Titans cruise to sweep of region track crowns

Kylee O’Connor and Grant Shurtliff led Lane Community College to a sweep of the Northwest Athletic Conference South Region track and field championships Saturday.

O’Connor, a sophomore and Sheldon grad who took the NWAC heptathlon title, finished with 42.4 points as the women’s high scorer in the Titans’ 273-183 victory over Clackamas.

It was the seventh consecutive regional title for the women’s team.

O’Connor won the 400 (1:00.39) and the 100 hurdles (15.76) as Lane dominated on the track.

In addition to winning both relays, the Titans’ other firsts came from Rubie Cordey in the 200 (25.71), Emily Viuhkola in the 800 (2:19.55), Danielle Girard in the 1,500 (5:03.60), Madison Schell in the 5,000 (19:24.04), Derese Litzsey-Adams in the hanmer throw (142-2) and Miranda Conley, who led a Lane sweep of the top six places in the shot put with her winning mark of 37-5 3/4.

Meanwhile, Shurtliff, a freshman out of Thurston High who earlier won the NWAC decathlon, scored a meet-high 30 points as Lane claimed its 13th straight regional championship, 305-114, over second-place Clackamas.

Marcus Gaylor led the Titan men to a top-four sweep in both the 100 (10.68) and 200 (21.69). Lane’s other double winner was Sam Nichols in the shot put (46-8 1/4) and discus throw (141-1).

Other men’s winners for Lane were Cornelious Berry in the 400 (49.94), Carlos Camacho in the 800 (1:57.06), Ben Harter in the 5,000 (15:20.28), Michael Capri in the 400 hurdles (55.95), Dakari Hightower in the high jump (7-1/4) and Kavic Belcastro in the pole vault (16-3/4). The Titans also won both relays.