How West Valley's Shelbie Rogers went from being 'nearly paralyzed' to a two-time champion

Three years ago, West Valley’s Shelbie Rogers wasn’t sure she’d walk again. On Friday, the Eagles’ senior walked out of her final North State track and field meet as a two-time Northern Section champion.

Rogers won the girls discus with a throw of 128 feet, 1 inch to earn her second straight trip to the CIF Track and Field finals on May 24-25 in Clovis.

In the summer between her freshman and sophomore years, Rogers was on a hunting trip in Alabama when the off-road vehicle she was in rolled.

“I broke my back and I actually exploded my L2 (second lumbar vertebrae),” she said. “I was nearly paralyzed and didn’t really know what my future was.

“I should’ve been paralyzed but by the grace of God I wasn’t.”

Nine months after the accident, she received the OK to resume activity. Too late to join volleyball, she focused on track and field, a sport that has family connections with her brother, sister and father. Anthony, now a CalFire firefighter, excelled for the Eagles’ track and field program, as did her sister Natalie, who went to Cal Poly SLO. Shelbie said her father was a top decathlete in California in his younger days.

“I didn’t know what sports was going to look like for me,” she said. “In the hospital, I wasn’t sure this would be possible so to walk away as a two-time section champion is something else.”

Coming into Friday’s Masters meet, Rogers said she was nervous all week.

“This is the best group of throwers in a long time,” she said.

She marked one her first attempt, something she said helped calm the nerves. Then, on her third throw, she popped off the 128-01 winner.

“I knew I wanted to go to state again,” she said. “I didn’t care what number I hit. I was hoping for a 130 or 140, because I know I have that in me.”

Her 128 bested Trinity’s Dailey Whitchurch (122-0) by nearly 6 feet. Evie Turner of Foothill was third with a 117-11, Faith Ferguson of Shasta was fourth with 109-05 and Durham’s Kiera Britten was fifth with 102-08.

There were two three-event winners, both on the girls side, as Yreka’s Mattie Whipple won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meter races. She was awarded the Bob Russell Award as the meet’s outstanding female athlete. Jordan Morrow of Corning won the award on the boys side after wins in the 100 and 200.

Whipple also won the Norm McKenzie Sportsmanship Award, named for the longtime track coach who recently passed away. Henry Baun of Yreka was the male recipient. Baun also was this year’s Record Searchlight Rotary Club Scholar Athlete winner.

The other three-event winner was Jaiden Lynn, who grabbed gold in the high jump (5-05), long jump (18-02, a PR) and the 100 (12.56). She also helped the Wolves to a second-place finish in the 400 relay (49.94) along with Ellie Whitmire, freshman Naia Kristoffersen and Aria Del Rosario-Sabet.

“I’m very satisfied,” Lynn said. “I matched my PR in the high jump and set a PR in the long jump, so I’m stoked about that. I knew it was going to be difficult to get those wins.”

She said having won two events took some pressure off the 100 race.

“I was focused on improving myself with my form and technique,” Lynn said. “I was really happy we PR’d in the 4x100. I think we’re second in (setting) school records. We finally broke 50 (seconds), which is amazing.”

Boys Results

100

• Jordon Morrow, Corning - 10.67

• Ryan McNalley, Foothill - 10.87

• Nic Wilkes, Shasta - 11.08

• Jayden Newkirk, Las Plumas - 11.09

• Sharmar Riley, Pleasant Valley - 11.10

100 (inclusive)

• Ben Pendo, Orland - 16.49

200

• Jordon Morrow, Corning - 22.30

• Jayden Newkirk, Las Plumas - 22.40

• Aiden McFall, Yreka - 22.53

• Nic Wilkes, Shasta 22.74

• Sharmar Riley, Pleasant Valley - 22.85

400 (inclusive)

• Ben Pendo, Orland - 1:16.75

400

• Logan Borg, Foothill - 48.81

• Isaiah Larceval West Valley - 49.93

• Jackson Chase, Mt Shasta - 50.46

• Aiden Hancock, Las Plumas - 51.68

• Carson Eccles, Live Oak - 52.31

800

• Jackson Hein, Pleasant Valley - 1:55.25

• Tristan Bobadilla, Willows - 2:02.13

• Bill Kormeier, Trinity - 2:02.25

• Carter Murphy, Chico - 2:03.21

• Owen Collver, West Valley - 2:04.13

1,600

• Jackson Poburko, Trinity - 4:21.33

• Kyle Cleek, Providence Christian - 4:23.20

• Austin Hein, Pleasant Valley - 4:25.41

• Jayden Stabel, Paradise Adventist Academy - 4:27.00

• Stephan Chapdelaine, Live Oak - 4:28.15

3,200

• Charles Brennan, Chico - 9:32.61

• Quentin Clarke, Pleasant Valley - 9:40.41

• Nolan McLaughlin, Pleasant Valley - 9:52.51

• Stephan Chapdelaine, Live Oak - 9:53.74

• Kyle Cleek, Providence Christian - 9:57.43

4x100 relay

• Pleasant Valley - Titus Andrus, Gavin Myers, Keegan McGregor, Sharmar Riley - 42.56

