The Lions capped off the week with a dominating win from the boys team at the Philomath Relays.  The girls battled to a second place finish behind the defending state champions from Philomath.  Many JV athletes saw some big improvements at the Marist meet last Monday as well.  It's another busy week with our home meet on Tuesday, Oregon Relays on Friday (for Carter), and the Meet of Champions on Saturday.

Upcoming Grade Checks: Updated grades will be available on Monday.  Those not passing five classes and/or below a 2.0 GPA won't be competing on Tuesday and in the future until they have improved grades to the minimum standard.

Pictures:  Pictures have arrived for those that ordered.  Please pick those up in Coach Knutson's classroom (room 109).  

Monday (4/15):  Athletes will have the opportunity to check event entries for Tuesday.  They were responsible for getting signed up at the end of last week.  Like many of our pre meet practices, athletes will be getting done with workouts earlier on this day.  We will also have athletes sign up for job assignments for the Wednesday middle school meet.  

Tuesday (4/16):  Athletes will be dismissed at 2:40 and should be in full uniform and at the starting line ready for warm ups at 3:10.  Field events start at 4pm and track events start at 4:30.  The order of events and full schedule can be found in the meet info section at athletic.net (linked above).  Just a reminder that we ask all athletes to stay to the end of the meet to support their teammates.  Entries for the Meet of Champions (Saturday) are due at 10pm and we will know by Wednesday who has been accepted for the Saturday meet.

Wednesday (4/17):  HOME MIDDLE SCHOOL MEET.  Athletes should be in the main gym dressed and ready for practice at 2:30pm.  We will go over job assignments for the middle school meet and then get in a team warm up.  Athletes should expect to be helping until 7pm.  Please be sure to bring layers of clothing as it cools off quickly in the evening.  Athletes will also find out at practice if they made the cut for the Meet of Champions.  Some may be on the alternate list and could potentially be added if athletes scratch prior to Saturday.  

Thursday (4/18):  Normal Practice.  We will be checking in with athletes about which events they will be competing in for the upcoming "Varsity Meet" in North Bend next week.  Not all athletes will be attending this meet.

Friday (4/19):  Carter Bengtson will be competing at The Oregon Relays and the rest of the team will have normal practice.  To meet the standards and qualify for the Oregon Relays in an individual event is extremely challenging.  Carter ran in the meet last season and will compete in the 2 mile event which starts at 11am.  It is online ticketing only for the event and you can find all the spectator information HERE.  

Saturday (4/20):  The team travels to Sweet Home for the Meet of Champions.  This is a 37 team invitational for 1A-4A schools and the event has been around for decades.  Athletes qualify individually (or as a relay team)  to compete.  Athletes will know on Wednesday if they are attending and the bus will leave at 7:00AM.  All the meet details can be found in the meet info section at athletic.net, but a schedule is also linked HERE.  We will stop for food on the way home.

Upcoming Dates:

Tuesday, April 23rd:  The Sky-Em Varsity Meet is a preview of the district championship meet that will be held at North Bend High School.  Because all five teams from the league will be attending it is called a "varsity" meet as a way to limit entries and keep the weekday meet manageable.  Please understand that the entries for this meet won't necessarily match the entries for the two day district championship meet that will happen on May 10-11.  Some athletes that compete at this meet might not compete at districts.  Also, as we approach the second half of the season, this is just a reminder that the varsity lettering standards can be found in the team handbook linked above.  

Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  

We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE (only one submission per athlete each week).   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

This Week's Question (This is a tough one, still no correct answer yet.): In which track and field event has Cottage Grove High School had the longest drought in qualifying someone for the state championships?  In other words, which event has seen the most number of years pass since CGHS has qualified an athlete for state?  A correct answer needs the gender and the event (for example: boys 3000m)

It was a fantastic way to get back into competition last week with the JV meet at Marist and the 28 team invitational at Marshfield.  Congratulations to Gavin Grogan (long jump) and Hayes Valley (110m hurdles AND 300m hurdles) for earning the event wins on Saturday among large fields of quality competition.  Ella Cardwell (4th in the 3000m) and Makya Alsup (5th in the javelin) were our top finishers for the girls.  There were many other CG athletes that made the podium (top 8) as well.  While the team was at Marshfield we had a group of athletes here in Cottage Grove that volunteered to serve at the Family Relief Nursery Gala on Saturday night.  Thank you to all those athletes that volunteered and represented our program in such a positive way!

Upcoming Grade Checks:  Just a reminder that our next grade check will be this Friday, April 12th.  Any athlete that is not passing five classes and/or is below a 2.0 will be immediately ineligible until grades are improved to meet the standard.  Athletes, please make sure we are taking care of our priorities in the classroom.  

