Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Joshua St. Jean won the 100-meter dash with a career-best time of 10.64 seconds while Ayden Hartzell, Ryan Clapper, Laynie Goertz, Paige Kehmeier and the 4×400-meter relay were among the competitors to rise up RMAC leaderboards at the Bauer Open hosted by South Dakota Mines on Wednesday.
With the conclusion of this competition, the Eagles are done until the RMAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships from April 23-25. Athletes in the top 24 of each event will qualify for the conference meet.
Several who are safely in the field did not compete, but those on the bubble of the top 24 or who needed to set a mark in particular events were the stars of the show for Chadron State on Wednesday in a meet that was moved up two days due to weather forecasts.
Chadron State entered several sprinters in their first 100-meter races of the season after many specialized in the 200/400 up until this point in the year. St. Jean, who hadn’t run an open 100 in nearly two full seasons as an Eagle, instantly jumped up to No. 10 on the RMAC leaderboard with his time of 10.64 seconds. St. Jean previously ran in the 4×100 relay along with Augustin Chiang, Esosa Iyengunmwena and Ryan Clapper that set a new CSC facility record and set an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 40.47 seconds.
The Eagles dominated the 100 overall, with seven of the top nine placers during Wednesday’s meet. Ayden Hartzell was the runner-up to St. Jean in 10.79 while Ryan Clapper came third in 10.81, with both also entering the top 20 of the RMAC leaderboard. Also placing within the top half of the 19-runner field were Chiang (4th, 10.88), Christopher Cormier (6th, 11.07), Sutton Pohlman (8th, 11.23) and Kevin Day (9th, 11.24).
The depth showcased in that event will give Chadron State track and field head coach Jake Gruver some decisions to make about which four racers to place on the Eagles’ “A” 4×100 team as well as whether or not to declare runners like St. Jean, Hartzell and Clapper for the open 100 meters at the RMAC meet.
Women’s runners delivering season-best marks included sophomore Laynie Goertz, who won the 400-meter event on Wednesday with a season-best time of 1:01.70 that ranks 25th in the RMAC pending other results. Paige Kehmeier, a 400/800 runner throughout the season, tried the 400 hurdles for the first time competitively this season and instantly slipped into the top 25 in the RMAC in that race by running it in 1:09.35.
Another solid performer at Wednesday’s meet was senior Kailey Klein. Despite competing in a heptathlon last weekend and no multis being on offer at Wednesday’s meet, Klein competed in three open events and took down first in the high jump (1.52 meters/4-11.75), second in the javelin (32.94m/108-1) and fourth in the 110 hurdles (17.68 seconds, a season-best).
The Chadron State men already own the second-best 4×100 time in the RMAC this season from the Con Marshall Early Bird Meet, but the Eagles climbed to No. 3 in the 4×400 relay with a season-best time on Wednesday as the crew of Christopher Cormier, Ryan Clapper, Kadin Perez and Ayden Hartzell ran 3:14.09, which is CSC’s fourth-best time in school history.
Other athletes who did not achieve season-best mark but still placed highly in their respective events include Shelby Ekwall, who won the shot put again with a mark 13.46 meters (44 feet, 2 inches), which is just half an inch shy of her best. Also in the women’s throws, the Eagles went 2-3-4 in the javelin with Klein, Mataya Ward (32.91/107-11) and November Diers (31.61/103-8).
Also winning events on the women’s side were Kyndall Carnahan in the steeplechase (12:10.02) and Samantha Rodewald in the 5000 meters (18:41.41).
In the men’s events, the Eagles performed well in the 200 meters, with three of the top five placers in Iyengunmwena(2nd, 22.07 seconds), Chiang (4th, 22.24) and Sutton Pohlman (5th, 22.56). Chadron State also placed second, fourth and fifth in the 400 courtesy of Kadin Perez (49.72 seconds), Hunter Lund (50.36) and Iyengunmwena (50.39).
In the men’s steeplechase, Blaine Johnson placed second and improved on his career-best by over 30 seconds while climbing to No. 7 on CSC’s all-time list. Tavion Leatherdale took home a discus event win, heaving it 45.33 meters (148-8).
The Eagles will now wait until all events for the weekend have completed to see who all makes the top 24 in each event to compete at RMACs.
For a full listing of CSC results, click here.