• Corning - Nicholas Johnston, Quinton Davis, Kaleb Flournoy, Jordan Morrow - 42.56

• Las Plumas - Aiden Hancock, Coleton Bettcher, Zahmir Martin, Jaydon Fairchild - 44.03

• Foothill - Luke Wyhlidko, Mason Calvert, Cameron Brooke, Ryan McNally - 44.22

• Pierce - Jonathan Vaquez Hernandez, David Aguirre, Drew Burnum, Nathan McIntosh - 44.32

4x400 relay

• Pleasant Valley - Austin Hein, Mark Marinello, Sharmar Riley, Jackson Hein - 3:24.80

• Yreka - Aiden McFall, Alex Reusze, Adam Yochum, Ben Shelton - 3:27.99

• Foothill - Logan Borg, Cameron Brooke, Joe Turner, Juan Carlos Hernandez - 3:30.59

• Enterprise - Ja’Kye Rawls, Tristan Young, Joshua Zanders-Davis, Dallas Carter - 3:34.91

• Las Plumas - Coleton Bettcher, J.T. Higgs, Aiden Hancock, Jaydon Fairchild - 3:36.19

4x800 relay

• Trinity - Bill Kormeier, Ethan Straatmann, Ryker Robles, Jackson Poburko - 8:13.78

• Chico - Matt Anderson, Emiliano Ibanez, Larsen Cooper, Carter Murphy - 8:14.94

• Yreka - Adam Yochum, Henry Baun, Saku Sekiguchi, Ben Shelton - 8:18.64

• West Valley - Derek Rulon, Frankie Rodriguez, Brandon Rushing, Owen Collver - 8:38.05

• U-Prep - Francesco Nigro, Caleb Robinson, Hudson Bailey, Ben Cusworth - 8:40.73

