Caldera freshman Rikaiya Griffin isn't wasting any time in what is becoming an historic pursuit in the girls long jump.
One month after exploding onto the high school scene by joining the state's all-time top 10 in her first meet, Griffin made a dramatic leap last week in a 5A Intermountain Conference home meet against Crook County.
She soared 20 feet, 9 ½ inches, adding 15 inches to her personal best and climbing to No. 2 in state history. She trails only Oregon City's Sophia Beckmon, who went 22-4 as a senior in 2023.
“I'm very much surprising myself,” Griffin said. “I'm doing all these big things, and it's exciting. I just want to keep doing it again and again and again. It's fueling me.
“I've had a lot of people come up to me and say, 'I knew you could do this,' but they're still surprised.”
Griffin is ranked No. 4 in the nation for high school girls, just shy of the leading mark of 20-11 owned by Madison Cuplin, a junior from Texas. Griffin is the top-ranked freshman.
It's a remarkable rise considering she entered the season with a PR of 17-6 ½.
“She's got potential for more,” Caldera coach Dirk Matthias said. “I don't think she's done for this year, to be honest. This is her first year in a fully functioning track program. She's just blossoming. We don't really know what's coming next. We don't know how far this is going to go, even this year. She's just starting.”
Griffin underscored her improvement Friday when she hit 20-0 in the Twilight Over Caldera meet. As her confidence grows, she is thinking bigger.
“I really want to hit 21,” she said. “This is my goal this year. I just feel like that would be so cool to make that much of an improvement. Its going to take a lot of work, but it's definitely my biggest goal, because it was 20, and now we're at 20 feet, 9 inches.”
The 5-foot-9 ½ Griffin has clocked 11.96 seconds in the 100 meters and 24.78 in the 200, times that rank No. 4 and No. 6 in the state this season. That speed is a key factor in her long-jump success.
“I'm just focusing on more speed rather than trying to focus on the jump,” Griffin said. “Just remembering that speed is what's going to make you make the jump. On the runway, my mark has been real consistent. I haven't had to worry about it.”
As the season progresses, Griffin is getting a better feel for the board. Her form is becoming “more patterned, more professional,” according to Matthias.
“She's getting her steps figured out,” Matthias said. “We've added a couple steps to her run-up. She's getting more consistent on her start. She's just getting more reps and more coaching.
“She's a speedy kid, and rangy, with super-long levers. When we first got her, she'd end up going a mile and minute by the board, and it was all she could do to just pull her legs up.”
Griffin has shown the ability to perform in high-visibility meets, winning the long jump in the Oregon Relays at Hayward Field on April 4 and the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays on April 24. She is sure to get plenty of attention in the 5A championships at Hayward Field on May 29 and 30, provided she qualifies.
“I can't wait to go back to Hayward,” she said. “It's my favorite place to jump and compete.”
Matthias said that Griffin is proving that she can translate success from low-key settings to high-pressure situations.
“She does like to win,” he said. “But she's not real serious, like, 'I'm going to lock in and put blinders on.' She's a lot of fun. She likes to move and be light. We'll just try to keep her light and having a good time.”
Dean Nice Invitational
Friday's Dean Nice Invitational at Gresham High School produced three state-leading performances.
West Linn senior Tayanah Balensifer ran the 300 hurdles in 43.49, blowing away her previous PR of 46.21 and moving to No. 9 on the state's all-time list. As a sophomore at Damascus Christian, Balensifer won 1A titles in the high jump and pole vault and placed third in the 100 hurdles and high jump.
Grant's 4x100 girls relay recorded 47.53, which ranks No. 12 in state history. The team is composed of senior Laele Divine, sophomore Osa Olsgaard, junior Rosemary Sheerin and senior Willa Stockton.
In the boys 400, West Linn junior Isaac Compaore won in 47.94. His previous best was 48.70.
Other new state bests
Baker sophomore Kate Norton added to her state lead in the girls shot by throwing 42-5 on Friday in the Twilight Invitational at Ontario High School. Norton, whose previous best was 42-0 ½, is unbeaten in 10 meets this season.
Cascade Christian sophomore Kinlee Davis moved to the top of the state in the girls discus with a throw of 131-9 on Saturday in the Grants Pass Rotary Invitational. Her PR was 124-0.
Damascus Christian junior Elijah Davidson, the reigning 1A boys champion in both hurdles races, improved on his state-leading time in the 110 hurdles by going 14.34 in the Buckaroo/Watchman Invite at George Fox University on Saturday.
Junction City senior Kaleb Moore threw the shot 61-9 on Saturday in the Junction City Invitational, adding to his state-best mark of 60-5. He won the 4A shot title last year.
jerryu@osaa.org
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