The Prefontaine Track Club qualified 16 athletes for the regional meet with a strong showing at the State Junior Olympics Championships at Willamette University on June 22-23.

Athletes who finished in the top five at the state meet advanced to this weekend's regional meet, also scheduled for Willamette.

David Eckes, who competed in the midget boys (11-12) age group, summed up the goal of the state meet.

“I didn't do as well as I wanted, but I'm glad I did advance to regionals. That's what I needed to do to get the job done,” said Eckes, who finished fifth in the high jump by clearing 3 feet, 91/4 inches, and also competing in the 100 meters (16.59 seconds) and long jump (10-111/4).

Three Pre Track Club athletes finished first in events.

Brooke Davison won the youth girls (13-14) pole vault by clearing 9 feet, while Moriah Roberge won the same event in the intermediate girls (15-16) division with a height of 10-61/4. Katie Jensen won the bantam girls (9-10) high jump by clearing 4-11/4.

The midget girls relay team of Peyton Babb, Ashton Mann, Devrie Dewald and Lindsey Wright improved its best with a time of 56.83 to finish second and also advance to regionals. Babb had marks of 11-41/4 in the long jump and 17.32 in the 100. Dewald was sixth in both the 800 (2:50.85) and 1,500 (5:54.15), while Mann was sixth in the 200 (30.07) and seventh in the long jump (12-01/4). Wright qualified for regionals by finishing second in the high jump (4-31/4) and fourth in the 100 (14.23).

Shelby Paulson finished fifth in the intermediate girls triple jump (30-11/2) and fourth in the 400 (1:08.19). She also was sixth in the long jump (14-01/2).

In the pole vault, Lane Davison was second in the intermediate boys division, clearing 13 feet, while Greg Eckes was seventh with a height of 13 feet. Amber Wiley no-heighted in the young women (17-18) pole vault, but will compete at regionals. Sarah Jensen was sixth in the intermediate girls division by clearing 8 feet.

Three Kruse brothers all advanced to regionals in at least one event.

Benjamin Kruse was fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles (16.41) in the young men's division. Caleb Kruse, competing in the intermediate division, was second in the triple jump (38-6) and third in the high hurdles (17.78). Fredrick Kruse was second in the high hurdles in the young men's division (15.61) and also finished third in the triple jump (40-4) and cleared 11 feet in his first competition at pole vault.

“One of the benefits of the summer club season is that it gives athletes a chance to try new events,” said Pre Track Club head coach Fran Worthen. “We encourage athletes to broaden their horizons.”

Garrett Paulson, competing in the midget boys division, finished fourth in the high jump (3-91/4) to qualify for regionals and also had a mark of 10-101/2 in the long jump and 16.70 in the 100.

Paul Guffey took fourth place in the young men's javelin with a throw of 167-10.

Sydney Snook competed in four events in the youth girls division, placing eighth in the long jump with a leap of 12-53/4 and also running the 800 (2:34.07 for sixth place), 1,500 (5:24.85) and 400 (1:08.61).

Laleyna Vail had strong performances in her three events in the midget girls division, placing eighth in both the 400 (1:12.74) and shot put (16-0) and also competing in the 100 (14.76).

Fran Frasier and Maya Magallanes both competed in the intermediate girls division, with Frasier finishing sixth in the 1,500 (5:35.24) and Magallanes competing in the 100 (15.19).

Meagen Miranda was seventh in both the 800 (2:51.82) and 1,500 (6:07.43) in the midget girls division.

The regional championships draws athletes from qualifying meets in Washington, Western Idaho and Oregon. The top three finishers will earn the right to advance to the national meet in Baltimore.