Faith Bible 2014 alumni Lauren Starts just signed her national letter of intent to play both volleyball and track & field at Multnomah University.   Lauren is the ninth athlete in the past four years to play college athletics.  Lauren is the sixth multi sport athlete.  We are so proud of you Lauren.  GO LIONS!!!!!

L-R Volleyball Coach - Melissa Holman, Lauren Starts, Track Coach - Amy Kirkpatrick, Athletic Director - Eddie Kirkpatrick

2015 proved to be the best baseball season Faith has had since it played its first season just four years ago. This year Faith had a 19-9 record and a state playoff birth.  The team also had more all-league players then it ever had in any previous years with five players garnishing all-league honors.

SR - Branden Luey - 1st Team
SR - Jason Best - 1st Team
JR - Eamon O'Reilly - 2nd Team
SO - Matt Elder - 2nd Team
SR - Cameron Hofer - Honorable Mention

Michelle Allan has long been a part of the Faith Bible family.  Over the past few years if you were to come to a basketball or soccer game more then likely you would have found Michelle there rooting on the Falcons.  If you were to go to a school dance, yep you guessed it....Michelle would be there. If you were to experience IMPACT, Faith's local mission trip you would be there with Michelle.  She actually was baptized at IMPACT last year...you see, Faith has long been her second family.  In fact, if your were to look at a Faith's yearbook you might mistake her as a student attending Faith.  In reality she was a Glencoe student who prayed for the opportunity to some day come to Faith.  Her junior year God answered Michelle's prayers and she was able to come to Faith.

Michelle kicked off the year running cross country and attended every soccer and volleyball game she could continuing to support her fellow Falcons.  During basketball she was one of the girls basketball managers and the coach raved about her "servants heart" to help others.  Then track rolled around and little did anyone know the success Michelle would have.

Michelle had experience in the pole vault, an event that Faith has never had anyone participate in before.  This proved to be a problem as track practices were just a week away and Faith's practice facility has no pole vault pit and Faith also didn't even own a pole as they had never had a pole vaulter before.  Just a week before practice the facility Faith uses for their practices informed them that they could no longer practice at their normal time and that they could only hold partial practices this year.  With less then a week until the first practice Faith found a new facility, this facility had a pole vault pit!  What seemed to be a problem just days before had become a blessing.  Still one major problem...Faith still didn't have a pole and poles are expensive.  This problem was brought before the Falcon booster club and they all agreed to give this Michelle an opportunity to participate in this event she so desperately wanted to do.  So now Michelle had a track with a pole vault pit and a pole, but now she didn't have a coach that specialized in pole vault.  This to was solved by coach Kate from Lake Oswego who agreed to help Michelle in her journey and they were able to work together towards the end of the season.

Districts arrive and Michelle has a good chance of advancing to state.  Vault for vault Michelle and a girl from Nestucca battle for the top position.  The event is over.  I don't know who won, I don't know if Michelle has made it to state.  At a distance I see her in her head coach, Amy Kirkpatrick's embrace as tears run down her face.  I fear that she has just missed making it to state.  I walk over to find out how she did.  Did you make it to state I ask.  She replies, "yes."  So I ask her what is wrong and I will never forget her reply as she says, "I am just disappointed because I wanted to do my best, I wanted to accomplish what I know I can."  Then she says, "It is ok though because I still have state."  What beautiful words, tears didn't come from not making it to state or losing to anyone, that wasn't a concern.  Her concern came from doing her best.  As an athlete this is what we all should strive for...of course we all want to win...but it comes down to did I do my best.  Not did I do good enough to win...but did I do my best, did I give my best effort and leave nothing behind?  Michelle vaulted 9' and tied for 1st place.

A week later the state championships are here and Michelle Allan has one final chance to do her best.  She has one last chance to give her best effort and find out what the results will be.  Her first vault goes straight into the pole and doesn't look good, but that doesn't phase her.  From here on out, Michelle wouldn't miss another vault until she was all alone in the competition and had set a new PR.  Michelle vaulted 9'7 and won the state championship by over a foot. On her 9'7 vault she knew she had it as soon as she was over the pole and was already celebrating has her body fell back down to the earth.  She immediately jumped up to wave and recognize all those who have helped her along the way, then she covered her face with her hands as in disbelief of what she just did. Michelle has long given credit to her Creator for giving her the ability she has and the opportunity to accomplish such great things.  She also set a PR in triple jump with a jump of 33'5 that was good for a 4th place finish.  

Now Faith has had one person pole vault in the history of their track program and they also have one state championship in the pole vault.  This marked Faith's 4th ever state championship in an event and Michelle is the 2nd person from Faith to ever win a state championship.

Jackson VanVuren's interview right after "the throw"

Jackson VanVuren making "the throw"

Four years ago Jackson VanVuren had plans of following in his brothers footsteps and excelling at track & field and running in the state meet.  Sometimes things don't happen like we have planned....sometimes bad things happen to us so something even better can happen.

