Ashland's Stein runs blistering 3,000 in distance meet

May 2—PHOENIX — Ashland senior Cameron Stein crushed this season's previous best time in Oregon for the high school boys 3,000 meters during the Phillips-Klimek Distance Twilight Meet Saturday.

Stein outkicked South Medford junior Michael Maiorano over the final 200 meters to win in 8 minutes, 18.89 seconds.

The time shattered the previous best in the state of 8:46.65 by James Crabtree of Sherwood, and it bettered Stein's personal record of 8:48.44, set Wednesday in a dual meet against Eagle Point.

The time is the seventh fastest in Class 5A history, and ranks 13th among the best 6A and 5A times in Oregon.

Marshfield's Steve Prefontaine has the No. 1 5A time of 8:07.9 in 1969, and Stein's former teammate, EJ Holland, is second at 8:13.10 in 2018.

The all-time fastest time was by Central Catholic's Galen Rupp, who went 8:03.67 in 2004.

The meet brought top 3,000- and 800-meter boy and girl runners together with the idea that strong competition would produce fast times. The runners didn't dissappoint.

Maiorano led the marquee race, the boys 3,000, for the first couple laps over Stein and Ashland senior Reed Pryor. The group separated from the rest and did the first 800 in 2:12.

Stein took the lead after a mile, but with two laps left, Maiorano moved back in front. He and Stein jockeyed for the lead until the latter put on a final burst for the victory.

Maiorano's time was 8:19.95 — a school record for South Medford — while Pryor was third in 8:21.10 and Crater sophomore Tyrone Gorze was fourth in 8:35.60. Their times were all PRs and they rank one through four in the state for call classifications.

In the boys 800, Ashland junior Vincent Senn was first in a PR of 2:00.49, and teammate Nathan Stein was third in 2:02.35, also a PR.

In the girls 3,000, Ashland junior Grace Yaconelli set a personal best and won in 10:45.36, and Crater senior Taryn Dance's 10:50.10 was good for a PR.

The girls 800 was won by Sisters' Ella Thorsett in 2:22.20, while Ashland senior Sage Reddish came in second in 2:22.95.

BOYS

800 — 1, Vincent Senn, Ashland, 2:00.49; 2, Sam May, Sisters, 2:00.69; 3, Nathan Stein, Ashland, 2:02.35; 4, Asa Marwick, Hidden Valley, 2:02.52; 5, Quaid Petronella, Grants Pass, 2:02.79.

3,000 — 1, Cameron Stein, Ashland, 8:18.89; 2, Michael Maiorano, South Medford, 8:19.95; 3, Reed Pryor, Ashland, 8:21.10; 4, Tyrone Gorze, Crater, 8:35.60; 5, Ethan Hosang, Sisters, 8:47.65.

GIRLS

800 — 1, Ella Thorsett, Sisters, 2:22.20; Sage Reddish, Ashland, 2:22.95; 3, Madison Wilt, Grants Pass, 2:26.02; 4, Mary Sturley, Grants Pass, 2:28.90; 5, Bailey Moritz, Grants Pass, 2:29.40.

3,000 — 1, Grace Yaconelli, Ashland, 10:45.36; 2, Taryn Dance, Crater, 10:50.10; 3, Kaley Schneider, Lakeview, 10:55.51; 4, Kyla Potratz, Phoenix, 11:02.47; 5, Milan Hague, Ashland, 11:24.86.