Donelson Turns Attention To 300-Meter Hurdles; Bauman, Akpamgbo Match Up In 200; Strong 3,000 Fields Return To Sherwood

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Ken Martinez photo

They have become something of a power couple in Oregon high school track. 

Lake Oswego seniors Josie Donelson and James Bauman have spent the past couple of weeks competing against some of the top competition in the nation at the Pepsi Florida Relays and the Arcadia Invitational. 

Donelson officially smashed Sasha Spencer's long-standing all-time state best in the 400 meters when she won the Arcadia Invitational girls 400 meters last Saturday in 53.17. (She had already broken record with a superior time to Spencer during the indoor season). 

This Saturday at the Sherwood Need For Speed Invitational, the Vanderbilt recruit could take aim at another all-time Oregon best in the 300-meter hurdles. 

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Donelson, who picked up the hurdles last year, has a personal best of 42.60, third-best in state history. The record is 42.23 by Harley Daniel of Oregon City (2022). 

Bauman, who transferred to Lake Oswego from Putnam, where he won the Class 5A 100 meters last year, has taken a huge step forward in his first few months competing for the Lakers and is perhaps one of the top unsigned sprinters in the U.S.

He won the boys seeded 100 meters last week at Arcadia with a wind-legal 10.46 that moved him to No. 3 on the all-time Oregon list. He also ran a wind-aided 21.34 in the 200 and is part of the Lakers' 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams. 

Bauman will race West Salem's Mihaly Akpamgbo, the reigning Class 6A champion, in the 200. 

Lake Oswego is still waiting on the return of senior Mia Brahe-Pedersen, the state's supreme track and field talent, who is on the mend from an injury. 

The Need For Speed Invitational has a big matchup brewing in the boys 3,000 meters. 

Asher Danielson of Ida B. Wells owns a best of 8:21.43 and will face Hayden Boaz of Summit, Malachi Schoenherr of Sheldon, Brennan McEwen of Franklin and Ty Cirino from Central. 

Boaz, a junior, ran 8:55.97 for 3,200 meters at Arcadia last weekend. 

Sherwood's Drew Smith is ranked US#10 in the javelin with his season-best throw of 191-8. 

Ethan Aman from Franklin is the state leader in shot put with a mark of 60-5. 

Roosevelt sprinters Aster Jones and Ellis Heslam will get a chance to test themselves against some of the state's best competition. Jones, the younger sister of Oregon's Lily Jones, will face Donelson in the 100 and South Albany's Pharalynn Dickson in the 200. 

Heslam is expected to race Dickson, the 5A champion in the 100, 200 and 400, in the 400 meters. 

Lincoln's Ellery Lincoln is the top entry in the girls 800 meters and Lake Oswego's Ana Peters is expected to face West Salem's Avery Meier in the 1,500. 

Ella McGillis of Central Catholic, Elyse Hendriksen from Lincoln and Josie Fale of Ida B. Wells are the top entries in the 3,000. 

Maleigha Canaday-Elliott from McDaniel, who finished second in the triple jump at Arcadia, is the top entry in that event as well as the long jump.