(Pictured: Boise's Audrey Orme wins the 800 at the Boise City Meet.  Photo Courtesy of Michael Najera)

Two years apart, 2020 Mountain View graduate Lexy Halladay-Lowry set Idaho’s all-time records in the girls mile and 1,600: 4.41.80 for the mile at the 2017 adidas Boost Boston Games for a U.S. No. 1 at the time and 4:43.74 in the 1,600 at the 2019 5A state meet where she swept all three 5A girls individual state titles.

As of April 24, both those records have been shattered following national caliber performances at the annual Nike Jesuit/Twilight Relays in Portland, Ore.

Rocky Mountain senior Hallie Heemeyer and Boise senior Audrey Orme placed second and third, respectively, in a blazing fast elite girls 1-mile final on April 25 at Portland’s Jesuit High School with respective times of 4:40.42 and 4:42.58. Heemeyer broke Halladay-Lowry’s Idaho all-time 1-mile record with that time while Orme moved into No. 3 all-time on record in Idaho, and they both moved into the top 10 in the U.S. on athletic.net. Heemeyer is No. 6 and Orme is No 8 in the mile and Heemeyer is No. 5 while Orme is No. 9 in the 1,600. Additionally, Heemeyer and Orme both broke Halladay-Lowry’s Idaho all-time 1,600 record. Heemeyer’s mile time converted to the 1,600 is 4:38.76 and Orme’s mile time converts to a 4:40.81. One mile is equal to approximately 1,609 meters.

Ellery Lincoln, a junior from Lincoln High in Portland, won the elite girls 1-mile title in 4:30, a meet record, the No. 1 time in the U.S. currently in both the mile and 1,600 and No. 4 all-time on record in the U.S. for high school girls mile.

Heemeyer and Orme both expressed gratitude to have broken Halladay-Lowry’s 1,600 record together.

Heemeyer met and spoke with Halladay-Lowry, currently a professional runner for Nike, last December at Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) in Portland and will be continuing her athletic career at Halladay-Lowry’s alma mater (BYU). This is Heemeyer’s second Idaho all-time No. 1 achieved this season, as she ran 10:13.81 at the Arcadia Invitational on April 10.

“It’s kind of unbelievable but also yeah, I’m just so grateful because it was such a fun opportunity,” Heemeyer said April 29 by phone. “I mean, it’s just kind of crazy thinking about where Lexy is now and how much she has flourished in college and being a pro athlete. She’s been one of my biggest role models. It’s cool chasing some of her times and having her as a great example.”

Orme, who wants to break 2015 Boise graduate Emily Hamlin’s 3,200 school record of 10:28.40, said her goal since the start of this season was to run 4:45 for the 1,600. With her Nike Jesuit/Twilight Relays performance, Orme, a Gonzaga commit who also competed at NXN last December, broke Boise High’s girls 1,600 record of 4:46.87 set by 2019 graduate Maggie Liebich at the 2018 5A state meet. Liebich went on to compete for Princeton and Washington and represented Team USA last summer in the 1,500 at the FISU World University Games in Germany.

“Obviously Lexy’s a really famous runner around Idaho,” Orme said April 29 by phone. “She’s an amazing person and advocate for female athletes. It feels great to get closer to her record and break it. Since I was injured last year, I didn’t PR as much. I knew I had more in me (this year) and trained hard.”

Heemeyer and Orme said they both expected a fast race considering how many other NXN qualifiers were registered and how fast the first lap was. Lincoln ran her first lap in 1:08.91 to establish a solid lead and Heemeyer and Orme followed in 1:11.21 and 1:11.29, respectively. Heemeyer and Orme proceeded to take turns passing each other over the next three laps and were shoulder to shoulder through two laps.

They maintained a significant gap over the rest of the pack as they vied for second and third place.

“Our first lap was I think faster than what I was used to this year,” Orme said. “I knew Ellery was gonna take the lead. When we were through 800, I was thinking, ‘Wow, if we can keep this up, this would be a really fast time.’ In the end, I was really surprised and grateful we were able to run a really fast time. Me personally, I knew I had the fitness and knew I had to be in the race mentally to have it play out the way I knew it could.”

Heemeyer said she knew it was going to be an especially fast race by the time she completed one lap.

“I would say the first lap was faster than I expected,” Heemeyer said. “I knew (Lincoln) was gonna be fast. She kinda went from the gun. It was faster than I thought and it felt really smooth. I was like, “Ok, here we go. We’re gonna get a big time today.’”

Heemeyer and Orme each said they would not have been able to run their record times without pushing each other along during the race, adding that it was a great opportunity to represent Idaho.

“I definitely wouldn’t have been able to keep that (pace) if she wasn’t there,” Orme said. “We took turns kind of leading every once in a while. It was great to push each other. I think a lot of times Idaho is overlooked. For Hallie and I, our getting into even the top 10 nationally and Nike Jesuit top three in the race, it’s really cool to represent Idaho in such a strong way.”