Monday (4/8):  JV Meet at Marist.  Monday meets are not common, but we have one this week.  Like last week, some athletes will be attending and others will have a normal practice.  Athletes with the option of attending the meet were given the opportunity to sign up for events last week and those entries can be viewed HERE.  If you happen to see a necessary change with the entries please contact Coach Knutson via email (ricky.knutson@slane.k12.or.us) ASAP.  However, there are no promises that the changes will be made prior to the Sunday afternoon deadline.  Those competing will be dismissed from class at 1:40pm and should be on the bus ready to roll at 2:00pm.  Everyone else should be at practice at the normal time.  

Tuesday (4/9), Wednesday (4/10) and Thursday (4/11):  Normal Practice.  We will also be ironing out entries for the unique relay meet on Saturday.  Most athletes will know by Tuesday or Wednesday (if they don't already know) if they will be attending the Saturday meet.  Due to the nature of the meet and event structure, there will be some athletes attending that may not normally attend invitationals.  

Friday (4/12):  Athletes will sign up for events on this day for our home meet the following Tuesday (4/16).

Saturday (4/13):  Philomath Relays.  Departure time is 8:15am.  This invitational is a unique meet where the track events are all relays and the field events are scored as a team (top three marks from each team in each event are added together to determine team place).  There aren't a lot of details listed at the meet info page at athletic.net, but if you select the schedule option (within the meet info page) you may view a list of events.  Field events start at 11am and track events start at noon.  Due to the nature of the meet there will be some athletes competing in events that they may not normally participate in.  This type of meet showcases a team's depth, and there may be spots that need to be filled that we don't usually have to fill.  Athletes that may not typically score for the team become very important in events like this, especially in field events, as marks for three athletes are required for a team score in each event.  It should be a fun day!

Upcoming Dates:

Tuesday, April 16th:  Our next home meet.

Wednesday, April 17th:  Middle school home meet at CGHS.  Our athletes help to put this meet on by running the field events.  Please plan on a later release time on this day.  We hope to be done by 7pm.

Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  

We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE (only one submission per athlete each week).   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

This Week's Question (SAME AS LAST WEEK SINCE THERE WAS NO CORRECT ANSWER): In which track and field event has Cottage Grove High School had the longest drought in qualifying someone for the state championships?  In other words, which event has seen the most number of years pass since CGHS has qualified an athlete for state?  A correct answer needs the gender and the event (for example: boys 3000m).

Spring break was a solid week of workouts for athletes that attended practice.  We ended the week with a frisbee croquet squad competition and squads were also awarded points for every member that had perfect spring break attendance.  Don't forget that you may access the latest squad scores in the quick link section above.  It's going to get busy from here on out and we're excited to get rolling with more meets!

Apparel:  The apparel order has arrived!  Apparel has been individually bagged and will be ready for distribution on Monday.  Athletes should confirm items are correct at the time of pickup and BEFORE walking away with apparel.  PLEASE LABEL YOUR ITEMS WITH YOUR NAME ON THE TAG.

Upcoming Grade Checks:  Just a reminder that our next grade check will be April 12th.  Any athlete that is not passing five classes and/or is below a 2.0 will be immediately ineligible until grades are improved to meet the standard.

Volunteers Needed:  We are in need of some volunteer athletes to help out with The Family Relief Nursery Gala on Saturday, April 6th.  It's a bit tricky this year since many athletes and our coaching staff will be at Marshfield for the meet.  If there are any athletes that are not attending the meet that would be interested in helping please let Coach Knutson know.  Jim and Joyce Settelmeyer will be helping to oversee the volunteers as they plate food, and assist the caterers. We will also award 10 squad points for each person that volunteers. Details below:

• Saturday, April 6th (Please know that alcohol is available for adults at the event, so please pass on this opportunity if you are uncomfortable with that.  Volunteers are primarily in the kitchen or helping to clear tables.)

• Location: Cottage Grove Armory

• 4:30 - 8:30pm (dinner is provided for volunteers).

• Attire should be all black.

This week:

Monday (4/1):  Athletes that missed practices over the last week will be taking time in practice to "spin the wheel" and participate in some conditioning activities.  They will do this as a group and we will spread spins out over the course of the week.  

Athletes that meet the spring break practice requirement (see updates for the last two weeks) and are attending the Tuesday JV meet will need to make sure to check posted entries at practice and confirm their event entries with Coach Knutson before leaving practice.  Entries for Tuesday are due by 6pm on Monday, so it is critical that those are in and accurate.  Most athletes already know if they are attending the Tuesday meet, but should follow up on Monday if they have questions.

Tuesday (4/2) JV Meet at Marist (Athletes not attending the meet will have practice as normal with a small coaching staff):  

Athletes will be dismissed at 1:40pm and should be in full uniform, with equipment loaded, and ready to roll at 2:00pm.  The track and field program always departs ON TIME.   Athletes are responsible for getting out of class on time and being ready to go on time. ANY ATHLETE NOT ON THE BUS WHEN IT IS TIME TO LEAVE WILL BE LEFT AT CGHS.   All information with regards to meet schedule can be found at athletic.net in the meet info section.  If you are not familiar with how to use athletic.net we have put together a quick tutorial that could be helpful. You may access that video HERE (It will also be available in the quick link section above for the rest of the season).  Just like with our home meets we ask that athletes stay until the end of the meet.  We won't be stopping for food on the way home, so please be sure to bring snacks.  ATHLETES WILL BE REMINDED TO CALL TO ARRANGE PICKUP FROM CGHS WHEN WE LEAVE EUGENE.  THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR PICKING YOUR ATHLETE UP FROM THE SCHOOL WHEN WE RETURN SO THAT COACHES DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT. 

