When it comes to hurdles, everyone is still chasing Highland’s Spencer Van Orden
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POCATELLO — “I feel like I deal with pressure well,” Highland’s Spencer Van Orden said earlier this season.
That might be an understatement.
The junior entered the season with his sights set on repeating as 6A (formerly 5A) state champion in the 300-hurdles and the 110-hurdles.
But the season wasn’t just about standing on the top of the podium, it was about speed.
The need for speed.
Van Orden entered the state meet with the top time in the 200 (21.53), the 400 (47.73) and was third fastest in the 100 meters (10.79).
Plus, he already had state records of 13.55 in the 110-hurdles and 36.60 in the 300-hurdles.
That’s quite a resume to live up to, but Van Orden didn’t flinch at the state championships.
He didn’t run the 200 or 400 at state because his focus was on his featured hurdles races, where Van Orden doubled up for the second consecutive year, just missing his state record in the 110 hurdles (13.60) and lowering his own state record in the 300 hurdles (36.51) to earn two more state titles.
He also finished third in the 100-meters in 10.78 and earned another third-place medal as part of Highland’s 4×400 relay team.
After a strong performance at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in California earlier this year where he won the 110 hurdles and finished second in the 300s, setting personal-best times in both, Van Orden didn’t have a lot of serious competition to push him.
That changed at the state meet as Tegon Lords of Nampa and Chase Lawyer of Boise had already put up times close enough to challenge Van Orden.
They did.
Van Orden won the 300s with Lords and Lawyer right behind. Lords fell in the 110s, but Lawyer finished second.
Mission accomplished for Van Orden.
Next up, a shot at a high school double 3-peat in 2026 and what is expected to be an active recruiting process.