“I was super glad she was in the race too,” Heemeyer added. “When you’re going to a big race, it’s nice to have someone else from Idaho. It was actually super fun. She kinda led (me) the second lap, then I took the third lap. She passed me on the fourth lap then I passed her with 200 to go. It kinda helped me to run as fast as I did.”

This was Heemeyer’s second time at Nike Jesuit/Twilight Relays. She finished fifth a year ago in the elite girls mile in 4:49.96. This season, breaking 4:40 for the 1,600 was a goal. Six days after a 4:46.99 at the Pasco Invite in Washington, she achieved that sub-4:40 goal in Portland.

“I wanted to put in the work,” Heemeyer said. “Setting those big goals is really important. Even if you don’t get them, you get closer to achieving them. We actually got some new distance coaches for this track season and that’s always a big change. I feel like they have done an excellent job with my workouts and getting me prepared to reach that 4:40. Going into the race, I was just confident that I could do it.”

This was Orme’s first time at Nike Jesuit/Twilight. She described it as a much different environment from Oregon Relays earlier this month with her Boise teammates at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field and Arcadia, where she last competed two years ago.

“The environment at Nike Twilight was really unique,” Orme said. “At Oregon (Relays), there’s just all these like bright lights. It’s kind of like an intimidating atmosphere at Hayward (Field). At Jesuit, we knew it was gonna be more of a quiet factor. It kinda felt like more of a high school meet rather than a big national meet. I don’t think I was as nervous as I was for Oregon.”

Heemeyer and Orme expressed disbelief and gratitude for the senior year they have had so far. In cross country, Heemeyer and her Rocky Mountain girls teammates qualified for NXN for a second consecutive year and Orme became Boise’s first NXN qualifier since 2018. They also became Idaho’s second and third girls on record to break 17 for a 5k course, going 1-2 at the 6A state championships in Lewiston.

“I love that we’re the same age,” Heemeyer said. “We’ve gotten to know each other better throughout the years. She’s an amazing person. It’s so special being able to see me and her be able to come this far. I think both of us never thought we’d make it this far when we were freshmen.”

“It’s been super special to have Hallie,” Orme added. “Especially at these big meets like NXR and Nike Jesuit. When we actually had state (cross country) at Lewiston my freshman year just like we did my senior year, I didn’t even run freshman year. I remember watching (2023 Post Falls graduate) Anna Peters. She barely broke 17 and to think me and Hallie both broke 17, too. It’s been nice to be in the same state and it’s great to experience this progression. We’re just making each other better.”

One Last Meet Before Districts

Since my last Bell Lap, Gem State athletes have competed at their final meets before district championships. Those closer to home competed at annual city/county meets while a few Idaho schools made the trip to Provo for the annual PACS BYU Invitational over the weekend.

Flipping the calendar from April to May has brought about impressive times, marks and heights.

On April 29 at the Kimberly One Last Tri, Kimberly sophomore Joshua Sonderegger won boys discus with a personal best 187-5, which is No. 7 all-time on record in Idaho. At the same meet, his teammate, junior Karlie Bair won the girls 100 in 11.78 for a personal best to bring her to No. 2 all-time on record in Idaho.

On April 30 at the District 1 Meet of Champions at Post Falls, Bonners Ferry senior Hallie Hartman won girls shot put with a personal best 44-1 to remain undefeated in the event this season. That mark puts her at No. 8 all-time on record in Idaho.

At the same meet, Coeur d’Alene Charter senior Annabelle Carr won the girls 400 in a personal best 55.92, which is No. 6 all-time on record in Idaho.

Also in north Idaho, Prairie senior Sage Elven won girls discus with a personal best 146-8 on April 30 at the District 2 Meet of Champions at Lewiston. She is undefeated in discus going back to the district championship meet of her sophomore season. This personal best puts her in a tie for No. 11 all-time on record in Idaho.

On April 30 at the Boise City Meet at Timberline, Capital’s Alena Garrison (sophomore), Eden Francis (senior), Grace Russell (junior) and Christine Huckins (senior) won the girls 4x100 in 46.53 to improve on their No. 1 all-time Idaho record. Capital remains the only Idaho girls 4x100 team on record to break 47 seconds. Francis also won the girls javelin with a personal best 130-6, which is No. 3 all-time on record in Idaho.

At the same meet, Boise’s Quinton Williams (junior), Colton Bureau (junior), Dylan Chambers (senior) and Eli Rich (senior) won the boys 4x200 in 1:26.90, which is No. 6 all-time on record in Idaho.

On April 30 at the Eagle Twilight, Mountain View’s Cooper Harger (sophomore), Austin Riley (senior), Charles Sussex (senior) and Rush Puckett (sophomore) won the boys 4x400 in 3:20.03, which is No. 6 all-time on record in Idaho.