Wednesday (4/3):  We are allowed two entries per event for the Saturday meet at Marshfield, but not all entries will be accepted.  We should know by practice time on Wednesday who has been accepted to compete at the Marshfield meet on Saturday.  

Thursday/Friday (4/4 - 4/5):  Normal practices. On Thursday athletes will start the event sign up process for our meet on 4/8.  It is not very often that we have a Monday meet, so athletes will need to make sure to confirm their events prior to leaving practice on Friday.   Friday will end a bit early depending on the event area as practice will be light due to the Saturday meet.  

Saturday (4/6):  Bus leaves at 6:30am.  Again, we will leave ON TIME, so please be in uniform, equipment loaded, and ready to roll at 6:30am.  Meet details can be found at athletic.net.

Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  

We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE (only one submission per athlete each week).   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

This Week's Question: In which track and field event has Cottage Grove High School had the longest drought in qualifying someone for the state championships?  In other words, which event has seen the most number of years pass since CGHS has qualified an athlete for state?  A correct answer needs the gender and the event (for example: boys 3000m).

Last Week's Question: Who was the last male CGHS track and field athlete to qualify for the state championships four years in a row?

Answer:  Austin Place (2009 - 800m, 2010 - 800m/4x400m, 2011 - 800m, 2012 - 4x400m/800m)

Last Week's Winner: Congratulations to Eli Williams!

Our home icebreaker meet was a success and it was fantastic that the weather also cooperated.  Many athletes had their first high school track and field experience!  On Friday we had our annual team potluck and squad competitions.  An ENORMOUS thank you to everyone that contributed to the potluck, it was a fun evening of team bonding for the athletes.  The updated squad scores can be viewed in the quick link section above. Only 29 points separate fourth from first, the squad title is up for grabs! Thanks again to Coach Tucker and other yearbook photographers for taking pictures at our events.  Remember, pictures from the season can be accessed above using the 2024 Track and Field Pictures quick link.  On Saturday we had some of our throwers compete at the Harvey Lewellen Throws Invitational where our boys (Eli, Rogelio, and Clayton) took first in the shot put team competition.  They combined top throws for a score of 127 feet and .05 inches!  It was a great showing from our throwing crew!

Apparel Order Update:  We are hoping that the apparel order shows up shortly.  It usually arrives around spring break.

Pictures:  We took team pictures last week.  If you would still like to order please visit the website HERE. When the pictures are ready they will show up at the school to be distributed to athletes.

This Week:

Monday - Thursday (March 25th - 28th): Spring break practices from 9am to 11am.  Practices are required and absences will be treated the same way that we do with any other missed practice (two spins of the fitness wheel for each day missed).  We understand that some families may leave for spring break, but we maintain the same standard for all athletes.  There is no need to notify coaches of absences this week; athletes are either at practice or they aren't.  Athletes, please enter the facility through the gate at the track and you may then access the locker rooms through the gym door at the track.  FOR SAFETY REASONS, ONLY ATHLETES THAT ATTEND PRACTICE DURING SPRING BREAK WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND THE APRIL 2ND MEET.

Friday (March 29th): NO PRACTICE

Upcoming Dates:

April 2nd: JV Meet at Marist.  This meet is designed for JV and/or newer athletes.  Athletes that competed at the varsity district meet last season will most likely not attend this meet.  FOR SAFETY REASONS, ONLY ATHLETES THAT ATTEND PRACTICE DURING SPRING BREAK WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND THIS MEET.  Again, this is not a consequence, it is to protect athletes that will not be prepared to compete after missing a week of workouts.

April 6th: Prefontaine Rotary Invite.  We are only allowed two entries per event at this meet, and then we will be informed which entries make the cut.  Entries are due Tuesday evening and we've been told that we should know who was accepted by Wednesday.

Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  

We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE.   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

This Week's Question: Who was the last male CGHS track and field athlete to qualify for the state championships four years in a row?

Last Week's Question: Who was the last female CGHS track and field athlete to qualify for the state championships four years in a row?

Answer:  Hudson Weybright (2014 - 800m, 2015 - 800m/3000m, 2016 - 4x400/3000m, 2017 - 4x400m/800)

Last Week's Winner: Congratulations to Micah Hanke!

Our week culminated with a kick off of our season long squad competition.  Captains drafted squads on Tuesday, and on Friday the athletes competed in a modified version of a track meet.  It was a perfect afternoon of sunshine and fun competition!  Enjoy some of the pictures from the squad meet by using the track and field pictures link in the quick links section above.  Results of the squad meet will be shared at practice on Monday and squads will continue to compete throughout the season to have their squad name on the championship plaque.  It's going to be another busy week as we host our first official meet of the season.  There is a massive amount of information below, but we truly appreciate you taking a moment to make sure you're aware of what's happening this week.  It's always more fun when everyone is on the same page!

