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The Track Resurfacing Project is Underway!
The Track Resurfacing Project is Underway!
Please visit the link HERE for details!
Cross Country Summer Update (7/25)
Thank you for taking a moment to look over a few reminders and updates as we get closer to camp and the official start to the season.
Moratorium Week: The OSAA does not permit any sport to have official workouts or communication about workouts during the July 27th - August 2nd dead week. Please be aware that coaches are not permitted to communicate about workouts, so you will not get a response if you are sending in workouts for practice points. Remember, documenting workouts is not necessary if you have already earned the 20 points. Save your screenshots, it will be easier to communicate about those after August 2nd.
HELP IS STILL NEEDED for the Old School Mate dinner: Thank you to the athletes and parents that have signed up already! Each year we help provide a minimum of 15ish volunteers to serve food at the Old School Mates reunion at CGHS. The reunion committee also gives a generous donation to our program which we use to cover the cost of shirts and snacks for our running camp. It's a fun evening, but we can't pull it off without all hands on deck. If you are able to help on August 1st between 5pm and 9pm (we were done closer to 8:30pm last year) please sign up using the link HERE or send Coach Knutson a text or email. We will meet in the cafeteria and pizza will be provided for volunteers! Dress is casual and please wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in. THANK YOU!!!
Camp and practice point update: We already have over 20 athletes that have qualified with enough practice points to attend camp and we anticipate many more in the upcoming weeks! Practice point spreadsheet can be checked HERE. Details about camp have been posted all summer on the website HERE, but here are a few other details as we get closer:
We will be able to start collecting the $110 camp fee starting August 5th when Mrs. Twyman is back in the main office. There will be an online payment option we will post here, an in person option, or an over the phone option. If cost is an issue please check with Coach Knutson. We don't want anyone to miss out due to financial issues.
For safety reasons we will print and distribute an itinerary at practice the week before camp rather than posting it online. The handout will include the camp address, landline number, a list of what to bring, a general time schedule, and other additional details.
In order to attend camp athletes will need to be signed up for the official start of the season through arbiter sports (link HERE) so that we have all updated emergency and medical information.
FREE GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS TO THE 2025 USATF OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS AT HAYWARD FIELD! A great opportunity to see some of the best in the world compete at Hayward Field! The information below is copied directly from the promotional email:
High School & Track Club Day
On behalf of TrackTown USA we welcome participating local Track Clubs and High School track and field programs to the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships on Saturday, August 2 at Hayward Field.
Youth track athletes can claim up to two (2) complimentary general admission tickets for the event. To claim your tickets, go here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Highschool286
Additional general admission tickets needed for extra family members can be purchased at a discounted rate by going to the Additional Tickets Offer Page here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Additionaltickets2
Coaches & group leaders please distribute these links to your students so they can claim their tickets as soon as possible.
The deadline to claim your two free general admission tickets is Thursday, July 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Cross Country Summer Update (7/14)
If you did not receive the remind text about this update please join the cross country remind group by texting @cghsxc2025 to 81010. This is a different group than the track and field remind group.
This has been our best summer of training ever as we have been averaging well over 20 runners per workout! Athletes have been positive, hard working and supportive of one another. Here are a few reminders as we head into the second half of the summer:
Practice points: While the athletes need to accumulate 20 practice points to be eligible to attend camp, our focus should be more on fitness than the points. Athletes will need to be prepared to run 15 - 20 miles during the three days of camp which includes a 6 mile trail run on day two. We want to make sure athletes that are attending camp can cover the distances safely. Please keep this in mind if you are emailing/texting workouts to Coach Knutson when you're not able to attend scheduled workouts. At this point in the summer workouts should be a MINIMUM of 30 minutes in order to earn a practice point. Most of our experienced runners have already accumulated well over 20 workouts between running at organized practices and then running on their own on days we don't officially meet. Remember that you can always check the point chart using the link HERE. Points that are highlighted in yellow represent workouts that have been texted/emailed. Don't worry if the dates don't exactly match as text/email workout points are filled in on available dates.
Gold Rush 5k: Many of our runners plan to participate in a local 5k on Friday (July 18th) at 8pm. Full details and registration information may be found HERE. Just a heads up that registration goes up $5 after Wednesday.
