Senior Spotlight of the Day
Senior Spotlight of the Day
The boys were back in action Tuesday at Mercer County, using the meet as a tune-up before Friday’s rematch with Sherrard. What began as a midweek prep meet turned into another strong showing for the Chargers, who collected their seventh straight team victory with 151 points, well clear of runner-up Macomb’s 87. Friday’s Sherrard Relays will present a different kind of challenge, with only one entry allowed per event and a greater emphasis on top-end scoring. Until then, here are a few of the standout efforts from Tuesday night:
Trey Barnes:
Trey put together one of his most complete nights of the season, piling up points in three individual events. He opened in the pole vault—still a relatively new event for the senior—and cleared 8’ to earn 3rd place. From there, he moved into his specialty in the hurdles, posting a season-best 18.84 in the 110m highs for another 3rd place finish. Trey closed out his night with his strongest race of the evening in the 300m intermediate hurdles, taking 2nd and setting a lifetime best of 45.91. His development over the last few seasons has been substantial, and he continues to emerge as an important piece heading into the championship stretch.
Cameron Engstrom:
Senior Cameron Engstrom swept the horizontal jumps, collecting two individual wins for the Chargers. He claimed gold in the long jump at 18’10” and followed it up with a season-best 38’5” in the triple jump. As one of the program’s most experienced veterans, Cameron continues to bring a steady presence to the lineup. His experience, composure, and consistency will be especially valuable as the competition tightens later in the postseason.
Throwers 4x100m Relay:
One of the most entertaining moments of the night came in the Throwers Relay, where the Chargers’ big men showed off a different side of their athleticism. The group, consisting of Sophomore Aidan Leingang, Sophomore Joe Border, Junior Caiden Tyler and Junior Chance Reid, not only took 1st place, but turned in a 48.27—fast enough to be a contender in the varsity sprint relay field. While some teams may stack that event with sprinters in disguise, Orion’s quartet of true throwers backed up their athleticism the right way, after already accounting for 13 points in the shot put and discus. It was a fun reminder that this group brings more than just power to the ring.
Trey Barnes:
Trey put together one of his most complete nights of the season, piling up points in three individual events. He opened in the pole vault—still a relatively new event for the senior—and cleared 8’ to earn 3rd place. From there, he moved into his specialty in the hurdles, posting a season-best 18.84 in the 110m highs for another 3rd place finish. Trey closed out his night with his strongest race of the evening in the 300m intermediate hurdles, taking 2nd and setting a lifetime best of 45.91. His development over the last few seasons has been substantial, and he continues to emerge as an important piece heading into the championship stretch.
Cameron Engstrom:
Senior Cameron Engstrom swept the horizontal jumps, collecting two individual wins for the Chargers. He claimed gold in the long jump at 18’10” and followed it up with a season-best 38’5” in the triple jump. As one of the program’s most experienced veterans, Cameron continues to bring a steady presence to the lineup. His experience, composure, and consistency will be especially valuable as the competition tightens later in the postseason.
Throwers 4x100m Relay:
One of the most entertaining moments of the night came in the Throwers Relay, where the Chargers’ big men showed off a different side of their athleticism. The group, consisting of Sophomore Aidan Leingang, Sophomore Joe Border, Junior Caiden Tyler and Junior Chance Reid, not only took 1st place, but turned in a 48.27—fast enough to be a contender in the varsity sprint relay field. While some teams may stack that event with sprinters in disguise, Orion’s quartet of true throwers backed up their athleticism the right way, after already accounting for 13 points in the shot put and discus. It was a fun reminder that this group brings more than just power to the ring.
Unfortunately, the student council blood drive schedule for tomorrow has been cancelled due to low numbers.
Senior Spotlight of the Day
Senior Spotlight of the Day
The boys track and field team faced off against their toughest competition of the season to date Friday night at the Rockridge Invite. Battling local rival Sherrard in a tightly contested team race, the Chargers spent much of the night chasing from behind before clawing their way back into a tie heading into the penultimate event, the 200m dash. With the team title hanging in the balance, the meet came down to the final event of the night—and the boys delivered. In one of the most exciting finishes of the season, the boys edged out Sherrard by a single point, 185–184, to secure another team victory. It was a total team effort from start to finish, and a reminder of just how exciting this sport can be. Also, special shoutouts to the Orion girls team for assisting in a combined 2nd place team finish. Here are the highlights.
