The Siuslaw Vikings track and field season shifts into full gear this coming week with a Far West League junior varsity meet at Hans Petersen Field on Tuesday and the Junction City Invitational on Saturday.

"We will try to put three kids in every event at Junction City," Vikings coach Chris Johnson said. "It will be a little tough with the hurdles and the pole vault and the girls high jump at this point.

"But we'll try."

First up is the junior-varsity meet, a good early test. The event starts at 4 p.m.

"We will have most of our kids compete, but we will probably hold out most of our experienced distance runners," Johnson said.

"Maybe even a few of the younger ones who we think will be big contributors later in the season, so they can have a normal training week.

"And some of our experienced athletes in the field events will be limited a little."

The Vikings track and field athletes have not been immune to early-season weather challenges.

"We had a pretty good turnout over the break," Johnson said, "but we need to make sure the kids we didn't see are still physically prepared to compete safely."

The Junction City meet has 12 schools entered, including Class 4A schools Siuslaw, Elmira, Estacada, Sweet Home and host Junction City.

Class 3A schools entered include Creswell, Harrisburg, La Pine, Scio and Willamina and Class 2A schools include Monroe and Toledo.

The Vikings are defending champions in the girls 1,500 (senior Celie Mans), long jump (senior Abby Watkins) and 4x400 relay, as well as boys shot put and discus (junior Trent Reavis).

The meet will include an intriguing match between Vikings senior Carissa Oliver and La Pine junior Jordynn Slater. Last year Slater swept the discus, shot put and javelin, while Oliver was second in the discus and shot put.

This season, Oliver has a better discus throw (127-6 to 116-9) and Slater a better javelin throw (153-0 to 94-7). The two have matched season bests in the shot put at 38-7.

Reavis will resume his assault on the school record in the shot put. In last year's Junction City Invitational, he set a personal record of 51-2.5, less than a foot shy of the mark of 52-1 set by Bruce Plaep in 1972.

Reavis is 20 pounds heavier and just as hungry in 2017.

"I agree that he is bigger and stronger, but the shot put is very technical," Johnson said. "He hasn't thrown one for nine months, so it's still early.

"I think you know how I feel about records.  We like to celebrate them after, but before they come we like to focus on the process and on getting better in every facet of being a track and field athlete."

NOTES

Vikings being held out of Tuesday's JV meet include Oliver, Reavis, Mans and distance runners Jack Pickell, Isaac Griffes, Kiger Johnson, Brendon Jensen and Jonah Jarman. ...

Six Vikings — three boys and three girls — have top-10 marks for Class 4A this season after only the rain-plagued Siuslaw Icebreaker.

Boys
Clark Hooper has the No. 1 time in the 110-meter hurdles (16.00) and the No. 4 time in the 300 hurdles (47.25).
Trent Reavis is No. 4 in the shot put (46-11), No. 6 in the discus (139-2) and No. 7 in the javelin (151-10).
Isaac Griffes is No. 4 in the 3,000 in 10:01.88.

Girls
Carissa Oliver is No. 2 in the shot put (38-7) and No. 2 in the discus (127-6).
Celie Mans is No. 2 at 1,500 meters (4:48.16).
Destinie Tatum is No. 9 in the 400 (1:05.49).
The girls 4x400 relay is No. 4 in the state at 4:31.99.