Academic Reminder:  Teachers issued trimester grades on Friday.  Fortunately, academic issues are not typically a problem with most of our track and field athletes, but we still want to make sure expectations are clear.  Athletes that have passed at least five classes and have above a 2.0 GPA will be clear to compete.  If an athlete did not pass five classes then they are deemed ineligible by the OSAA and will not be able to continue the season.  If an athlete passed five classes, but does NOT have the 2.0 GPA then they are still allowed to continue the season.  However, they will not be able to compete until they show they have above a 2.0 at the first grade check (approximately three weeks into the trimester).

Athletic Fee Reminder:  We still have athletes that need to take care of the athletic fee.  After March 20th there will be a $25 late fee added.  Please contact Mrs. Twyman in the main office if you need a waiver, would like to pay by card, or if you have questions.  Thanks for helping us wrap up this process.

Apparel Order Update:  For anyone that ordered apparel, the order was placed last Monday.  The apparel usually shows up during spring break at the latest.  We will distribute items once we receive them.

This Week:

Monday (3/18):  Athletes will be issued a team uniform that will consist of at least a jacket and jersey.  Athletes may choose to check out shorts and pants if they wish, or they may use their own if they have items that are solid black (no stripes or other decor).  Pants that have the CG logo such as the ones ordered through the program may also be used.   Team uniforms are for meets only and should not be worn to school, at practice, or in any other situations outside of competition.  Athletes will also be signing up for events that they will compete in on Wednesday.  It is the responsibility of each athlete to get signed up for events with the head coach.  If athletes don't check in to get signed up then they will not compete on Wednesday.  Team picture forms will also be available for athletes.

Tuesday (3/19):  Athletes that have not turned in their signed team handbook form by the end of practice on Tuesday will not be entered in the Wednesday meet.  All athletes that were missing this form were reminded last week.  Entries for the Wednesday meet will be posted for athletes to verify, and we can still make additions or corrections if necessary.  This is the last opportunity for corrections prior to the meet on Wednesday.

Wednesday (3/20:  Athletes should be in full uniform and at the starting line ready for warm ups at 3:10.  Field events start at 4pm and track events start at 4:30.  Just a reminder of one of our team policies that athletes must stay for the entire meet to support their teammates.  We know that this can make for a later evening, but thank you for understanding that this is a critical component of developing a positive team culture.  Here are a couple of reminders for spectators:

• Remember, athletic.net (linked above) is one of the best sources on meet day.  When you select the meet in the menu you can often access all sorts of information (such as meet schedules) by selecting the meet info option.

• In order for meets to run as efficiently as possible they most often run on a rolling schedule, which means that we can't tell you exactly what time athletes will compete.  While we understand this can be frustrating it becomes easier to predict as you get more practice.

• Our volunteer officials and workers may still be learning the event.  Thank you for your patience if there are some hiccups.

• Wednesday is about learning how meets work such as the warm up and cool down, checking in and out of events, learning the schedule, and dealing with nerves.  Even our veterans need the review.  Thank you for being positive with our athletes as they navigate this process.

• Learning is a process and our athletes will most likely never look like Olympians this season.  With all due respect to the track and field knowledge of our spectators, please let this process play out with the athletes and our coaches.  We will continue to build skills in practice and one of the biggest mistakes we can make in a competition setting is over coaching.  Athletes deal with a massive amount of stimuli during a meet and flooding them with information (even good information) in the moment is typically not a successful answer to "fixing" things long term.  We build each week and we won't get to everything at once.  Clap, cheer, and congratulate your athlete for having the courage to compete and do hard things.  Thank you for trusting this process as we all grow throughout the season.  

Thursday (3/21):  Team pictures during practice.  We know that this is a quick turnaround with potentially dirty uniforms.  Even if you don't have the opportunity to wash it, please be in full uniform at the start of practice.  Athletes should still bring clothing to practice in following team pictures.  Picture information may be found in the quick link section above.

Friday (3:22): Team potluck and squad competitions in the school cafeteria following practice.  We do not require team activities outside of practice or competition, but athletes usually like to attend these.  The potluck only works if we have a team effort and last year was amazing.  If you are able to bring something to the potluck please click THIS LINK and let us know what that might be.  We're just trying to avoid 20 crock pots of baked beans :)  The activities should conclude around 8pm.    

Saturday (3/23):  Harvey Lewellen Throws Invitational.  This event is only for some of our throwers.  Our throws coaches will communicate this week with the athletes that have an opportunity to attend this meet.  Throwing coaches will be arranging transportation to the event and there may be some simple paperwork involved.

