Oregon’s top high school girls track and field athletes: Meet the state’s best throwers

By René Ferrán

We’re highlighting many of the state's top returning high school track and field athletes.

Our seventh list focuses on the girls throwers. Here are some of Oregon’s best in the shot put, discus and javelin. 

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!

Natalie Cunningham (West Salem) photo by Diana Dettwyler 

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Anna Tobey, Sr., Grants Pass

Personal bests: Shot, 37-2; Discus, 103-0

Tobey was one of the top throwers in Southern Oregon last spring, finishing second in the shot and fourth in the discus at the regional championships for all classifications.

Annabelle Brawley, Sr., Salem Academy

Personal bests: Discus, 93-6; Javelin, 115-11

Brawley was the Class 2A volleyball player of the year in the fall and the Tri-River player of the year in basketball, so what can she do in her final season for the Crusaders? Perhaps move up one spot on the medals podium at state after finishing second at the 2A state meet in the javelin last spring to go with a sixth-place finish in the discus.

Ava Le Previtera, Sr., Clackamas

Personal bests: Javelin, 111-10

Le Previtera was a Mt. Hood district finalist in the shot and javelin last spring and qualified in the javelin for the 6A state meet, placing 12th.

Cassidy Faulkner, Sr., Bend

Personal bests: Shot, 36-9½; Discus, 140-2

Faulkner won the discus at the Bend Large School Championships last spring and took fourth at the 6A state meet while placing ninth in the shot. She’s improved her personal best in the discus by eight feet this spring.

Clara DeRoss, Sr., Camas Valley

Personal bests: Discus, 100-10; Javelin, 118-7

DeRoss will be one of the favorites at this spring’s 1A state championships after posting a runner-up finish at last year’s 1A meet in the discus and finishing fourth in the javelin.

Elliott Bush, Sr., Central Catholic

Personal bests: 100, 13.53; Javelin, 136-0

Bush made her mark as a freshman, finishing second at the Mt. Hood district meet. Last spring, she won district titles in the 100 and the javelin, competing in the latter at the 6A state meet, where she placed fifth. She will throw the javelin at the University of Pennsylvania next season. She also was a WaFd SBLive Oregon all-state outside hitter in the fall.

Grace Lam Tiang, Sr., Barlow

Personal bests: Shot, 37-2½; Discus, 111-1; Javelin, 116-6

Bruins coach Scott Jones calls Lam Tiang “the life of the throws practice, always having a good time while putting in the work.” That work led to a seventh-place finish in the javelin at the 6A state meet last spring, and this spring, she’s improved her personal bests in all three events. “I love Grace. It’s such a joy to coach an athlete who works hard and wants to be her best but likes to have fun while doing it,” Jones said. “I can’t wait to see what she does this spring, because I know there are big throws coming.”

Hallee Hughes, Jr., Willamina

Personal bests: Shot, 33-5; Discus, 130-0; Javelin, 132-9

Hughes will look to defend her 3A state title in the discus this spring while improving upon her runner-up finish in the javelin and fourth-place finish in the shot. She improved her personal best in the javelin in winning the Grizzly Bear Open on March 17 and the shot and discus two weeks later.

Jewyl Newton, Sr., St. Mary’s Academy

Personal bests: Shot, 43-6; Discus, 127-9; Javelin 111-2

Newton is a state title contender in all three throws, but her best is the shot put, in which she moved into the top 50 all-time in the state at an early-season dual meet last spring, won the Three Rivers district title and placed second at the 6A state meet, doing so despite breaking her left (non-throwing) elbow at practice when her foot caught in a wind-blown net and she stumbled to the concrete. “We pretty much figured she was out for state, but she decided she still wanted to compete despite having her left arm in a cast,” said throws coach Scott Chandler, who then watched in disbelief as Newton cast aside the cast in frustration before her final throw, her best of the day at 41-1. “That pretty much sums up her competitive spirit. When things don’t go as planned, she actively learns and makes corrections from each experience. That is a special attribute that makes her a joy to coach.” Newton, who also finished second in the discus and javelin at district, recently committed to throw at Cal State Northridge.

Jordan Koskondy, Jr., North Salem

Personal bests: 100, 12.82; 100 hurdles, 15.31; Shot, 39-3¾

Koskondy is an aspiring heptathlete who qualified for four events and placed in three at the 5A state meet last spring. She won the heptathlon in the 15-16 age division at the AAU West Coast Nationals in July and finished seventh at the AAU National Junior Olympic Games in August. She finished her year by traveling to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., in November and won the heptathlon there, scoring a personal-best 4,020 points and throwing a personal best in the shot that ranks No. 2 among returning 5A throwers.

