Summit senior Kellie Schueler will go down as one of the Oregon’s all-time great high school track athletes regardless of what she does this weekend.
But a 16-for-16 sweep of four years’ worth of events at the state championships meet is the primary goal this week for the Stanford-bound runner.
If last weekend is any indication, Schueler is going to have to work for it. Hermiston’s talented senior Angelica Rodriguez dealt Schueler a rare loss in the district finals of the 400 meters last Saturday. As you can tell from Schueler’s reaction at the finish line, it isn’t the outcome she is used to.
Rodriguez will press Schueler in all three of her individual races — the 100, 200 and 400 — and there are others out there that would love to say they beat Summit star.
Schueler, who may yet become a national championship caliber 800-meter runner in college, is the fastest high school girl in Oregon since the advent of Title IX. Despite an injury-slowed senior season, she has the fastest times in the state this spring in the 100 and 200.
If last week’s loss served as a wake-up call, I’d expect Schueler to be very focused this weekend at Hayward Field.
Earlier this season, she discussed the possibility of trying for a history-making attempt at the 100-200-400-800. That isn’t in the cards. And a repeat of last year’s performance (as well as her freshman and sophomore seasons) isn’t going to be easy.