Upcoming Dates:

March 25th - 28th: Spring break practices from 9am to 11am.  Practices are required and absences will be treated the same way that we do with any other missed practice (two spins of the fitness wheel for each day missed).  We understand that some families may leave for spring break, but we maintain the same standard for all athletes.  There is no need to notify coaches of absences this week; athletes are either at practice or they aren't.

March 29th: NO PRACTICE

April 2nd: JV Meet at Marist.  This meet is designed for JV and/or newer athletes.  Athletes that competed at the varsity district meet last season will most likely not attend this meet.  FOR SAFETY REASONS, ONLY ATHLETES THAT ATTEND PRACTICE DURING SPRING BREAK WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND THIS MEET.  Again, this is not a consequence, it is to protect athletes that will not be prepared to compete after missing a week of workouts.

April 6th: Prefontaine Rotary Invite.  We are only allowed two entries per event at this meet, and then we will be informed which entries make the cut.

Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  

We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE.   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

This Week's Question (Some good guesses last week, but no correct answer.  We are keeping the same question this week):  Who was the last female CGHS track and field athlete to qualify for the state championships four years in a row?

Hint:  Due to COVID there were several athletes that didn't get four track seasons.  The last CGHS female to achieve this graduated prior to 2020.

Last Week's Winner: No correct answer

Week two of practice concluded with some sunshine, and Saturday was an opportunity to watch some of our former athletes compete at the Lane Community College Open.  It was exciting to see six of our former Lions representing three different collegiate programs as they continue their education while also pursuing their love of track and field.  Thank you for taking a moment to check out what's coming up this week and beyond!

This Week:

Tuesday (3/12):  Captains only will meet in room 109 after practice to participate in the squad draft and pizza will be provided.  Captains were introduced on Friday at practice, but congratulations again to the following athletes who have been voted captains by their teammates:  Tayler Bentley,  Maddison France, Zoey Knutson, Allison Palluck, Carter Bengtson, Clayton Dewitt, Raf Fields, and Eli Williams.

Wednesday/Thursday (3/13 - 3/14):  Athletes will meet as squads during the last part of practice to organize and plan for the Friday squad meet.  Thursday is also the last day of the trimester, so please be sure school work has been taken care of.  Athletes that don't pass at least five classes will not be eligible to continue the season.  Athletes that pass at least five classes but do not have AT LEAST a 2.0 GPA will be ineligible until they show they have met the minimum 2.0 standard at the first grade check of trimester three (approximately three weeks into the trimester).

Friday (3/15): Squad Meet 3pm (NO SCHOOL).  The four squads will compete in multiple versions of track and field events in the first step toward earning the right to have their squad name on the coveted squad plaque at the end of the season.  The event is essentially a scrimmage with a few twists.  Spectators are welcome, but it is a pretty low key and fun event. Bring your sunscreen!

Upcoming Dates:

March 20th:  First home track meet.  Athletes must have the last sheet of team handbook signed and turned in prior to the entry deadline (March 19th). 

March 21st: Team pictures.  Please see quick link above for details.

March 22nd: Team potluck and squad competition night following practice.  Team events outside of practice or meets are never required, although athletes usually don't want to miss events like this.  Last year this event concluded about 8pm.  Please watch for a potluck sign up in next week's update.

March 25th - 28th: Spring break practices from 9am to 11am.  Practices are required and absences will be treated the same way that we do with any other missed practice (two spins of the fitness wheel for each day missed).  

March 29th: NO PRACTICE

April 2nd: JV Meet at Marist.  This meet is designed for JV and/or newer athletes.  Athletes that competed at the varsity district meet last season will most likely not attend this meet.  FOR SAFETY REASONS, ONLY ATHLETES THAT ATTEND PRACTICE DURING SPRING BREAK WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND THIS MEET.  Again, this is not a consequence, it is to protect athletes that will not be prepared to compete after missing a week of workouts.

April 6th: Prefontaine Rotary Invite.  We are only allowed two entries per event at this meet, and then we will be informed which entries make the cut.

Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  

We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE.   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

Last Week's Question:  Who was the last CGHS track and field athlete to WIN multiple state championships in the same event?

Answer: Jordan Brunetti was the javelin state champion in 2007, 2009 and 2010 (injured in 2008, but still placed 14th).

Last Week's Winner: Congratulations to Terran Stewart!

This Week's Question:  Who was the last female CGHS track and field athlete to qualify for the state championships four years in a row?

It was a fantastic first week as we worked to build the foundation for another successful season!  Thank you to everyone that showed up to the meeting on Friday.  If you were not able to make it please be sure to familiarize yourself with the information from our week 1 update below if you have not already.  Here are some reminders for the week as well as some upcoming dates to make note of.

• Athletes may give input for team captains (VOTING HAS CLOSED). You must be logged in using your school account.  The form will be closed by practice time on Thursday, so please have votes in before then.  

• A remind message was sent out the afternoon of March 3rd.  If you didn't receive the message you will want to make sure you're registered for our team Remind group.  Please text @cgtrack24 to 81010

• As discussed at the parent meeting, while practice is scheduled until 6pm some athletes do finish up earlier based on their event group.  There will always be a coach on site until 6pm.  Thank you for making sure your student athlete is picked up from the school so that coaches don't have to stay later than 6pm.