Kyeese Hollands, Jr., Central Catholic

Personal bests: Shot, 39-10; Discus, 150-1; Javelin, 139-8

Hollands broke the school records in all three throws last spring at Benson, winning PIL district titles in the shot and discus and winning medals in each at the 6A state meet — second in the discus, third in the javelin and sixth in the shot. She transferred to Central Catholic and became the 18th girl in state history to throw more than 150 feet in the discus at an April 5 Mt. Hood meet in Sandy.

Laura Young, Sr., Monroe

Personal bests: Shot, 42-10; Discus, 123-6; Javelin, 100-8

Young won an OSAA Class 2A state title in the shot as a freshman, then added state titles in the shot and discus at the 2A meet in Union last spring. She is three inches off the 37-year-old 2A state record in the shot held by Oakridge’s Joi Tipton.

Lilly McCargar, Jr., Gervais

Personal bests: Javelin, 120-7

As a sophomore, McCargar won the 2A District 2 title and placed fifth at the state championships in the javelin. She was undefeated through three meets this spring.

Lindsey Wilson, Sr., Mountainside

Personal bests: Shot, 38-9½; Discus, 117-9

Wilson, who will play basketball at Lewis-Clark State College, has some unfinished business on the track before she heads to Lewiston, Idaho. She won the Metro district titles in the shot and discus last spring before placing fifth in the shot at the 6A state meet and breaking the school record in the process. She now has her sights set on the discus mark, which she is eight inches from breaking.

Madelynn Straus, Sr., Dallas

Personal bests: Javelin, 136-4

Straus went undefeated during Mid-Willamette meets during the COVID-shortened season last spring before placing second at the 5A state meet. In August, she finished sixth at the AAU National Junior Olympic Games.

Marly Ausman, Sr., Nyssa

Personal bests: Shot, 38-0; Discus, 133-4

Ausman is chasing the school records set by older sister Melissa nine years ago, and if she shows the improvement this spring in the discus that she showed in winning the Eastern Oregon district meet last May — a 20-foot personal best that moved her to No. 2 on the school list — she likely will break that mark.

Natalie Cunningham, Sr., West Salem

Personal bests: Shot, 42-7½; Discus, 127-3

Titans coach Erich Herber said Cunningham set two goals for her final season — breaking the school records in the shot and discus. It’s one down, one to go after setting the shot mark in winning the Titan Classic this month. She’ll be among the favorites at state after placing third at the 6A meet last spring.

Ofeina Pulotu, Jr., Parkrose

Personal bests: Shot, 41-4; Discus, 117-1

Pulotu was undefeated in the shot and discus throughout the Northwest Oregon Conference season last spring, then capped her season with a 5A state title in the shot and a third-place finish in the discus. She broke her school record in the shot this year and owns the school record in the discus, too.

Rylee Lemen, So., Putnam

Personal bests: Shot, 32-10; Javelin, 126-1; High jump, 5-3

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 season.

Sierra Noss, Sr., Crescent Valley

Personal bests: Shot, 30-0; Discus, 115-9

Noss started her career with a sixth-place finish in the discus at the OSAA 5A state championships as a freshman. She returned last spring and went unbeaten in six Mid-Willamette meets before taking fifth at the 5A state meet.

Sydney Brewster, Jr., Sandy

Personal bests: Shot, 42-1; Discus, 149-7; Javelin, 113-10

Brewster is a three-sport standout for the Pioneers who lives her life by the philosophy of “if it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” She won Mt. Hood district titles in the shot and discus last spring before finishing fourth in the shot and third in the discus at the 6A state meet. This spring, she’s broken the school record in the discus, moving into the top 25 on the state’s all-time list with that throw, and she’s less than a foot off the school record in the shot. She’s hoping to join older brother Tanner as a state champion.

Trinidy Blanton, Jr., Coquille

Personal bests: Javelin, 121-3; Long jump, 16-11 

Blanton transferred from Powers, where she won the 1A state title in the javelin as a sophomore. She won Sunset Conference MVP honors in volleyball in the fall, and now she’s hoping to add a 2A state title in the javelin this spring, having already improved upon her personal best (and moving to third on the school’s all-time list) in the season’s first couple of weeks.