; Pole vault 15-0
Summers led the 4A ranks in the pole vault all last season, capping his season by winning the state title. He then went over 15 feet for the first time in winning the 114th annual Coos County Championships.
Trevor Angove, Sr., Bandon
Personal bests: High jump, 6-2; Triple jump, 44-8
While twin brother Hunter was winning the 2A state title in the pole vault, Trevor was capping an undefeated season in the triple jump by securing the title in that event. He placed sixth in the high jump. He’s just outside the top 10 of the 2A all-time list in the triple jump with his winning leap at the Coos County Championships.
Ty Kishen, Sr., Cottage Grove
Personal bests: Long jump, 18-10¾; Triple jump, 42-1
Kishen steadily improved throughout his junior season, finishing second at the Sky-Em district meet before jumping a personal best in placing third at the 4A state championships.