• A reminder for anyone interested in ordering apparel for the season that forms and money need to be turned in to Lena Twyman in the main office by Friday, March 8th.  If you prefer to pay with a card please call or see Mrs. Twyman to place your order.  A copy of the order form can be found using the quick link above.

• The last day of the trimester is March 14th.  Please remind student athletes to take care of business in the classroom.

• The last page of our team handbook (linked above) should be signed and turned in to Coach Knutson in order to compete at our first home meet on March 20th.  If you're new to track and field please be sure to read through the handbook as there is a lot of information that can help the first time athletes and families.  

• Team pictures will be on March 21st.  Information about ordering is in the quick links above.

• Our team potluck and squad competition night is on March 22nd following practice.  Team events outside of practice or meets are never required, although athletes usually don't want to miss events like this.  Last year this event concluded about 8pm.

• Reminder that we will have practice on Monday through Thursday of spring break from 9am to 11am.  No practice on Friday, March 29th.

• Weekly CGHS Track and Field Trivia:  We will have a new CGHS track and field trivia question every Sunday for athletes that are checking the website each week.  The first correct answer each week will be our winner, and each weekly winner will be entered in a drawing for an end of the season prize!  Athletes will only be eligible to win two weeks this season to ensure maximum participation.  Please submit answers using the form linked HERE.   Athletic.net and our all-time track and field list linked above will be valuable resources when looking for answers. We will post the answer and weekly winner in next week's update.  Let's learn more about the rich history of track and field at CGHS!

Question:  Who was the last CGHS track and field athlete to WIN multiple state championships in the same event?

Thank you for all the support! GO LIONS!

Welcome to Cottage Grove Track and Field 2024

We are excited to get rolling with another season!  Last year was one of the best track and field seasons in school history and we can't wait to build on that success.  Our goal is to provide a positive experience while developing skills to become successful athletes, students and people.  Each year we have 80-100 student athletes with a wide range of experience and skills.  We do not cut any student athletes from the program and expect each athlete to show up every day ready to put in the work required to improve.  While many perceive track and field to be an individual sport, we place an enormous emphasis on the team aspect.  We are excited for what each individual will be bringing to our team this year!  Here is a bit of information that will get us started. 

Please be sure to share this information with other family members.  If you have additional questions after reading this please communicate with your student athlete first, and encourage them to talk with the coaches.  One of our goals is to help develop responsible young adults by promoting communication between coaches, athletes and parents.  By including the student athletes in this process it helps to develop responsibility, and also cuts down on excessive texts, phone calls, and emails.  Also, please feel free to have questions ready for the parent meeting on Friday, March 1st.

On our first day of practice athletes will be given hard copies of a few items, but we want to make sure and keep parents/guardians in the loop.  Below is some information as well as links to some resources that will help you through the season. 

1.  This website will be updated weekly on Sunday afternoons.  Thank you for bookmarking this site and making it a habit to check here for weekly updates!

2. We push out more time sensitive information using several methods in addition to the website, so please be sure to follow us where it is most convenient for you.

• Sign up for remind this year for text reminders and updates.  You can sign up by texting @cgtrack24 to 81010

• Facebook: CG Track and Field/Cross Country

• Instagram: cgtrackandfieldxc

3.   A link to a copy/printable version of our detailed schedule is here. TIMES/DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  The most up to date schedule is always online at athletic.net (see #5 below). Please note the key at the bottom of the printable schedule as not all athletes will be competing at every meet. 

4.   There will be a parent meeting on Friday, March 1st at 6:15pm in the gym.  All spring sports will meet briefly and then we will have a track and field meeting.  Please make every effort to attend as we have some new information for this season.

5.   Athletic.net is the website that hosts all high school track and field meet results.  Sometimes meets have live results and other times they are posted shortly after the meet ends.

6.  Our team expectations are handed out to athletes on the first day of practice, but here is the link as well.  This document is loaded with information and includes a Q and A section.  Athletes are required to return the signed sheet before competing in the first meet.

7.  We will check out uniforms to each athlete for the season, but they also have the option to purchase additional apparel.  Order forms will be available for athletes to purchase personal apparel, but it is not required.  Money and the order forms should be returned to Lena Twyman in the main office by Friday, March 8th.  Forms may also be accessed and printed HERE.  After the deadline on March 8th, the items will be printed and shipped to the high school for pickup within 3-4 weeks. 

8.  There will be no practice on Friday, March 29th, but we will have practice on the first four days of spring break and practice time will be at 9am. Please see team expectations if you will not be able to attend. Any questions or concerns regarding this will be addressed at the parent meeting.

Important upcoming dates in addition to meets:

March 1st: Parent meeting at 6:15pm in the gym.

March 21st: Team pictures at 3:45pm (packets will be handed out at practice prior to this day).

March 22nd: Team potluck and Squad Competition following practice.