Moratorium Week: The OSAA does not permit any sport to have workouts during the July 27th - August 2nd dead week.
HELP NEEDED for Old School Mate dinner: Each year we help provide a minimum of 15ish volunteers to serve food at the Old School Mates reunion at CGHS. The reunion committee also gives a generous donation to our program which we use to cover the cost of shirts and snacks for our running camp. It's a fun evening, but we can't pull it off without all hands on deck. Last year some awesome parents jumped in to help too! If you are able to help on August 1st between 5pm and 9pm (we were done closer to 8:30pm last year) please sign up using the link HERE or send Coach Knutson a text or email. Thank you for helping out!
Camp sign up: When the office opens in August we will send out information about how to pay for the camp fee.
Fall sport sign ups: Thanks to all of you that have already taken care of signing up for the official cross country season. This is a requirement in order to attend cross country camp. Registration using the arbiter sports website (formerly FamilyID) can be accessed HERE.
That should do it for now and we will provide another update as things start to get even busier in August! GO LIONS!
Welcome to the 2025 Cross Country Season!
The summer training calendar may be accessed HERE.
Athletes that are participating in summer workouts (now - Aug 17th) must be signed up using the google form HERE. This is NOT the same as signing up for the actual cross country season. This is simply a waiver for off season training.
Official registration (via arbiter sports - formerly FamilyID) for the fall season (starting August 18th) is OPEN NOW. Athletes that qualify to attend camp (see XC summer/camp info link above) will need to get registered for the start of the season with a current physical on file in order to attend camp. All athletes will need to be officially registered with a current physical in order to start official practice on August 18th. PLEASE DON'T WAIT! Let's get everyone registered early to avoid any potential last minute challenges. If you aren't sure if your physical will be expiring please check with Mrs. Twyman in the main office before she leaves for the summer.
If you missed the June 4th meeting about summer training please review the handout that was distributed HERE.
If you would like to receive text updates please join the cross country remind group by texting @cghsxc2025 to 81010. This is a different group than the track and field remind group.
How many summer practice points do you have? Check the spreadsheet linked HERE to see where you stand.
2025 Track and Field Highlight Video
Special thanks to Coach Tucker for putting together the video. Also, thank you to Travis Vaughn and others for helping to collect great footage.
2024 Team Camp Highlights
Summer is the perfect time to get to know teammates, improve your level of fitness, and earn practice points so that you can attend our team camp in August. Cross Country camp will be one the best highlights of your high school experience!
The 2025 track and field season information has been archived, but is still accessible using the menu on the left (upper left on a mobile device).
State Champion
State Champion
When Carter stepped to the starting line on Friday many watched believing that a win was a foregone conclusion, but those who know the journey remember how hard it had been to just get there.
As a freshman Carter watched the 3000m state final from the stands. Despite being ranked #7 in the state that year there were four runners in the Sky-Em League that were faster, and with limited qualifying spots three of those runners advanced to state. The following year Carter placed third in league, but managed to qualify for state by grinding out the auto qualifying time. He went on to place third at state behind teammate Jaden Owens, and Alex Garcia-Silver from Marshfield who set the state meet record (8:31.08). As a junior, Carter was defeated at state by Finn Collison from Newport who ran the 7th fastest time (8:35.36) in 4A history for the win.
It took breaking the school record for the second time this season to win the district title against the top competition in the state and advance to the state meet. Carter was confident that the state title and the state meet record were within reach and he would not be denied. The race was fast from the start and even got physical when a competitor pushed Carter into the infield on the third lap. After jumping back on to the track it was all Carter as he ripped through several 67 second laps to blow open the lead. His victory wasn't just redemption, it was historic. Carter finished 19 seconds ahead of second place and shattered Alex Garcia-Silver's state meet record by five seconds. His time of 8:26.39 also ranks #2 all-time in the 4A classification behind only Noel Paulson of Cascade (8:18.73 - 2000).
Carter followed up with a courageous performance in the 1500m on Saturday. In an effort to make the race honest Carter pushed the pace from the start. In the end it wasn't enough to hold off the blistering kick from Corban Sage of Marist, but Carter managed to fight off one of the top 800m runners to clinch second place.
Those of us that had the privilege of watching Carter race this season were lucky to witness one of the best seasons in 4A state history. His season isn't over yet! Carter will be racing the 5000m and 3000m at Nike Outdoor Nationals at Hayward Field on June 19th and 21st.