Jackson entered his freshman year at Faith Bible ready to lace up the spikes and be an elite sprinter.  Only problem is nagging injuries plagued VanVuren his freshman year to the point he could no longer run competitively.  Head track coach Amy Kirkpatrick suggested he try some new events involving throwing to give his body some time to heal.  After trying a little of everything he went over to javelin to work with Faith's new throwing coach Mike Blay.  Mike immediately saw that Jackson was a natural at the javelin and encouraged him to try it out and see what he could do.  By the end of his freshman year he threw 124'4 and finished in 9th place in districts.  That was all it took for Jackson to get hooked on this new event he knew nothing about just a few months ago.  While 2012 was an introduction course, Jackson came into 2013 ready to see how good he could actually be.

Entering his sophomore year Jackson now considered himself a javelin thrower and he spent most of his season exclusively working on the javelin.  This year he entered districts with a good chance of going to state.  Districts came and it was a wet day with a slippery runway to throw from.  Jackson scratched his first two throws slipping on the wet surface.  He only had one throw left to make finals, he had to come up with a new strategy.  Don't do a full run up, use a short five step run up and rely on technique to get into finals.  It worked, he qualified for finals and eventually placed 2nd at districts with a throw of 145'2.  His dream of making it to state like his older brother Mitch had come true, not running like he had always thought, but in a new event he was beginning to fall in love with.  State came and the competition was tough, but as a sophomore he not only placed but won the state championship in javelin with a throw of 165'10.  He became the first athlete from Faith to ever win a state championship.  His throwing coach Mike Blay liked to remind Jackson over the summer that he might be the best in the state, but he was only the second best in his district so he needed to continue to improve and work hard to separate himself from the rest of the throwers in the state.

Now a junior at Faith and a returning state champion Jackson now carried high expectations onto the field and into the season from his coaches, fellow competitors and mostly himself.  Jackson began to lift weights, study film and do everything he could be make himself better.  The Falcon booster club bought him a javelin that would allow him to throw at his maximum distance.  At districts Jackson would not disappoint as four throwers from our district threw automatic qualifying marks to make it to state and Jackson led the way with a throw of 184'3.  He displayed his sportsmanship and class by allowing all three other qualifiers to use his new javelin so everyone would be on an equal playing field.    Jackson went back to state and won his second state title in as many years throwing 178'10.

Entering his senior season Jackson had his sights set on the 200 mark.  After some talks with the Oregon Ducks over the summer they said they wanted to see him throw 200, and if he did that he could very well be a preferred walk on at the University of Oregon.  Jackson was already committed to Oregon with an academic scholarship so now it would be all or nothing.  If Jackson was unable to hit 200 his career would end at Faith.  If he was able to hit 200 his senior year he would have a chance at competing on the best track program in the country.  The very first meet of his senior season Jackson threw 198'8.  Everyone felt like it was only a matter of time until he broke 200 since he thew 198'8 in his first meet.  But nagging injuries started piling up and and he reached districts and still hadn't broke the 200 barrier.  At districts he threw 192'7 taking first and he also qualified for state in the long jump which he broke the school record  jumping a 20'3.5 and he also helped set a new school record in the 4x100 with a time of 46.60, which also qualified for state.  Just for good measure he also got 3rd place in the 100m with a time of 12.06, which was a PR. After this great all around performance Jackson was awarded the NWL athlete of the year for 2015.

So now he is in Eugene, Oregon at the University of Oregon standing in Historic Hayward Field where he hopes to continue his track career the following year throwing for the Ducks.  This is his last chance to reach the 200 mark.  He first jumps 20' taking 4th in the long jump.  Then he runs the 4x100 as the javelin is getting ready to start.  He finishes his run, his hamstring is extremely tight, his side still hurts from an earlier injury, he has a hole in his fingernail from a spike going through it, he is late to warm up since he just ran the relay, but none of that matters at this moment.  There is nothing that he will let hold him back from giving his best, there is no tomorrow to save anything for....it is today or never.  Before his first throw the announcer in the stadium announces that javelin is starting and Jackson VanVuren the two time state champion is getting ready to throw for Faith Bible.  Here it is....as every practice, weight session, ice bath, healthy meal flashes before his eyes....he knows this is why....this is why he has been disciplined to his craft and that now is the payoff for all the work put into this for the past four years.  Jackson electrifies the crowed throwing into the 190s consistently.  It has been four throws, he only has two throws left in his high school career, he has done good and is leading the event by 20'.  But sometimes good isn't good enough, for Jackson he wanted a moment of greatness.  He says a short prayer, he grabs his javelin and walks on the runway.  Everything in the stadium changes, the temperature drops a few degrees, the wind comes to a complete stop.  Jackson feels God's presence with him like never before, he feels God telling him now is your time.  The announcer draws the attention of the whole stadium to watch Jackson on this particular throw.  There are several other events going on at this time, but all eyes are on Jackson.  The whole crowed begins to clap encouraging Jackson with their support.  The whole crowed at Hayward field is cheering on this sprinter from the small high school of Faith Bible as he attempts his throw.  He closes his eyes and gives thanks for this opportunity.  He opens his eyes, takes a deep breath and starts his run up.  He is thinking speed, if this is going to be a great throw he has got to build speed and everything has to come together just perfectly.  He runs hard, he blocks, he throws with all his might, his body is flung forward like out of a canon, he lands on his hands and knees just an inch from the scratch line with his face hovering right over the line, he couldn't have come any closer to scratching.  The javelin sails through the air, it is a strong throw, it has a chance, it starts heading back toward the earth, it is really close to the 200' line drawn on the field.  It lands and it is just beyond the 200ft line.  The crowed goes crazy, everyone in the stadium erupts with cheers and looks on with disbelief at what they just witnessed a high school kid accomplish.  Jackson can't believe it, he is ecstatic, he runs with the energy of a young kid having the time of his life, he jumps high into the sky pumping his fist, then he falls to he knees, bows his head and gives thanks to the Almighty for making this moment possible.  He has done it, Jackson broke the 200' barrier throwing a new PR of 201'9.  This wasn't just a personal best though, he set the new 2A state track meet record.