That should be a good start for now.  We're also looking forward to addressing any other questions or concerns at our parent meeting on the 1st.  Thank you for all you do to support the student athletes as well as the Cottage Grove Track and Field program.

Go Lions!

Ricky Knutson

Head Track and Field Coach

ricky.knutson@slane.k12.or.us

It has been 66 years since a Cottage Grove cross country athlete has been on top of the podium at the state championship.  On Saturday Carter followed in the footsteps of Dyrol Burleson by winning the state championship by over 40 seconds.  If you don't know who Dyrol Burleson is then you should pause here and do a quick Google search to learn more about the two time Olympian.  While it is often easy to write off successful athletes as just talented, that would be a huge disservice to the work that Carter has put in over the last few years.  Carter spent his first two seasons at CGHS learning from and chasing Jaden Owens, who is also one of the all time greats at CGHS.  After finishing in sixth place at the state cross country meet last fall, and third in the 3000m last spring at the state track and field championship, Carter took his training to another level.  His desire to improve and his commitment to doing the actual work it takes to get better has been what sets Carter apart from the rest.  While Carter may have crossed the finish line first at LCC on Saturday, the win was in the works during June, July, and August when Carter was adding up the miles.  Carter understands the importance of not only the running, but all of the ancillary things that make a big difference, such as strength and mobility work.  Even more impressive is that Carter managed to fit in all the training while also being an integral part of the soccer team and excelling in the classroom.  All of those miles resulted in a huge boost in confidence as he stepped up to the starting line in September, and the rest is history.  After nine races during the course of the season where a total of 822 athletes tried to get to the finish line first, Carter stood on top of the podium as a state champion!  Congratulations Carter, we're honored to have you represent our team, school, and community.

Boys Team Recap:  The boys team entered the state meet ranked #7 and they ended up taking 7th place, a one place improvement on the team finish last year.  While it is the first time the boys team has had a streak of three top 10 finishes at state since 1959 there was a definite feeling that the athletes wanted more.  This is a huge testament to the work that the athletes have put in and how far the bar has been raised in our program.  Most people outside of Cottage Grove did not expect to see the team back at state after having to replace six of the top seven guys on the varsity team, let alone upset Marist to win a district title.  It was a steep learning curve for the boys team as most of them experienced racing at the varsity level for the first time.  Carter, Frank and Easton have established the benchmark for what off season training should look like.  If the rest of the guys follow suit this summer then the team could look to contend for a state trophy next fall.  With some strong JV runners on our team this season and some passionate incoming freshmen next year, the varsity team is going to be a tough team to make next fall.  The 2023 season was a massive success in terms of gaining experience and taking a giant leap toward the future.  Congratulations to all the guys for a successful season!

Girls Team Recap:  The girls team entered the state meet ranked #6 and ended up placing 6th, just 10 points out of 4th place and a state trophy.  Although 6th place is a tie for the best finish in CG girls XC history, the girls had hoped for more when the season started.   The girls team faced some different challenges this season with only one girl athlete able to make it through all of the workouts this season without any significant modifications.  There were doubts at times that we would have a full squad on the starting line at the end of the season.  Despite a variety of health and medical obstacles the girls still managed to pull together a near perfect race at districts to upset Junction City for the district title, the FIRST GIRLS XC DISTRICT TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY!  Facing a couple of additional hiccups the week of the state meet the girls rallied to a 6th place finish.  The girls will return a veteran squad next season with three seniors that are not planning to leave the state meet empty handed in 2024.  The girls program will also be transitioning from not always fielding a full team on race day to a roster that will be challenging to make with the addition of several incoming freshmen next season.  Congratulations to the girls on another season for the history books!

Cottage Grove is one of four 4A schools that had both boys and girls programs finish in the top seven at the state meet.  These athletes have established a culture of hard work and high expectations for themselves and their teammates.  Congratulations to all athletes for making Cottage Grove one of the strongest 4A programs in the state. 

It couldn't have been scripted any better.  From the perfect racing weather to runners executing race plans with surgical precision, it was another historic day for the Lion harriers.  The Lions spent the last month honing their racing tactics on slower and more challenging courses, and they expected some big improvements on Thursday.  However, they also knew that fast times would come as a result of putting themselves in the best positions possible to help their team.  The district championship is all about place rather than time.

Carter is the District Champion:

Carter became the first individual district champion for the CG boys since Jimmy Talley notched a win in 2018.  While the first mile was right on pace for Carter it proved to be too much for the two runners that attempted to try and hang with him.  Carter maintained the grueling pace and powered to the win by over 50 seconds while also claiming a 1 second personal best.  We believe he may have also set a state record for fastest time from the finish line to the porta potty.  Next week Carter will race with the hopes of becoming the first Cottage Grove athlete to win a XC state title since Dyrol Burleson won the 1.8 mile version of the race in 1957.  

