The 24th installment of the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays unfolded Friday night in Southwest Portland, highlighted by a national record in the boys 3,200 meters and the setting of eight meet records.

Below are some memorable moments from one of the premier invitationals in the Pacific Northwest.

Ellery Lincoln repeats as Elite Mile girls champion

Sophomore Ellery Lincoln from Lincoln High School found herself once again at Cronin Field, standing proudly before the grandstands after clinching the girls Elite Mile title at the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays.

In the year since her breakthrough at last year’s event, where she set a meet record, Lincoln’s journey has been fraught with challenges, only just overcoming them in recent weeks.

“It just feels like a full-circle moment,” she shared. “Honestly, it’s really special to do it here, because this was a pretty magical meet last year, and to come back here after a really tough year, it just feels like … I can’t think of a better word than special.”

Following her Twilight victory, Lincoln progressed to the Class 6A state meet a month later, where she not only claimed the 1,500-meter title but also contracted whooping cough from a teammate, a setback that took months to recover from.

She battled recurring breathing issues during the fall cross country season, but still managed a third place finish at state and a tenth place finish at Northwest Regionals. Fortunately, she felt close to 100% during the indoor track season, finishing tenth in the junior mile at the Millrose Games in New York.

However, upon her return to New York for the Nike Indoor Nationals a month later, she was sidelined again, this time with pneumonia, which forced her out of that competition and kept her off the track for two weeks.

“And I was really devastated, because I was just starting to feel like I was in shape to start running fast again,” Lincoln recalled.

She finally made her return to the track at the Oregon Relays in early April, anchoring her team’s distance medley relay before running her first individual race at Sherwood’s Need for Speed Invitational a week later, where she clocked a time of 2:10.31 in the 800 meters.

Friday evening, she was primed for her shining moment. She patiently ran a few strides behind Lakeridge senior Chloe Huyler for the initial 3½ laps before making her decisive move on the final curve.

“I knew if I was there at 600, I could win the race,” Lincoln noted. “I just had to relax and run within myself.”

Her pre-race objective was to break the 4:40 barrier for the mile, which would elevate her to No. 2 on the state’s all-time list, sitting just behind the legendary former Olympian and world champion Maria Mutola. With that goal accomplished, she is excited to see where the rest of the season takes her.

“To do it in my first real mile out, it’s just, the sky’s the limit,” Lincoln expressed. “The sickness was the thing holding me back, but I think I’m ready for a really special season, and definitely a comeback season.”

In true Lincoln fashion, she managed to find a silver lining in her challenging past year.

“I’m glad my season’s picking up speed a bit later because I really want to run well in June at these big championship meets,” she mentioned. “That’s really where my focus is, because that’s where people run fast. So, I’m just so overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude for the individuals who have supported me throughout this journey.”

Josiah Tostenson comes up just short of breaking 4-minute barrier outdoors

At just 10 years old, Josiah Tostenson posed for a photo alongside one of his inspirations in distance running, two-time Olympic medalist and former Central Catholic standout Galen Rupp.

“Galen is a huge icon to just running in general, but to the state and its history, so I always looked up to Galen,” Tostenson shared.

One achievement that Rupp did not accomplish during his time competing for the Rams in cardinal and gold was breaking the coveted 4-minute barrier in the mile—something Tostenson managed to achieve indoors in February.

In fact, only one Oregon high school athlete has ever gone sub-four in the mile outdoors—Matthew Maton ran 3:59.38 in May 2015, shortly after he left the Summit program.

That time was at the forefront of Tostenson’s thoughts as he readied for the boys Elite Mile, hoping for a head-to-head contest with national high school indoor mile record-holder and Mercer Island senior Owen Powell, who narrowly edged Tostenson by less than a second in their February meet in Boston.

Yet, Powell withdrew from the meet midweek due to a minor setback, leaving Tostenson to depend on his pacers in a solo effort to strive for the milestone of becoming the first Oregon prepster to wear his school colors while running a sub-four mile.

