PORTLAND, Ore. — Sandwiched between two trips to California, the Portland State track & field program gets the meet of the sandwich (pun intended) this weekend, as the Vikings stay in-state for the John Knight Twilight in Monmouth, Ore., Friday and Saturday.
 
The meet serves as a proving ground for those hoping to make the travel squad for the team's next trip to California. That comes next week, April 16-18, as the Vikings head to the Mt. SAC Relays, Bryan Clay Invitational and Pacific Coast Invitational.
 
"This will be another weekend where athletes can go and show that when we make the travel lists, they need to be on the roster. We just need them to get better, stay consistent and compete," Portland State head coach Joseph Blue said in preview of this week's meet.
 
That's reflected in what Blue said will be his message to his athletes ahead of Friday.
 
"Execute your potential," Blue said of his directive to his athletes. "Everybody has potential, but you've got to go out and execute it at a high level. Some kids are like, 'I hit this at practice' and it's like, 'alright, cool. Do it at the meet.' I know you have the potential, but when the lights are on and they call your name, you've got to be able to go out and perform. That's part of them growing and learning how to compete."
 
The group that went to California last week showed that ability. Emma Stolte broke her third school record of the year, bettering a 39-year-old mark in the 5k with her finish in 16:01.44. Jack Macdonald claimed the freshman record in the 100 meters on his own (10.72 seconds), while a number of other Vikings either posted heat wins or personal bests in their respective events.
 
Blue praised Ari Smith, among others, who set the No. 2 freshman time in the 1,500 meters (3:53.84) while winning his heat of the 800 meters (1:53.62). Both times represented new personal bests for Smith.
 
"That kid is on a roll," Blue said of Smith. "He's showing confidence, walking with swag…he makes sure he's got his cornrows every meet [Laughs]. I'm really proud of the work Ari has put in. As a freshman, he's representing PSU well."
 
A calm confidence is what Blue hopes to see out of the rest of his crew competing this weekend.
 
"You have to perform like you do at practice because that's when you're calm and your body is firing naturally," Blue said. "When you're trying too hard, that's when your body moves unnaturally because it's forcing itself. And track & field is not a force sport. None of these events are force, they're all reaction. From the track, to the throws, to the jumps, they're all reaction from the ground. If you can get reaction and stay stable in your positions, you'll be able to run fast, throw far, and you'll be able to jump high."
 
Events start for the Vikings at 12 p.m. Friday with the men's hammer. The bulk of Friday's activity will come in the women's and men's 200 meters (6 women's entries, 5 men's entries) for the Vikings. Another 12 Vikings will compete in the women's and men's 1,500 meters (3 women's entries, 9 men's entries).
 
Saturday's events start with the women's shot put and men's discus at 10 a.m. The big events for the Vikings will be the 100 meters (5 women's entries, 5 men's entries) and 800 meters (6 women's entries, 9 men's entries).
 
"We just want them to be more natural or reactionary," Blue said. "In the weight room, that's what they're working on. At practice, that's what they're working on. So now your body is creating these patterns to create those habits. So, by the end of this month, there's not as much thinking involved, it's all reaction and trusting in your process."
 
And if doing so gets you a trip to LA next week, then that should be incentive enough.
 
MEET INFO
April 10-11 – John Knight Twilight – Monmouth, Ore. (McArthur Field)
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Results
 
MEET SCHEDULE
Friday, April 10
Start (PT) – Event (PSU Entries)
12 p.m. – Men's Hammer (Green)
2:15 p.m. – Men's Javelin (Glad, Green)
3 p.m. – Women's Hammer (Edwards, Fisher, Fletcher)
4 p.m. – Men's Triple Jump (Mathers, Parrow)
4 p.m. – Women's 400-Meter Hurdles (Peterson)
4:20 p.m. – Men's 400-Meter Hurdles (Timmins)
4:45 p.m. – Women's 200 Meters (Abdel Halim, Beasley, Jolivette, Latu-Alves, Medina, Rideout)
5:30 p.m. – Men's 200 Meters (Bakkum, Brost, Payne, Schall, Sweeney)
6:30 p.m. – Women's 1,500 Meters (Schmitke, Wapsheli, Zarrin)
7 p.m. – Men's 1,500 Meters (Brown, Chen, Estrada, Gillingham, Ibrahim, Muradas, Sandoval, Sarver Huber, Walsh)
8:05 p.m. – Men's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (Thake)
 
Saturday, April 11
Start (PT) – Event (PSU Entries)
10 a.m. – Women's Shot Put (Fisher, Sayler)
10 a.m. – Men's Discus (LaGris)
11 a.m. – Men's Long Jump (Parrow)
11 a.m. – Women's Long Jump (Latu-Alves)
11:30 a.m. – Women's 100-Meter Hurdles (Rideout)
11:30 a.m. – Women's Discus (Edwards, Fletcher, Sayler)
11:50 a.m. – Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Schall, Sweeney, Timmins)
12 p.m. – Men's High Jump (Mathers)
12:30 p.m. – Men's Shot Put (LaGris)
12:45 p.m. – Women's 400 Meters (Beasley, Butterfield, López, Peterson)
1:05 p.m. – Men's 400 Meters (Arthur, Smith, Timmins)
1:30 p.m. – Women's 100 Meters (Abdel Halim, Beasley, Jolivette, Latu-Alves, Medina)
2 p.m. – Women's High Jump (Calvin-Stupfel, Rideout)
2:05 p.m. – Men's 100 Meters (Bakkum, Brost, Payne, Schall, Sweeney)
3:15 p.m. – Women's 800 Meters (Amarillas, Rideout, Schmitke, Tagesson, Wapsheli, Zarrin)
4 p.m. – Men's 800 Meters (Brown, Chen, Estrada, Gillingham, Muradas, Parks, Sandoval, Thake, Walsh)
4:30 p.m. – Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Portland State 'A' – Peterson, Beasley, López, Butterfield)
4:50 p.m. – Men's 4x400-Meter Relay (Portland State 'A' – Macdonald, Cadengo, Payne, Ahmed; Portland State 'B' – Estrada, Smith, Arthur, Parks)