Girls Race Recap:

The girls entered the meet ranked #3 in the league behind North Bend and the defending champions from Junction City.  It would be a fight for the two state qualifying team spots.  After the first mile it looked like the race may play out according to form as the ladies trailed North Bend by six points and Junction City by 15 points.  However, the CG runners had paced the first mile exactly as planned and they had positioned themselves to move up.  Maddison waited for the perfect moment to break free of the chase pack, while Ella trailed the pack closely enough so that she would be ready to pick off runners as they dropped.  Maddison powered her way to a second place finish as Ella devoured the four person pack to steal third place.  Allison fought some stomach issues during the race, but still managed a strong hold on her position and finished with a 23 second season best.  Hailey trailed two key North Bend runners by roughly 20 meters at the halfway point, but less than a mile later she had her own 20 meter lead on them.  She built on that lead late in the race to earn a 28 second PR.  Jordynn raced spectacularly after facing some challenges with training during the season.  As she moved up seven places after the mile she clocked a seven second PR, but more impressive was that it was nearly two minutes faster than her best time this season.  After having to take one month off to problem solve an injury issue Bella courageously chose to put herself out there to help her team.  Late in the race she debated stepping off the course due to pain she was experiencing, but chose to continue knowing the score would be close and that a tie breaker would come down to the sixth runner.  Zoey jumped in to help after spending the season with the soccer team.  If something would have happened with our 5th and 6th runner Zoey's place would have been strong enough to still secure the team a state meet birth.  The end result was a four point upset victory over Junction City and the first district championship in school history for the girls cross country team!  

Girls Results:

Maddison France: 2nd place, 20:05, PR by 45 seconds

Ella Cardwell: 3rd place, 20:13, PR by 1 minute and 20 seconds

Allison Palluck: 9th place, 21:32, Season Best by 26 seconds

Hailey Fergason: 10th place, 21:45, PR by 28 seconds

Jordynn Owens: 14th place, 22:23, PR by 7 seconds and Season Best by 1 minute and 52 seconds

Bella Keating: 23rd place, 23:17, Remarkable time for coming back after one month and running with discomfort

Zoey Knutson: 24th place, Season Best by 6 seconds

Boys Race Recap:

After watching the girls execute a perfect race plan the boys were ready to match what their female counterparts had just accomplished. Let's not forget that the CG boys were the defending district champs to start the race, but they also replaced six of the seven guys in the "starting lineup" this season. Marist entered the race as the favorite on paper, but after racing Marist early in the season the CG boys knew they had a chance to secure a win.  Carter pulled the race out to a hot start, and several runners from other teams chose to get out fast as well.  At the mile things looked a little scary as Marist held a 20 point lead over CG.  However, the mile splits told a different story as most of the Lions had hit the mile at the perfect pace.  It was time to get to work.  As Carter continued to pull away from the field, David hung with the main chase pack and waited for the right moment to make is move.  Still dealing with some jet lag from a recent trip, David managed to fight off one Marist runner that tried to go with him and he secured the 4th place finish.  Easton and Frank worked together to dial in the first mile and then move up.  Easton managed to reel in nine athletes after the mile and secure a first team all-league 6th place finish and a 39 second PR.  Frank picked off six guys to grab 8th place with a 20 second PR.  Just slightly back in the pack Jackson and Lucas were working to do much of the same.  Jackson moved up five places in the last 1,000 meters while Lucas managed three spots.  In the end, Jackson had a lifetime best by 45 seconds and Lucas saw a nearly 40 second improvement.  Ethan was also busy at work passing five runners in the last 350 meters to secure a top 20 finish and an amazing personal best by nearly 80 seconds! The end result was a 15 point victory and a district championship for the CG boys; the first time in school history that the XC boys have gone back to back.

Boys Results:

Carter Bengtson: District Champion, 15:41, PR by 1 second and currently the #1 4A time in the state.

David Culbert: 4th place, 17:54, The goal was not a fast time, but to minimize risk and secure 4th. Mission accomplished.

Easton Hutchins: 6th place, 18:01, PR by 39 seconds

Frank Garcia: 8th place, PR by 20 seconds

Jackson Gifford: 12th place, PR by 45 seconds

Lucas O'Hara: 14th place, 18:43, PR by 39 seconds

Ethan McClean: 18th place, 19:33, PR by 78 seconds

JV Recap:

It was an amazing day for the JV runners as well!  The JV guys dominated the race by taking seven of the top nine spots, to make it the third team win for Cottage Grove on the day.  Micah and Hayes pulled away from the pack and Micah was able to get the win and break 20 minutes for the first time.  Almost every CG JV athlete ran a personal best with the exception of one athlete only being four seconds off of a PR.  We're hoping for a full girls JV team next season so we can attempt to sweep all four team titles.  Many asked why there were not awards for the JV runners.  Keep in mind that cross country is one of the few (if not only) high school sports where a JV event is held in conjunction with a varsity championship event. In most sports the JV season ends prior to a varsity district championship happening.  We're excited that our JV runners get to compete at the district championship with our varsity athletes, and that our JV athletes get to see what they can work toward next season.