At the halfway mark, Tostenson clocked in at 1:59.42, feeling confident that he could achieve his goal.

“I felt really good, thinking I’m going to attack this,” the University of Washington-bound runner stated. “But when I came through, I had like 3:59, I was like, ‘This is going to be harder than I thought, for sure.’”

In the end, he proved his critics wrong, completing the race in 4:00.69 — a time that elevated him to No. 2 on the all-time state list, surpassing Rupp’s 4:01.8.

“It means a lot, for sure,” Tostenson stated.

Aster Jones earns Roosevelt junior second girls Elite 100 title

Roosevelt junior Aster Jones began her track career in her freshman year, “not really having anything else to do after gymnastics.”

In just three years, she has sprinted her way into the upper tier of Oregon’s historic runners, successfully defending her title in the girls Elite 100 with a winning time of 11.58, despite the challenging headwind that she described as “a forcefield just coming at my face.”

Jones remains unbeaten in high school 100-meter races for the last two years, having secured a 6A state title last May and adding her second Jesuit Elite 100 title to the Arcadia victory she achieved two weeks prior.

“I didn’t expect any of this,” Jones shared. “My sister, my family, my coaches have all fully supported me throughout this journey.”

Aster’s older sister, Lily, made her own mark at Roosevelt, finishing No. 4 on the state’s all-time list in the 100 (with Aster ranking No. 5). Lily, a former gymnast, initially split her time between track and softball.

Aster credits Lily as “a huge influence and a major factor” in her victories, noting that before every race, Lily reaches out to remind her, “just breathe, you’ve got this, good luck. So, I really know that I have somebody in my corner.”

Nicholas Altheimer ready to build on boys Elite 100 victory

Curtis senior Nicholas Altheimer didn’t dominate the boys Elite 100 quite like Jones did, finishing with a time of 10.56, edging out Jesuit senior Grant Valley by 21-hundredths of a second.

“It was a little slower than what I thought it would be, but it was a good race,” Altheimer commented, having run his first 100 since placing fourth at Arcadia two weeks ago. “This was one of my most anticipated races; so, to come in here and win it is something I wanted all day. I’ve been sitting here waiting, so I’m kind of happy I got it done.”

Altheimer previously ran for Emerald Ridge two years ago, but his season was cut short in mid-April due to academic issues — not for the reasons one might think.

“My mom didn’t approve of my grades at the time, so she said I couldn’t run,” he explained.

However, she allowed him to compete during the summer club season, where he finished fifth in the 100 at the U.S. Junior National championships. Over the winter, he recorded an eighth-place finish in the 100 and seventh in the 200 at the Nike Indoor Nationals. With his grades now meeting his mother’s standards, she finally gave him the green light to run for the Vikings this spring.

“She always said that school is the most important thing, so I had to focus on that before I could come out and do my thing on the track,” he noted.

As his performance continues to improve, Altheimer believes “I’m really at a great point in my season. There are a few small things I can work on, but this season, I have some significant goals, and I’m on track to achieve them.”

Tayvon Kitchen sets national record in boys 3,200

As Tayvon Kitchen prepared for his chance to make history in the 3,200, one thought crossed his mind as the temperatures soared into the mid-70s.

“I was hoping they would push the race back. Please!” he exclaimed, smiling.

Instead, at 5:40 p.m., as planned, he found himself at the starting line, eager to break Simeon Birnbaum’s record of 8:34.10, set two years ago when the Rapid City, S.D., native competed at Arcadia.

Though his pacers dropped out earlier than anticipated, leaving him to run alone for more than half of the race, he secured the record, finishing in 8:33.82 and already contemplating future endeavors.

“That’s a quick time, but I believe I can run even faster,” Kitchen remarked. “Just being able to do it under tough conditions, with some pacers and an enthusiastic crowd supporting me, made it really enjoyable. I’m excited about how far the sport has progressed in recent years.”