4x100m Relay
It’s time to recognize one of the strongest units on this year’s roster—our sprint relays. The Chargers have shown the ability to mix and match personnel while continuing to produce high-level results. Leading the way was the 4x100 relay of Will Maher, Wyatt Steen, Kaden Cirks, and anchor Owen Voorhees, who raced to a 1st place finish in a season-best 44.80. That mark moves them within .47 of the state qualifying standard and just .58 off last year’s school record. Special recognition also goes to senior Owen Voorhees, who turned in four gold-medal performances on the night, contributing 40 team points across the 100m, 4x100, and 4x200, while also setting a new personal best of 22.88 in the 200m.
4x200m Relay
The 4x200 relay may have been the most unexpected breakthrough of the night. After earning gold in the triple jump, junior horizontal jump specialist Aaron Mohr filled in for the lead off leg. Aaron teamed up with the remaining members of the 4x100 relay—Wyatt Steen, Kaden Cirks, and Owen Voorhees—to put together a standout performance, racing to a 1st place finish in 1:33.68. That mark stands as the fastest 4x200 time recorded by Orion in over a decade and moves the group to within .59 seconds of the state qualifying standard.
4x400m Relay
We closed the night with the ultimate pressure event in track and field—the 4x400 relay. With the team title hanging in the balance, the Chargers knew they needed to finish within one place of Sherrard to secure the overall victory. A young lineup rose to the moment. Freshman Carter Sersland, the workhorse of the night after already scoring in the high jump, 4x800, and open 400, led things off with a strong 53-second split. Sophomore shot putter, Aidan Leingang, continued to show his range, stepping in with a personal-best 55-second split. Freshman Max Hessler followed in his first 400 meter appearance of the season and answered with a steady 55-second split of his own. Junior Charley Arnold, the veteran of the group, brought the relay home in 53 and secured 3rd place—just one spot behind Sherrard, and exactly what the Chargers needed to clinch the team title. In the biggest moment of the night, this young group handled the pressure with composure well beyond their years and proved the future of Charger track is in very capable hands.
4x100m Relay
It’s time to recognize one of the strongest units on this year’s roster—our sprint relays. The Chargers have shown the ability to mix and match personnel while continuing to produce high-level results. Leading the way was the 4x100 relay of Will Maher, Wyatt Steen, Kaden Cirks, and anchor Owen Voorhees, who raced to a 1st place finish in a season-best 44.80. That mark moves them within .47 of the state qualifying standard and just .58 off last year’s school record. Special recognition also goes to senior Owen Voorhees, who turned in four gold-medal performances on the night, contributing 40 team points across the 100m, 4x100, and 4x200, while also setting a new personal best of 22.88 in the 200m.
4x200m Relay
The 4x200 relay may have been the most unexpected breakthrough of the night. After earning gold in the triple jump, junior horizontal jump specialist Aaron Mohr filled in for the lead off leg. Aaron teamed up with the remaining members of the 4x100 relay—Wyatt Steen, Kaden Cirks, and Owen Voorhees—to put together a standout performance, racing to a 1st place finish in 1:33.68. That mark stands as the fastest 4x200 time recorded by Orion in over a decade and moves the group to within .59 seconds of the state qualifying standard.
4x400m Relay
We closed the night with the ultimate pressure event in track and field—the 4x400 relay. With the team title hanging in the balance, the Chargers knew they needed to finish within one place of Sherrard to secure the overall victory. A young lineup rose to the moment. Freshman Carter Sersland, the workhorse of the night after already scoring in the high jump, 4x800, and open 400, led things off with a strong 53-second split. Sophomore shot putter, Aidan Leingang, continued to show his range, stepping in with a personal-best 55-second split. Freshman Max Hessler followed in his first 400 meter appearance of the season and answered with a steady 55-second split of his own. Junior Charley Arnold, the veteran of the group, brought the relay home in 53 and secured 3rd place—just one spot behind Sherrard, and exactly what the Chargers needed to clinch the team title. In the biggest moment of the night, this young group handled the pressure with composure well beyond their years and proved the future of Charger track is in very capable hands.
A huge THANK YOU to Elena at MercyOne Genesis for coming into Mrs. Nightingale’s Health classes! She presented on a variety of opportunities in the health fields for students to start thinking about after their high school years.
Senior Spotlight of the Day
Rain Rain just go away already!!! Due to todays forecast tonight's Girls Soccer at Pekin as well as Softball and Baseball vs. Sherrard have all been postponed!
