Weiler back to record pursuit at Centennial

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Abby Weiler from R.A. Long WA took three attempts at 13-8 in the pole vault last Saturday at the Oregon Relays and her next opportunity to go for the all-time Washington high school record comes this Saturday at the 52nd Centennial Invitational in Gresham, Ore. 

The meet, one of the oldest and most prestigious in Oregon, will be webcast live on DyeStat.com. Entries are posted HERE.

Weiler and her twin brother Joey are both top seeds heading into Centennial. Weiler made 13-6 at Arcadia two weekends ago to take the state lead in the event. She set the meet record at Centennial last year with 13-3. But on the Washington all-time list she trails Laura Marty of Bishop Blanchet, a senior who vaulted 13-7 last year. Marty went 13-1 last week at the Pasco Invitational. 

Centennial features a wide swath of the talent in Oregon and offers small-school standouts like Fabian Cardenas of Umatilla and Maya Rayle of Catlin Gabel a chance to test themselves against 6A and 5A competition. 

Cardenas ran 4:14.87 for third place in the mile last weekend at Pasco. 

One of the more intriguing events at Centennial is the girls 400 meters. The race features Union WA twin Jai'lyn and Dai'lyn Merriwether facing Oregon's 1,500 and 3,000 all-time record holder Ella Donaghu of Grant. 

Donaghu comes in with a seed time nearly two seconds slower than the Merriwether sisters but has rarely been afforded an opportunity to focus on a single sprint race to see what she can do. 

The Merriwether sisters are also the top seeds in the 200 meters. 

In the boys sprints, Beaverton's Anthony Albright has recorded the state's fastest 100 meters so far (10.64 seconds) and will be tested by Grant's Harrison Schrage and Tigard sophomore Braden Lenzy. 

Lenzy and Schrage will go head to head in the 200 as well. Lenzy is the top seed in the 400 meters (48.82). Schrage is the top seed in the triple jump, an event where he went US#6 48-11 last weekend at the Oregon Relays.

Walla Walla WA high jumper Mitchell Jacobson comes to Centennial as the top seed in the high jump with a best this season of 6-10.