Kitchen aimed to break the record at Arcadia but finished fourth behind Powell, Tostenson, and New Zealander Sam Ruthe.

Reflecting on the experience following his record-setting performance on Friday, he said, “I was being a bit of a baby about Arcadia. I think it was a fun race to watch, but being able to walk away with a fast time and a national record today feels great.”

Chase McGee caps prolific week with meet record in boys pole vault

This week has certainly been momentous for Chase McGee, a senior pole vaulter from Camas.

On Tuesday, during a Greater St. Helens League home meet, he soared over 17 feet, 5 inches — marking the first time he surpassed 17 feet in competition and breaking a 56-year-old state record.

Just three days later, he returned to the Twilight Relays — where he had previously cleared 16 feet to clinch the title last year — and shattered the meet record with a 17-foot leap on his initial attempt at that height.

While he brushed the bar on his ascent and anticipated a fall, astonishingly, the bar bounced back onto its pegs instead of falling.

He attempted 17 feet, 6 inches three times; after a tough first attempt where he damaged his pole, he switched to a new pole — the third he used that day. “I was a little surprised by the power of that pole,” he mentioned. “I had only been testing it today, and it turned out to be a great opportunity. I know what to expect now, and I can push harder next time.”

The fact that he could clear 17 feet again after breaking the record boosts his confidence in aiming for even higher heights.

“Consistency is key, so getting over 17 twice is really awesome,” he said. “But I think we can go higher than 17-8, maybe even 18 in the near future. With state ahead, along with Nike Nationals and U-20s, I’ll have plenty of chances to reach for greater heights.”

Addison Kleinke adds long jump title to third win in pole vault

Addison Kleinke from Churchill, who holds the Oregon girls’ pole vault record, is also working through adjustments with a new pole that she hopes will pay off as the season progresses.

For now, she celebrates a second consecutive title at the Twilight Relays, though she only cleared 12 feet, 9 inches — a distance significantly below the 14-0½ she achieved at last June’s Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Kleinke explained that while last year she competed using 13-7 length poles, she has transitioned to a 14-foot pole this season. “I haven’t completed my series yet, which creates a gap — one pole is too small for certain heights, and the next is too big,” she noted.

A couple of weeks ago, she faced a scare on the new pole and landed hard on her back in the pit, an experience that’s been tough to shake off.

Consequently, when she failed to clear 13 feet on her first try and switched to her new pole, her anxiety peaked. She went through two run-throughs without making a jump before running out of time.

“When the third attempt came, I thought, ‘I need to make this count if I want to use this pole to jump higher,’” Kleinke explained.

Though she didn’t succeed on that third attempt, simply attempting was a significant step for her.

“I completed that jump, and it felt great,” she shared.

Additionally, she was thrilled to jump over 19 feet for the first time, winning the long jump with a distance of 19-0½ (No. 18 on the all-time state list) just before her pole vault effort at 12-9.

This spring, Kleinke has spent more time focusing on the long jump, improving her personal best by nearly two feet. As she learns to balance her training between events and shift back and forth during competitions, she believes it will help her clear higher bars going forward.

“When I’m fully warmed up, my body performs best, which definitely adds to my pole vaulting, since the cues for jumping up are similar,” she said. “It feels like I’m getting extra warm-up opportunities.

“Today, I had that jumping cue, and the issue a few weeks ago stemmed from my jumping in. That jump is crucial for my progress this season. I realize that the mark on paper isn’t stellar, but honestly, I’m happier now than if I had cleared a higher height on a smaller bar. It felt like a significant milestone for me.”

Will Foster breaks meet record in discus

It came as no surprise that Prairie’s Will Foster secured victories in both the boys’ shot put and discus.

However, the manner in which Foster — who recently committed to the University of Washington — had to exert effort to clinch his shot put title was unexpected.

