Best oregon high school runners ever?

Your 2nd team looks okay. I will not pass any further judgement until I see your first team and third team picks.

Since there are some obvious ones (Steve Prefontaine, Billy McChesney, Galen Rupp)and you've already made mention of Tom McChesney, I will be looking for your placement of:

Bill Dellinger

Billy Harper

Jeff Hess

Drew Jordan

Thanks for checking things out. There will not be a third team...I was going to make one...but it became too difficult to decide between runners. I will make an Honorable Mention list though. The reason I made the list was for people to argue with it. It's more of a blueprint...hoping that through peoples comments I can make a more concrete list (concrete as is possible that is....)

Okay, I didn't read most of the blog entry, but I do trust that any compilation of "best" Oregon HS runners--which should be defined as "those who most dominated their competition, in-State and out-of-State"--will include Dyrol Burleson, who in 1958 lowered the national HS record in the mile by nearly four seconds, to 4:12.2.

At the time, in most States if not all, the mile was the longest event available to high school runners.

Any discussion that simply focuses on times, rather than competitive dominance--given that times naturally improve with the passing of decades--would be next to useless. If times are how you determine "best," you might as well save yourself some work and just post the all-time Oregon performances lists.

In chronological order:

1.Bill Dellinger

2.Steve Prefontaine

3.Billy McChesney

4.Billy Harper

5.Ian Dobson

6.Galen Rupp

7. ?

2nd team (no particular order):

8.Tom McChesney

9.Lauren Jesperson

10.Eric Logsdon

11.Drew Jordan

12.Erik Heinonen

13.Jake Gomez

14.Jeff Hess

Honorable Mention:

Stuart Eagon

Rhy Reyonolds

Jack Hayes

Trevor Coolidge

Brad Taylor

Matt McGuirk

Too many for the last spot?

dont forget brad taylor, klotz, stoutenburgh, and maag

I'd consider Jim Grelle, Seth Wetzel (sp), Mickael McGrath, Dan Browne, Brian Berryhill and others for the first or second team.

As another poster mentioned you have Pre, Mchesney, Dellinger and others as well.

I wouldn't put Billy Harper on there though, he had a few good pr's (getting towed along and then his ass handed too him by Jason Maschmier every time) but other than that only competed against a weak 3A and never did anything at Footlocker. Went on to run at Lane and didn't do anything their either.

I'm not too educated pre mid 80's.

Seems the dominant periods have been around SEXC during the 70's running boom and then a PDX resurgence around 2000.

I thought Billy Harper was a great choice!

Berryhill was a sprinter

Ryan Vail was on par with Eagon and definitely could have qualified for Footlocker, but often passed on outside meets so doesn't have the recognition. But to this day continues to have a career that matches up against just about anyone. Alec Wall also is certainly worthy of honors.

Elijah Greer didn't do too bad for himself - only a district champ in XC but the 8/15 was Jesperson's double too

Also from LO is Tracy Hollister, son of Geoff, who not only won a state title but also played Lasse Viren in Prefontaine. "Whoosh!"

All dudes? There have never been good female HS runners from OR before?

Girls will be next.

Since people were discussing I figured I'd go ahead and post my A squad.

Nobody's mentioned Tracy Garrison yet. One of Oregon's all-time top 3000m guys.

Also Alan Foster, good at XC and also ran 3:47 1500m.

Nevermind -- the OP's blog mentions these guys, Garrison as 1st team and Foster as honorable mention.

What about Clancy Devery?

Dirk Lakeman

Jim Grelle

Dub Myers

Pre

Dyrol Burleson

Galen Rupp

Can't speak to performance in High School. But I will say that I think Bill McChesney would have eventually been a household name like Prefontaine, Shorter and Salazar if he hadn't had the chronic injuries.

What about Robert Durkee from Putnam in the early to mid 80's? Held the state XC course record for a long time, I believe beat Garrison to do it...If Garrison is on the list, Durkee should be too.

Dirk Lakeman for sure.

Dan Fulton - Benson HS, OSU.

Why is Drew Jordan even mentioned? He barely broke 4 in the 1500, and never broke 8:40 in the 3k. He won a couple 6a titles during very weak years.