110 hurdles

• Carter Kroschel, Fall River - 15.43

• Tristan Young, Enterprise - 15.45

• Shmaas Khan, Gridley - 15.47

• Matthew Miskin, Gridley - 16.16

• Malakai Piper, Pleasant Valley - 16.25

300 hurdles

• Tristan Young, Enterprise - 39.86

• Warren Newsome, Shasta - 40.50

• Shmaas Khan, Gridley - 40.61

• Alex Reuse, Yreka - 40.69

• Carter Kroschel, Fall River - 40.73

Discus

• Van Chambers, Pleasant Valley - 164-04

• Nathaniel Mero, Mt. Shasta - 145-04

• Magnus Nielsen, Chico - 142-0

• A.J. Schykerynec, Orland - 139-04

• Zachary Hart, Lassen - 135-06

Shot put

• A.J. Schykerynec, Orland - 52-01.5

• Magnus Nielsen, Chico - 50-01.75

• Van Chambers, Pleasant Valley - 49-07

• Topher Bramon, Chico - 48-04.5

• Zachary Hart, Lassen - 47-05.5

High jump

• Trevan Crane, Yreka - 6-02

• Tre Coleman, Foothill - 6-0

• Ean Davis, Etna - 6-0

• Brian Brown, Gridley - 6-0

• Jesse Gallagher, West Valley - 6-0

• Costantino Thompson, Chico - 6-0

Pole vault

• Logan Meredith, Orland - 14-07

• Chase Reinhardt, Las Plumas - 11-0

• Ethan McDonald, Etna - 11-0

• Austin Lawrence, Orland - 10-06

• Carver Dresselhaus, Trinity - 10-06

Triple jump

• Zahmir Martin, Las Plumas - 42-08.5

• Chris Hall, Foothill - 42-00.75

• Joe McGowan, Shasta - 41-09

• Mark Kincheloe, CORE Butte - 40-10

• Alex Orozco, Pierce - 39-10.5

Girls

100

• Jaiden Lynn, Shasta - 12.56

• Kylie Atteberry, Pleasant Valley - 12.76

• Kajya Mello, Enterprise - 12.96

• Jordan Tucker, Winters - 13.10

• Amarianna Sims, Pleasant Valley - 13.10

200

• Kajya Mello, Enterprise - 26.35

• Kylie Atteberry, Pleasant Valley - 26.57

• Kyra Jones, Foothill - 26.70

• Aliyah Choi, Enterprise - 26.91

• Amarianna Sims, Pleasant Valley - 27.05

400

• Aliyah Choi, Enterprise - 59.30

• Rylee Gillespie, East Nicolaus - 1:00.07

• Naava Kropp, Hope - 1:01.76

• Josslyn Vengley, West Valley - 1:02.08

• Tannah Taff, West Valley - 1:02.58

800

• Mattie Whipples, Yreka - 2:13.60

• Ava-Marie Csutoras, Chico - 2:16.75

• Holly Alchin, Pleasant Valley - 2:20.34

• Brianna Hayes, CORE Butte - 2:21.94

• Aralynn Winstead-Stroing, Red Bluff - 2:24.14

1,600

• Mattie Whipple, Yreka - 5:07.63

• Paulina Martins, Orland - 5:22.03

• Kimberlee McKernan, Lassen - 5:27.98

• Taylor Wellersdick, Chico - 5:30.35

• Sammie Miller, Etna - 5:38.74

3,200

• Mattie Whipple, Yreka - 11:28.08

• Elizabeth Merrill, Shasta - 11:40.02

• Kimberlee McKernan, Lassen - 12:02.59

• Paulina Martins, Orland - 12:06.90

• Claire Edwards, Chico - 12:20.54

4x100 relay

• Pleasant Valley - Sophia Guichard, Abbigail Guichard, Amarianna Sims, Allie Devine - 49.41

• Shasta - Ellie Whitmoire, Naia Kristoffersen, ARia Del Rosario-Sabet, Jaiden Lynn - 49.94

• Foothill - Evie Turner, Kyra Jones, Hailey Walton, Clara Pargett - 50.64

• Yreka - Sayballe Kindcade, Dessa Whipple, Lotty Christie, Meadow Cummings - 51.39

• Chico - Shyanne Hall, Payton Holt, Hailey Alvistur, Sienna Jones - 51.78

4x400 relay

• Pleasant Valley - Holly Alchin, Katelynn Enos, Ava Devine, Ali Lugo - 4:05.56

• West Valley - Josslyn Vengley, Tess Hydrick, Reese Haas, Tannah Taff - 4:14.25

• Chico - Sienna Jones, Mira Sidhu, Taylor Wellersdick, Claire Edwards - 4:14.65

• Hope - Iris Severne, Anna Cook, Kylie Erickson, Naava Kropp - 4:15.34

• Foothill - Kyra Jones, Kara Crye, Evie Turner, Sydney Jones - 4:17.77

4x800 relay

• Chico - Sienna Jones, Taylor Wellersdick, Claire Edwards, Mira Sidhu - 9:59.39

• Yreka - Emmaline Hagerman, Ava Shackelford, Augustine Mylan, Hailey Hopkins - 10:50.35

• Red Bluff - Paige Ericksen, Kaitlyn Stringer, Olivia Ahlgrim, Aralynn Winstead-Stroing - 11:06.23

• Modoc - Taylor Allert, Atty Williams, Kordyn Sandage, Randi Urban - 11:11.69

• Pleasant Valley - Emily Aiken, Elaina Truong, Chaise Ayres, Angelina Smith - 11:13.39

100 hurdles

• Dayanara Vega, Burney - 16.50

• Lucie Obrist, Winters - 16.57

• Madeline Towner, Mt. Shasta - 16.79

• Tannah Taff, West Valley - 17.08

• Mackenzie Diven, Modoc - 17.81

300 hurdles

• AnaGloria Estrella, Gridley - 47.17

• Rylee Gillespie, East Nicolaus - 47.42

• Iris Severne, Hope - 48.74

• Katelynn Enos, Pleasant Valley - 49.39

• Caydance Kremer, Orland - 49.43

Shot put

• Chloe White, Pleasant Valley - 36-05

• Faith Ferguson, Shasta - 35-05.5

• Trinity Gomez, Pleasant Valley - 34-08

• Shelbie Rogers, West Valley - 34-05.5

• Kiera Britten, Durham - 34-03

Discus

• Shelbie Rogers, West Valley - 128-01

• Dailey Whitchurch, Trinity - 122-00

• Evie Turner, Foothill - 117-11

• Faith Ferguson, Shasta - 109-05

• Kiera Britten, Durham - 102-08

High jump

• Jaiden Lynn, Shasta - 5-05

• Savannah Henson, Mt. Shasta - 5-02

• Teresa Barlow, Foothill - 4-10

• Reese Haas, West Valley - 4-10

• Kylie Mason, Central Valley - 4-08

Long jump

• Jaiden Lynn, Shasta - 18-02

• Kayla Johnson, Pleasant Valley - 17-08

• Dessa Whipple, Yreka - 16-04

• Naia Kristoffersen, Shasta - 16-03

• Sidney Allard, Gridley - 16-02

Triple jump

• Kayla Johnson, Pleasant Valley - 35-01.75

• Naia Kristoffersen, Shasta - 34-11.5

• Theresa Barlow, Foothill - 34-09

• Hannah Spears, CORE Butte - 34-04

• Sidney Allard, Gridley - 33-10

Pole vault

• Addison Bernstein, Orland - 9-06

• Elise Toste, Corning - 9-06

• Kylene Mitchell, Weed - 8-06

• Bella Morgado, Las Plumas - 8-06

• Abigail Watt, Foothill - 8-06

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: West Valley's Shelbie Rogers crowned two-time champion