Top Moments of 2024
CGHS Track and Field and Cross Country
The end of the calendar year presents an opportunity to appreciate 2024 and to set goals for the future. Often times we don't truly appreciate the magnitude of special moments or experiences until years later, but athletes that have been part of these CGHS programs have once again created memories that will last for a lifetime. The word history has been thrown around a lot recently to describe particular team or individual accomplishments, but it's often used without context or extensive knowledge of the past. However, the moments below have truly rewritten or added new pages to the CGHS athletics archives. In no particular order this year please enjoy a recap of some of the 2024 highlights from the track and field and cross country seasons.
Carter Caps off Amazing Cross Country Career
Carter Caps off Amazing Cross Country Career
Despite fighting illness during the last few weeks of the season Carter Bengtson still managed to win his second consecutive State Cross Country Championship. This accomplishment can often be difficult to conceptualize. Cross Country doesn't have weight classes, athletes aren't divided into multiple events like track and field or swimming, and there is no tournament bracket that might give a favorable route to the title match or game. Carter stepped to the line against every one of the top 4A runners in the state and won...again. Carter wasn't the best for his size or for his position, he was the best, PERIOD. Not only did Carter join an elite group of runners this season by winning back to back state titles, but he also capped off one of the best cross country careers in state history. Over the last four years Carter has accumulated 23 points by placing 15th, 6th, 1st and 1st at the State Championship. This ranks Carter #21 all-time in state history regardless of class size (1A-6A); that's top 21 in Oregon over the last 58 years! During the season Carter also recorded one of the fastest 4A 5k times ever by running a 15:09 in the Danner Championship at Nike Portland XC. If you didn't get a chance to see Carter in action this fall you still have a few opportunities this spring. Don't miss out on a chance to watch one of the best to ever wear a Cottage Grove uniform.
Boys Cross Country Team Finishes 4th at State Championship
Boys Cross Country Team Finishes 4th at State Championship
While Carter was rewriting record books as an individual, the boys team also had high hopes of a top four finish at the state meet. It was a feat that has only been accomplished by the CGHS boys one time since 1975 (boys finished 3rd in 2021). Entering the state meet ranked sixth based on season best times, the boys knew they had a chance. By the time the race concluded the boys had edged Molalla by just two points to earn 4th place and the final podium spot. For the first time since 1957-1959 the CG boys notched three consecutive top 10 team finishes at the state meet. Cottage Grove had one of the deepest 4A teams in the state in 2024 with only the state champs from Newport getting all seven runners across the finish line first. Five of those seven runners return in 2025.
Fastest CGHS Girl Ever on State Meet Course
Fastest CGHS Girl Ever on State Meet Course
Lots of athletes and former athletes boast personal bests that have been run on fast courses over the years, but who ran fast when it really mattered? All season long athletes post times that often create questions. Was the course short? Was it flat? How good was the competition? The state championship course at LCC is the great equalizer. When the state meet is over in November it's easy to tell who's personal bests were just an illusion. Ella Cardwell entered the state meet ranked 17th based on season best times, but finished 9th with a time of 19:33. While three CGHS girls have faster personal bests than Ella, no girl in CGHS history has been faster over the 5k distance when it mattered most, at the state championship. Ella also became the first girl to post a top 10 finish at the state meet since 2009. She is the first CGHS girl to break 20 minutes in the 5K since 2018 and she did so on five different courses in 2024. Ella's consistent hard work has been the difference maker as she has placed 50th, 23rd, and 9th at the the last three state championship meets.
Boys Three-Peat X 2! The Streaks Continue!
Boys Three-Peat X 2! The Streaks Continue!
Each of these moments could easily be recognized on our top 10 list individually, but the fact that they have happened together makes it even more impressive. For the last three years (2022, 2023 and 2024) the boys have ruled the Sky-Em League in track and field AND cross country. The Sky-Em League has been one of the toughest leagues in the state over the last three years including a crazy 2023 season where Marshfield, Cottage Grove and North Bend all finished in the top four at the state track and field championship. While the state track meet is often a contest to see who has the most elite athletes, the district championship is always about the true depth of a program. The Cottage Grove boys may have been heavy favorites on the track in 2024, but the 2022 and 2023 district title wins were the result of significant upsets due to Cottage Grove outperforming the form chart. In other words, being the best when it mattered most. In similar fashion the cross country team dominated in 2024, but required some big performances for the first two titles. After upsetting Marist in 2022 the boys were forced to replace six of the top seven varsity runners to earn the 2023 championship. The streak isn't over! There are several seniors that are looking to end their high school careers this spring by going undefeated at the district track championships while the cross country team looks to race for number four in the fall!
