Cole Sprout enjoys breakout performance at Hayward Field with 8:13.85 3,000 meters

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE -- Cole Sprout, who sped through a first lap of 61 seconds and remained rock solid for seven and a half laps, broke a Drew Hunter record Friday under the lights at Hayward Field. 

Sprout, of Valor Christian CO, highlighted the first day of the Oregon Relays by running a sophomore class national record 8:13.85 in the 3,000 meters. 

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"Unreal," Sprout said. "I had no idea I could come out and run 8:13 on my own, so it was incredible." INTERVIEW

Sprout charged to the front in 61 and the slowed to 71 on the second lap. Ashland OR sophomore Evan Holland stuck on Sprout's shoulder for about four laps, but then was broken by a series of laps in 63-64. 

Brent Vaughn of Smoky Hill CO ran an en route time of 8:13.7 back in 2003, but Sprout's time equates to sub 8:50 for 3,200 meters and is one of the top distance performances in Colorado history.

Sprout's time also surpassed the sophomore record set by Hunter at the 2014 Penn Relays (8:16.31). He is entered in the 1,500 meters Saturday.

Holland, the Oregon 6A cross country champion, PR'd by seven seconds and ran 8:33.81 for second place.

In the girls 3,000, Grace Fetherstonhaugh from New Westminster BC won the race in 9:49.12. She led six girls under 10 minutes. 

In the invitational distance medley relays, the Jesuit OR boys ran 10:31.05 to defeat in-state rival Central Catholic (10:32.50). The Mountain View ID girls, with sophomore Lexy Halladay on the anchor, won for the second year in a row with 12:09.30 for US#9.

In the 2,000-meter steeplechase, New Balance Nationals champion Shane Henderson of South Cheyenne WY ran a US#1 time of 5:59.38. 

Sophomore Halle Jenkins of Camas WA won the girls steeplechase in US#2 7:10.91. 

Sherwood OR senior Shelby Moran won the discus with 160-8. 

Ridgefield WA's Trey Knight won the shot out with 63-4.75, the second-best mark in meet history behind Ryan Crouser (65-10.25 in 2009).