Foster entered the competition as the only athlete accustomed to throwing over 60 feet, yet he faced challenges throughout the event and found himself trailing behind Blake Johns of Meridian (Idaho), who threw 58-6 in the second round, while Foster’s best throw was 56-8.

On his final attempt, Foster managed a throw of 58-10½. When Johns fouled on his final throw, Foster was finally able to relax.

“I felt like I competed very well,” he stated. “You know, going into the sixth round down, there are nerves. It’s very intimidating, but you need to push all of that aside and just make your mark, and that’s what I did.

“I’m pleased that I competed, not particularly satisfied with the mark, but I’m happy with how I persevered.”

Foster then made his way to the discus ring, quickly asserting his dominance in the event by seizing the lead in the first round and breaking the meet record on his initial throw in the finals with a personal-best of 191-5.

Marissa Johnson wins third shot title, adds first in discus

Tigard junior Marissa Johnson shared a mixed affection for Cronin Field’s discus ring, humorously mentioning her “Jesuit curse” due to her past challenges there.

Before the finals, it seemed the curse would hinder her once more, as she lagged behind Estacada’s Abby Berhman by six inches following three throws.

However, a 147-foot throw allowed Johnson to shake off the curse. She returned in the next round to deliver her victorious throw of 148-6 in a face-off between the reigning 6A and 4A state champions.

“Abby was right there with me, and it was refreshing to have that competition,” Johnson remarked. “She’s an excellent athlete and person, and she definitely pushed me. When someone surpasses me, it ignites my motivation to throw further.”

Johnson also triumphed in her third consecutive Twilight title in the shot put, initially feeling a bit dissatisfied with a first-round throw of 39-1½, before assuming the lead with a 41-9½ in Round 3. She capped off the competition with a strong 44-8 on her final try.

“I just needed a solid throw to secure a final attempt in the finals,” she explained. “I didn’t achieve that in the disc, which added a bit of stress. Watching someone else and wondering, ‘Are they going to throw farther than me?’ is tough. That throw got me into the final series, and from there, I just built momentum.”

As Johnson prepares to defend her 6A titles in both events next month, she feels much more confident in the discus, noting her personal-best of 150-3 achieved at the Sunset Team Challenge the week before.

“I truly sense that I’m making progress,” she expressed. “I’m consistently throwing in the 140s now. Achieving a 150 and a 148 in back-to-back meets is encouraging. However, my shot put form needs improvement. … My technique has been lacking. I’m working on it daily, implementing various drills. Once I correct those issues, I believe I can achieve even greater distances.”

Campbell Brintnall hurdling to fast times

The budding rivalry in the state unfolded early in the meet when seniors Campbell Brintnall from Tualatin and Avery Coker of Wells faced off for the third occasion this spring in the 100-meter hurdles.

Brintnall previously triumphed at the Oregon Relays where both finished behind Kaylin Edwards of Wilson in Long Beach, California. However, Coker, a two-time 6A state champion, turned the tables at the Need for Speed Invitational, edging Brintnall by just two-hundredths of a second.

In their rubber match, Brintnall prevented Coker from capturing a third Twilight Relays title, breaking the meet record with a personal-best of 14.24, landing her at No. 6 on the state’s all-time list.

“It was all about the rhythm between the hurdles,” Brintnall noted. “My coach and I have focused heavily on that, so that was the primary goal today.”

Brintnall has managed to take over a second off her personal best from the start of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury last spring.

She had initially set her sights on achieving a time under 14.3 seconds while also breaking Alaina Brady’s meet record of 14.36 established six years ago. With those aspirations now realized, she now aims to join state record-holder Bianca Mathabane (13.57 for Lincoln in 2006) and Harley Daniel (13.95 for Oregon City in 2022) as the only girls to break the 14-second barrier in high school hurdles.

“I’m in a much better mental and physical space, and everything has been aligned well,” Brintnall shared. “That’s honestly the biggest shift. I’m healthy. So, yes, we’re here to perform.”