Sarah Malone, seen here taking seventh in last season?s NCAA Championships.
Sarah Malone, the leader of one of the nation’s best javelin teams, is already having a phenomenal year.
Last season, Malone placed second in the Pacific-10 Conference Championships and seventh in the NCAA Championships. Just a freshman last year, she had great expectations for herself. “Up-and-comer” would have been the best way to describe her talent.
However, Malone is no longer an up-and-comer. She has arrived.
That was evidenced Saturday in Austin, Texas, when the Newberg native posted her best throwing series ever. She started at 166-feet-6 inches, then 171-5 and 179-1. Malone scratched on her fourth and sixth throws but still finished with a career best.
Her final mark of 179-2 was good enough to eclipse her best mark by more than five feet, yet still leaves her second in the nation. USC’s Inga Stasiulionyte leads the collegiate ranks after posting a mark of 183-7 at the Stanford Invite earlier this season.
But there is solace for Malone. She is already on track to a fine season and is guaranteed a spot at this season’s NCAA Championships in Baton Rouge, La.
“Normally, I have my best throws early, then go downhill, so I’m psyched to keep improving through the competition,” she said after capturing first at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. “That indicates I’m getting stronger and gives me confidence that I’m closing in on my goal of 180 feet.”
But “I also don’t like being second,” she said, “and that gives me some motivation to throw farther, too.”
Making Malone’s feat even more impressive is the fact that she suffered an injury at the start of the indoor season that hindered her throwing ability somewhat.
“She’s been throwing really well after she injured her hip,” head coach Tom Heinonen said.
North By Northwest
Ducks were not seen only in Texas this past weekend. Those athletes who failed to be invited to the relays made a trip to Salem on Saturday to participate in the Willamette Open.
Just like their comrades in Texas, the Oregon women placed a high emphasis on success in the state capital and came away just as they had hoped.
The 100-meter dash led the day for Oregon as junior Heather Murtaugh took third with a time of 12.86 seconds, followed closely by freshman Michelle Donovan (12.90), junior Torkwase Fraser (12.93) and junior Lucretia Larkin (12.94).
Donovan continued her day by taking third in the 200 with a time of 26.04, while Larkin ran a 15.38 mark in the 100 hurdles, good for second place. She trailed only Portland State’s Kerine Harvey (14.93).
Junior Mary Murphy claimed first in the high jump (5-07), while teammate Jenny Brogdon matched that height but was ruled to be in second place.
Much like the Oregon javelin squad did in Texas, the women’s shotput entry in Salem monopolized the competition, finishing in three of the top four spots. However, first was not attainable.
Freshman Katie McKeever paced the Duck entry with a distance of 41-00.50, just behind Southern Oregon’s Nikki Robertson (41-03.50). Sophomore Dani Keyser placed third (39-0), with freshman Roslyn Lundeen fourth (38-03).
Lundeen’s throw is an encouraging sign that the Victoria, British Columbia, native may be recuperating well from an injury that kept her from traveling to Texas. After leading the Ducks in the javelin throw two weeks ago in Tempe, Ariz., she injured her elbow in her final throw and was deemed unable to compete down south.
With Washington visiting Hayward Field on Saturday, Lundeen’s well-being will be important to Oregon’s success.
Furthering the Ducks’ success in Oregon, McKeever placed first in the discus at 147-10.50, edging out Robertson. Junior Jordan Sauvage was right behind Robertson at third (144-7.50), while sophomore Jill Hoxmeier rounded out the top four with a throw at 139-11.50.
Ending the day, Sauvage gave Oregon another win, this time in the hammer throw. Her mark of 175-08 was a personal best for the North Bend, Wash., native, easily enough to pace her in front of Western Oregon’s Jennifer Durkin (169-04).
Finally, McKeever ended an all-around day by finishing fourth in the event at 153-07.
E-mail sports reporter Hank Hager
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