Faith took eight athletes to the University of Oregon in Eugene to compete at Hayward Field in the 2015 Oregon High School Track and Field Championships.

 From L-R: Jackson VanVuren, John Lee, Eamon O'Reilly, Christopher Phillips, Tristan Bolton,
                   Sierra Falcon, Maile Kam, Michelle Allan

Jackson VanVuren
        -Long Jump 20' - 4th place
        -Javelin 201'9    -1st place

Tristan Bolton
         - 800m  2:05 - 5th place
         -1500m 4:25 - 8th place

Sierra Falcon
          -Shot Put  30' - 10th place
          -Javelin 102'5 - 7th place

Maile Kam
           -High Jump 4'6 - 8th place

Michelle Allan
           -Pole Vault 9'7 - 1st place
           -Triple Jump 33'05 - 4th place

4x100 team was DQ

The Falcon baseball team had to overcome insurmountable odds to accomplish their goal of making the state playoffs this year.  First they would have to win two games back to back against two of the best teams in the league.  Secondly a day before the NWL tournament would be played only four baseball players even showed up to practice as practically the whole team had caught a virus.  But on game day all the players showed up ready to give their best effort even if they weren't at 100% energy wise.  Third, as the visiting team the Falcon dugout faced the sun and had no shade to protect them from the heat.  The dugout sounded like a chorus of coughs throughout the game, but the Falcons pushed on.  In the first game Eamon O'Reilly went the distance in a two hit, complete game, shutout performance.  The offense was able to plate 8 runs giving the Falcons the victory over their opponent Portland Lutheran.  Immediately following the first game the Falcons had to turn around and play the Gaston Greyhounds.  Matt Elder provided an equally electrifying performance on the mound pitching a three hit, complete game shutout.  Faith was able to beat Gaston 4-0 and won the NWL tournament to advance to the state playoffs for the 1st time in school history!

To read an article about the game by KUIK AM 1360 click here.

To hear a podcast featuring Faith's senior catcher and team captain Branden Luey click here.

Jackson VanVuren is the first athlete in Faith history to win the NWL District Track & Field MVP.  For that past two years Jackson has been the state champion in Javelin.  This year Jackson proved that he is more then just a one one event track star.  Jackson is currently ranked 5th nationally in the javelin in all classifications 1A-6A with his throw of 198'8 earlier this year at the Regis Invite.

At the district meet VanVuren took 1st place and set a new district record throwing the javelin 192'7.  This is a record that will surly last for years to come.

Jackson also set a new school record in the long jump and took first place at districts with a jump of 20'3.5

Jackson was also part of the 4x100 team that also broke a school record and took 1st place at districts with a time of 46.60.

VanVuren rounded out his events by taking 3rd place in the 100m with a time of 12.06.

Listed below are the athletes who made honorable mention all-district in the meet by getting 3rd place.

Jackson VanVuren  -  100m  -  12.06
Annelise Stanton   -   800m   -   2:48
Megan Macy    -    300h    -    57.26
Megan Macy    -    100h    -   18.52
Anna Buettner   -    Shot    - 29'7
Maile Kam     -    LJ     -   14'3.5
Tristan Bolton, Eamon O'Reilly, Phillip Ngyuen, John Lee  -   400x4   - 3:48

From left to right:  Tristan Bolton, Jackson VanVuren, Eamon O'Reilly, Christopher Phillips, Sierra Falcon, Michelle Allan, John Lee, Maile Kam

Results from the first day of districts are in and so far we have three athletes heading to Hayward Field in Eugene to compete at State. Maile Kam took 1st place in the high jump tying the school record at 4'8". Sierra Falcon finished in 2nd place in the Javelin. And Jackson VanVuren broke Faith's long jump record by taking 1st place with a jump of 20'3". Congratulations to those who have qualified for state and we wish the best to all those competing Saturday.