Trio of Second Place Finishes at State Track Meet
Trio of Second Place Finishes at State Track Meet
While winning a state championship is the pinnacle, it is also a great accomplishment to have three athletes with 2nd place finishes at the state track and field championship. Mayka Alsup spent the majority of the season with the softball team, but was able to find a little time to throw javelin. After winning the district championship in the javelin, Makya improved by over seven feet at the state meet to secure second place. It took a state meet record to beat Hayes Valley in the 110m hurdles, but he finished ahead of third place by .85 seconds. Hayes also placed 7th in the 300m hurdles. Carter Bengtson took second place in one of the fastest 3000m races in state meet history and his time of 8:37 is only two seconds off of Bruce Davidson's 40 year old school record. Carter also placed fourth in the 1500m. The best part is that all three will be back this spring!
Eli Cracks the CGHS Top 20
Eli Cracks the CGHS Top 20
It has been 25 years since a CGHS guy has thrown his way onto the top 20 list for the discus or shot put. With a throw of 152-06 in the discus Eli Williams earned the #16 spot on the all-time CGHS list. How hard is it to make the CGHS all-time lists for the throws? Alex Toureen took second place at the state championship in 2011 with a throw of 50-8 and he was still 14 inches from cracking the CGHS top 20 list. Imagine being the second best thrower in the state on any given year and not being good enough to be on your school's all-time top 20 list! WOW! Eli went on to take 4th place at the state championship in both the shot put and the discus. Eli also placed in both throws in 2023 to help the boys team capture a third place finish.
School Record Streak Continues
School Record Streak Continues
Between 1974 and 2021 the girls cross country team had only qualified for the state cross country championships three times, and only one time in the 40 years between 1982 and 2022. Despite multiple runners fighting illness off and on for the majority of the season the girls managed to qualify for the third time in the last three years. These girls have helped to establish a new standard for distance running at CGHS. Qualifying for the state meet for the girls team was once the goal, but they have made it the expectation. The girls returning next year look forward to the challenge!
Carter Runs 4th Fastest 4A 5K of All-Time
Carter Runs 4th Fastest 4A 5K of All-Time
After running a fast 3k at the state championship Carter earned an entry into one of the most elite high school meets in the United States, Nike Outdoor Nationals at Hayward Field. Carter chose to compete in the 5k distance which isn't a standard distance at most high school state championships. Carter's time of 15:06 ranks him #4 all-time in 4A state history and just one spot ahead of Bruce Davidson from Cottage Grove. It's awesome to see two Cottage Grove names among the all-time greats! After running 15:09 on the cross country course this fall could a sub 14 on the track this spring be in Carter's future?
Squad Champs!
Squad Champs!
The squad competition has become an integral part of our program since 2012. This year the Quads of Fury added their name to the list of other squad greats! While it's not traditional track and field most of the time, the squad meet and weekly squad competitions have created lasting memories for many of the athletes.
Brennen Murphy Continues Success at Western Oregon University
Brennen Murphy Continues Success at Western Oregon University
Brennen picked up where he left off at CGHS and had an amazing first year at WOU. Not only did he win the 400m at the GNAC Championships, but he earned bragging rights by passing up Coach Vogel on Western Oregon's all-time 400m list by running 48.08 for the #4 spot all time (see list below). Coach Vogel's 1:49 time in the 800m could present a little more of a challenge, however. While many remember Brennen as a star on the basketball court and on the track, he was also a varsity cross country runner. Brennen was the tie breaking runner for the 2021 cross country team that finished third at state and was also a member of the 2023 district championship team. Brennen is a great example of a multiple sport high school athlete that is having success at the next level. It's not always about specializing in high school, it's about becoming a great athlete and learning to compete in many different ways. Good luck to Brennen as he gears up for the 2025 season!
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