North Bend’s Elliot Adams won the discus at the Far West League district meet on Friday. It was Adams’ first title in the event. World Photo by Alex Powers.

NORTH BEND — The pole vaulters stole the show on the opening day of the Far West League district track and field meet on Friday with a high-flying exhibition that saw four different athletes qualify for the state meet.

North Bend’s Lane Davison, Kevin Godfrey of Douglas, South Umpqua’s Triton Crane and Brookings-Harbor’s Kyle Botnen all cleared the automatic qualifying standard of 13 feet, 5 inches on their first attempts to advance to the state meet, which starts Thursday at Hayward Field in Eugene.

They didn’t stop there.

By the time they were done, Godfrey had broken the meet record by clearing 15 feet, Davison had matched the old mark, getting over 14-6, and the others had impressive efforts as well.

“It’s so great,” said Godfrey of Friday’s competition. “Our league is one of the better leagues. It’s finally time to get some recognition at state.”

The league almost got a fifth vaulter to state. North Bend’s Travis Berrian, able to compete in the event for the first time all spring after he suffered an injury in the opening meet in March, got over 13 feet, but couldn’t clear the bar at 13-5.

“He was so close,” said Godfrey, adding it’s the first time he can remember athletes from four different schools all pulling for one person.

Berrian did win his heats in both hurdles races.

Godfrey, meanwhile, also won his hurdles heat with a big personal best and went on to another thrilling win in the high jump.

Godfrey and North Bend’s Luke Clark were the only jumpers to clear 6-1, the automatic qualifying standard, while North Bend’s Lane Seals and Brookings-Harbor’s Geoff Gowman both came close.

Godfrey then cleared 6-3 on his second try and matched his personal best by getting over 6-5 on his first attempt. His try for a new school and meet record at 6-7 came up short.

“I wanted that so bad,” he said.

Though Seals didn’t qualify for state in the high jump, he had a lifetime best in the long jump, soaring 21 feet, 113⁄4 inches on his final attempt.

“That’s the first time I’ve PR’d in a year,” said Seals, the defending state champion. “That feels good going into state. Last year at districts, I only made 20 feet, 4 inches.”

The pole vault and other jumps were the biggest highlights on a sunsplashed day when temperatures soared and a gentle cooling breeze was a welcome relief.

The heat probably was felt most by the runners in the 3,000 meters, who logged 71⁄2 laps under the blazing noon sunshine.

“It’s pretty hot,” said Siuslaw’s Raelyn Robinson, who won the girls race with a big kick over the final 200 meters. “The heat makes it tough.”

Robinson followed Brookings-Harbor’s Ally Manley, a fellow freshman, for nearly seven laps before taking the lead and pulling away for the win.

“That was the plan,” said Robinson, who will come back today to race Manley again in the 1,500.

Robinson finished in 10:58.14, while Manley was timed in 11:05.15. Siuslaw’s Nadja Warren was third in 11:12.69.

Manley was disappointed not to get a personal best and agreed that the sun made the race tough.

“My feet are burning,” she said.

But she added that all the competitors were admirable in their efforts.

“I was really proud that everybody came out and did their best in hot weather,” she said.

The boys race followed a similar pattern.

North Bend’s Spenser Lynass led for seven laps before Siuslaw’s Travis Stevens took the lead and held on in a furious kick down the home stretch.

“The race went really well,” Stevens said.

Both runners were well off their season bests — Stevens finished in 9:10.66 and Lynass in 9:12.13. But that didn’t matter to either runner.

“I really was just looking for the win,” Stevens said.

The race showed an impressive evolution of Stevens into one of the top Class 4A distance runners.

“This time last year, I wouldn’t have dreamed of keeping up with Spenser,” he said. “Even during cross country, I dreamed of keeping up with Trevor Berrian and Spenser Lynass. To even be mentioned in the same breath with both of them — I’ve come really far.”

Lynass wasn’t too disappointed about finishing second. The bigger race, in terms of next week’s state meet, is today’s 1,500, when Berrian and Lynass will challenge Stevens and all three hope to qualify for state, either by finishing in the top two or bettering the automatic qualifying standard of 4:06.41.

“That’s the more important race in terms of state and getting there as a team,” Lynass said.

As for the scorching temperatures, both Stevens and Lynass had the same perspective.

“The heat’s not very fun,” said Stevens. “It’s just something you have to deal with in track.”

"It makes the race a lot more painful, but that’s something we’re both used to,” Lynass said.

In the throwing events, North Bend’s Elliiot Adams and Kayla Yokbay and Siuslaw’s Alexis Reavis all had personal bests to win events.

Adams uncorked a throw of 147 feet, 10 inches to win the discus.

“I’m way excited,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve won this.”

The North Bend senior, who is favored in the shot put today, trailed Michael Ruppert of Douglas until unleashing his big throw on his fifth of six attempts.

Ruppert, who had a throw of 139-5, finished second, edging North Bend’s Trae Collins in a decision that came down to the second best throw for each athlete after Collins also had a throw of 139-5. Ruppert’s next best throw was 137-4 and he also had two other throws better than the second best throw by Collins — 135-6.

Yokbay had a personal-best mark of 120 feet, 4 inches on her final attempt in the javelin.

“I’m very excited,” she said, adding that she got an emotional lift from the sunny weather.

“It’s nice outside.”

Reavis, meanwhile, won the shot put with an effort of 42-3. Her previous best was 40-9.

Sarah James of Douglas finished second with an effort of 34-31⁄4.

In the girls long jump, South Umpqua’s Megan Moreau won with a leap of 16 feet, 1⁄2 inch. Brookings-Harbor’s Katherine Bones was second.

Siuslaw’s girls and North Bend’s boys, the favorites, took the team leads on the first day.

Siuslaw had 56 points, to 30 for North Bend. The Bulldog boys, meanwhile, scored 68 first-day points, to 45 for Siuslaw.

Today’s action begins at noon. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students.