Softball vs. Sherrard will be rescheduled for Wednesday April 29th Varsity at 4:30pm w/JV to follow.
Baseball vs. Sherrard will be rescheduled for Wednesday May 6th. Varsity will be at Love Park at 4:30pm and JV will be at Sherrard at 4:30pm
Girls Soccer at Pekin will be rescheduled for Wednesday May 6th at 4:30pm
Softball vs. Sherrard will be rescheduled for Wednesday April 29th Varsity at 4:30pm w/JV to follow.
Baseball vs. Sherrard will be rescheduled for Wednesday May 6th. Varsity will be at Love Park at 4:30pm and JV will be at Sherrard at 4:30pm
Girls Soccer at Pekin will be rescheduled for Wednesday May 6th at 4:30pm
Senior Spotlight of the Day
OHS Student Council is hosting a blood drive on April 30. Use the QR code on this flyer to book an appointment and support this wonderful cause!
Senior Spotlight of the Day
Last night marked the first Fresh/Soph meet of the boys track season at Annawan-Wethersfield, giving our younger athletes a chance to compete against others in their class. Opportunities like this are valuable for development and always fun to watch, as these athletes continue to grow into the future of our program. Here’s a look at a couple standout performances:
Freshman Carter Sersland has been building a strong foundation in the 400m this season, recently dipping into the 53-second range. With that in mind, we used this meet as a chance to expand his skill set—and it paid off. Carter reached a new level in the high jump, clearing 5’10”, a four-inch personal best and just three inches shy of the state qualifying mark. He also anchored the 4x100 relay to a 5th place finish (49.35) and turned in a solid effort in the 100m dash. Carter’s focus and internal drive continue to stand out, and his versatility is becoming a major asset.
Sophomore Joe Border has put in a lot of focused work this season to refine his technique in the throwing events, and the results are starting to show. Over the past few weeks, he has made significant adjustments that have led to measurable improvements—adding over 15 feet to his discus and more than 5 feet to his shot put compared to last season. He turned in a strong performance at Annawan-Wethersfield, throwing 99’2” in the discus to place 6th and 34’10.5” in the shot put to take 7th. Both events had a field of 28 total throwers. Joe’s commitment to improvement and attention to detail have him trending in the right direction, putting him in a strong position to compete for a varsity spot.
Freshman Carter Sersland has been building a strong foundation in the 400m this season, recently dipping into the 53-second range. With that in mind, we used this meet as a chance to expand his skill set—and it paid off. Carter reached a new level in the high jump, clearing 5’10”, a four-inch personal best and just three inches shy of the state qualifying mark. He also anchored the 4x100 relay to a 5th place finish (49.35) and turned in a solid effort in the 100m dash. Carter’s focus and internal drive continue to stand out, and his versatility is becoming a major asset.
Sophomore Joe Border has put in a lot of focused work this season to refine his technique in the throwing events, and the results are starting to show. Over the past few weeks, he has made significant adjustments that have led to measurable improvements—adding over 15 feet to his discus and more than 5 feet to his shot put compared to last season. He turned in a strong performance at Annawan-Wethersfield, throwing 99’2” in the discus to place 6th and 34’10.5” in the shot put to take 7th. Both events had a field of 28 total throwers. Joe’s commitment to improvement and attention to detail have him trending in the right direction, putting him in a strong position to compete for a varsity spot.
Beautiful night at the ball park! Tonight the Orion Softball team hosted Rocky for their Strike Out T1D (Type 1 Diabetes) Night. Our very own Seniors Dylan White and Alli Taets were our honorary captains and threw out the first pitches! Both Dylan and Alli have battled with type 1 diabetes most of their lives but that has never stopped them from anything and being the great students they are! Thank you everyone who put in the work to make this night happen and for everyone who came to support it!
Mark your calendars and come out to the annual FFA Plant Sale.
Happy Administrative Professionals Day to the three women that keep OHS running smoothly each day. Thank you for all you do, Mrs. Amador, Mrs, Jackson, and Mrs. Stropes!
Senior Spotlight of the Day
This afternoon, Senior Kamryn Brown signed her letter of intent to play basketball for Blackhawk College. We are proud of her record-breaking run at OHS and wish her the best in this next chapter of her basketball career.
OHS took 20+ students to the "Build My Future" career fair at the QCCA Expo Center today! Students had the opportunity to do hands on activities and learn about possible future careers! All around great experience for our kids to see and interact with.
