Hosking, Stubblefield win 4A titles for Phoenix – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News

Phoenix seniors Elwood Hosking and Sophia Stubblefield stayed true to their game plan and were rewarded for it Friday to open the Class 4A track and field state championships with a bang for the Pirates at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Hosking and Stubblefield combined strong tactical races with a burst of finishing speed to each claiming state championships in the 3,000 meters for Phoenix, with Hosking winning the boys race in 8 minutes, 34.56 seconds and Stubblefield claiming the girls race in 10:31.

“They ran incredibly well,” Pirates coach John Cornet said, “and very smart races.”

Each was also able to overcome familiar foes and avenge losses from last fall’s cross-country state championships, when Stubblefield finished runner-up to Emily Tubbs of La Grande and Hosking finished third behind champion Alexander Garcia-Silver of Marshfield.

“(Garcia-Silver) has just been winning everything hands down,” Cornet said, “so Elwood’s plan was really just to be close. Elwood has a tremendous amount of footspeed and he was hoping he could turn it into a 600-meter race and be in a position where he could seize it with his own speed.”

That’s exactly how things played out, with Garcia-Silver trying to break free but Hosking stubbornly keeping the gap at 3 meters or less until turning it on over the final stretch. Garcia-Silver finished in 8:35.45.

“At about 600 meters to go, they were shoulder to shoulder,” Cornet said. “At that point, either of them could’ve won it and Elwood just relied on his speed and got it done.”

Stubblefield had the honor of recording the first state title of the meet after taking to the track at 9 am Friday, and didn’t take the bait when La Grande’s Cecilia Villagomez went out aggressively.

“Sophia didn’t panic, she stayed to her race plan,” Cornet said. “She had a certain pace she was aiming for and just stayed with that.”

Stubblefield and Tubbs were able to break away from a pack late that included Phoenix junior Kyla Potratz and then overtook Villagomez to take the lead.

“They were in a pretty tight duel with about 400 to 500 meters left,” Cornet said, “but then Sophia was able to open a bit of a gap.”

Tubbs crossed in second at 10:32.79, with Potratz equalizing her effort in the cross-country state meet by finishing third (10:39.44).

“Kyla just reeled people in and pretty convincingly secured that third spot,” Cornet said.

Also Friday, Phoenix senior Zyan Shull-Bain placed seventh in the boys shot put at 42 feet, 7 1/2 inches and ninth in the discus (121-8), while Alan Cortez was ninth in the boys long jump (19-4 1/4) and Madelyn Mayer was ninth in the girls long jump (15-2 1/2).

CLASS 4A

BOYS

TEAM SCORES (Top 10): Marshfield 32, Newport 21, Siuslaw 21, Astoria 20, Henley 20, Phoenix 12, McLoughlin 11, Estacada 10, Corbett 8, Stayton 8

3,000-1, Elwood Hosking, Phoenix, 8:34.56.

SHOT PUT – 1, Colton McMaster, Astoria, 55-0.75; 7, Zyan Shull-Bain, Phoenix, 42-7.50.

DISCUS-1, Colton McMaster, Astoria, 177-0; 9, Zyan Shull-Bain, Phoenix, 121-8.

POLE VAULT — 1, Jonathon Parks, Marshfield, 14-9.

LONG JUMP — 1, Eli Hayes, Henley 21-2.25; 9, Alan Cortez, Phoenix, 19-4.25.

GIRLS

TEAM SCORES (Top 10): 24 Molalla, 16 Phoenix, 12 La Grande, 11 Marist, 11 Philomath, 10 Cottage Grove, 10 Cascade, Baker 9.5, 8 Astoria, Valley Catholic 8.

3,000-1, Sophia Stubblefield, Phoenix, 10:31.00; 3, Kyla Potratz, Phoenix, 10:39.44.

JAVELIN — 1, Sage Kramer, Philomath, 120-7.

HIGH JUMP—1, Emma Gates, Cascade, 5-11.

LONG JUMP — 1, Elizabeth Grandle, Molalla, 17-3.50; 9, Madelyn Mayer, Phoenix, 15-2.50.

Have a story idea? Reach sports editor Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected] or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry

Andy Atkinson / Mail TribunePhoenix’s Sophia Stubblefield hugs teamate Kyla Potratz after finishing the 3,000-meter run during the Class 4A track and field state championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene Friday.

Andy Atkinson / Mail TribunePhoenix’s Elwood Hosking pushes to finish winning the 3,000-meter run during the Class 4A track and field state championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene Friday.

Andy Atkinson / Mail TribunePhoenix’s Sophia Stubblefield takes the lead during the final lap winning the 3,000-meter run during the Class 4A track and field state championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene Friday.

Andy Atkinson / Mail TribunePhoenix’s Sophia Stubblefield pushes to finish winning the 3,000-meter run during the Class 4A track and field state championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene Friday.

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