<I>The Eagle/David Heldreth</I><BR>Mt. Vernon Middle School students give the Grant Union track team a send-off to the state meet May 15. The team competed at Western Oregon Univesity in Monmouth May 16 and 17.

MONMOUTH – The Grant Union track team fought off heat and competitors last week.

The Prospectors competed in the hottest weather they’ve seen this season during the Oregon School Activities Association 3A State track meet at Western Oregon University Friday and Saturday. The temperature crossed the century mark in Monmouth creating problems for the athletes.

Despite the weather the Grant Union boys took third place with 56 points, only seven away from first-place Vale, and the girls took fourth with 45 points, only 10 away from first-place Catlin Gabel.

“I’m happy with our performance,” Grant Union coach Sonna Smith said. “It’s usually about 55 degrees for our practices and it was 100 degrees down there. It affected everyone that was competing.”

Grant Union had the highest combined score between boys and girls with 101. The Pros’ Eastern Oregon League rivals Vale, 100, and Nyssa, 89, were the next closest in the state.

The EOL did well at the meet. The Vale, Grant Union and Nyssa boys teams were in the top five, and the Nyssa, Grant Union, Vale, Burns and Umatilla girls teams were in the top 15.

The Pros earned several personal records to help their team to the podium. Sabrina Hoffman set a school record with a time of 47.91 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles. She placed fourth in the event this year, but was third last season with a slower time.

Katelyn Page took second in the shot put with a personal best of 36 1/2. Brianna Murphy-Johnston set her personal record in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:00.95.

Other personal bests include Rhett Elliott, 4:23.52 in the 1,500-meter run; Daniel Soupir, 6-2 in the high jump, and Andrew Judd, 13-0 in the pole vault.