On May 1 at the Brad Matthews Invitational in Declo, Marsh Valley’s Lydia Townsend won girls 100 hurdles in a personal best 14.23, putting her at No. 8 all-time on record in Idaho. She is one of three girls in Idaho this season to have broken 14.30.

On May 1 in eastern Idaho at the Idaho Falls City/County meet at Bonneville, Thunder Ridge sophomore Abigail Sondag won the girls 100 in a personal best 11.92 to become the fifth Idaho girl this season to break 12 seconds. She also anchored Thunder Ridge to a school record win in the 4x100 in 48.59, putting the Titans at No. 3 in Idaho this season for all classifications.

The defending 5A state runner-up and 5A District 6 champion Skyline boys had numerous individual wins at I.F. City/County. Among them was senior Alexander Renna, who ran down teammate and fellow senior Nicholas Smith to win the boys 800 in a personal best 1:59.74, accomplishing his goal of breaking two minutes. He and Smith, Kaleb Mickelsen and Desmond Swaner also won the 4x400 later in the day in 3:38.04. Smith also ran a personal best in the 800 (2:00.21).

“That was wild,” Renna said. “Nick’s a phenomenal runner and he led the race perfectly. That was my second 800 (this season).”

Senior Zyan Crockett, the defending 5A boys 100 state champion, won the boys 100 in 11.01 and 200 in 22.43 and placed third in long jump with 20-0.5.

Crockett, an Idaho State football signee and multi-sport athlete at Skyline, is in his second season of track. He described it as an experience he is grateful for, and he wants to return the kindness and support that has been extended to him.

“It’s been like a dream, honestly,” Crockett said. “Skyline track, I’d have to say, the best word to describe it is culture. There’s a community you don’t have in other sports. Not just at Skyline, but with other teams. They take time to befriend you and help you. It makes me feel like I should reach out and do more.”

Saturday at the PACS BYU Invite, Columbia sophomore and defending 6A boys pole vault state champion Ammon Hammer won the boys pole vault upon clearing 15-6, tying his personal best from two days earlier at the Canyon County Championships. Taking second and third were Rigby teammates Kade Scott (junior) and Jarom Christensen, who each cleared 15-0.

Rigby senior and defending 6A boys discus state champion Brayden Maughan placed second in boys discus (172-3.5) and placed fourth in shot put (54-9.5).

Emmett junior Addi Richards placed third in girls pole vault (11-9) while Rigby senior Lizzy Poston (11-9), Rigby junior Kaylei Kelley (11-3) and Rigby sophomore Gracie West (11-3) were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Preston sophomore Hallie Spackman placed sixth in girls javelin with a personal best 117-11.

Sugar-Salem senior and defending 4A boys high jump state champion Jack Larson cleared 6-3 to tie for sixth place in high jump while Teton sr Bradley Brown and his teammate Canon Kunz (junior) also cleared 6-3 to tie for eighth.

North Fremont’s Andrew Martin (senior), Lane Klink (senior), Owen Reid (senior) and Ben Reinke (junior) placed third in the boys sprint medley relay in 3:42.64 while Sugar-Salem’s Andrew Galbraith (senior), Ben Hegewald (senior), Luke Taylor (senior) and Darrel Dickson (sophomore) were fourth in 3:43.28.

Firth’s Adyson Park (senior), Daisha Sorensen (freshman), Ellie Christensen (junior) and Ruby Hillman (sophomore) placed seventh in the girls 4x100 in 50.05.

Blackfoot senior Eva Grimm placed sixth in girls discus (130-4.25) while Firth junior Madison Torgerson placed seventh with a personal best 124-4.75.

Sugar-Salem’s Tasha Larsen (senior), Sarah Galbraith (sophomore), Sorelle Clark (sophomore) and Raegan Harris (sophomore) placed eighth in the girls 4x200 in 1:44.43.

Sugar-Salem senior Andee Petterson placed seventh in girls long jump with a personal best 17-3.

National Rankings Update

In addition to Heemeyer and Orme, here are the other Idaho athletes in the top 25 in the U.S. in their events of Saturday evening on athletic.net:

-Coeur d’Alene sophomore Rowan Henry is No. 12 in the boys 2-mile (9:04.37)

-Highland senior Spencer Van Orden is No. 8 in boys 110 hurdles (13.44)

-Boise junior Luke Bruce is No. 11 in boys 2k steeplechase (6:13.59)

-Eagle senior Ambrose Brainard is No. 13 in boys high jump (7-0)

-Marsh Valley senior Lydia Townsend is No. 2 in girls pole vault (13-8)

On The Horizon

Athletes will be vying this week for spots at the Idaho state championships scheduled for May 15-16 in the Treasure Valley. District championships begin Tuesday with the 3A District 5 meet in Soda Springs, with meets scheduled every day throughout the week until Saturday.