(Story Courtesy: Con Marshall)
After having their home meet scheduled for last weekend cancelled because of about seven inches of snow, the Chadron State College track and field athletes had some good results Saturday during the Tom Benish Invitational Meet at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
The competition was exceptional. The other four teams—the Air Force Academy, Colorado State at Fort Collins, the University of Wyoming and the host Bears–are all NCAA Division I members, a notch higher than the Eagles.
Coach Shane Mischke’s team also was without two of its top performers.
Kyla Sawvell, who last month earned All-American honors in both the shot put and the weight throw at the Division II National Indoor Championships, wasn’t able to compete because of a minor illness.
She’ll bounce back, but the Eagles’ top male sprinter this season, Osvaldo Cano, required an emergency appendectomy Thursday and is probably lost for the season.
“It’s a big blow to our team to lose Osvaldo,” Mischke noted. “He was really running well and seemed to be peaking at just the right time.”
There was some irony connected with Cano’s loss on Saturday. His twin brother, Osiel, ran the best times of his career in both the 200 and 400 meters. Osiel did not place in the 200 despite a time of 22.52 seconds, but he was the runner-up in the 400 in 49.93 seconds.
In the women’s action, senior Carlie Collier also did extra well in the sprints. She won the 200, which had 13 entries, in 25.35 seconds and was third in the 400 in 59.65.
Collier’s 200 victory was the Eagles’ only first on Saturday, but they came away with six second places, including Osiel Cano’s No. 2 finish in the 400.
The women’s runners-up were Danae Rader in the 100 high hurdles and Destiny Pelton in the high jump, while the men team got seconds from freshman Charles Fossey in the 1500, Logan Peila in the 400 hurdles and Harley Rhoades in the javelin throw.
All three of the men’s marks are career bests. Fossey ran the 1500 in 4:01.66, Peila’s time was 54.33 seconds and Rhoades threw the javelin 150 feet.
Alissa Wieman also had her best time of 4:57.66 while placing third in the 1500.
“it was good to get back on the track again,” Mischke noted. “We were competitive in a lot events and had some good marks. So, it was a good trip for us.”
Most of the Eagles will enter the Loper Invitational the University of Nebraska-Kearney this coming Saturday, the coach added.
CSC’s placings and marks follow:
Women’s Events
200—1, Carlie Collier, 25.35.
400—3, Carlie Collier, 59.65; 4, Caydince Groth, 1:00.30.
1500—3, Alissa Wieman, 4:57.66; 5, Lydia Peters, 5:18.15.
100 high hurdles—2, Danae Rader, 16.27.
400 low hurdles—4, Danea Rader, 1:11.46.
Shot put—7, Morgan Ekwall, 39-5 ½; 8, Tayler Wessely, 34-5 ½.
Hammer throw—5, Courtney Smith, 160-0; 6, Madyson Schliep, 140-9.
Javelin—5, Devyn Thornton, 110-0; 6, Lamara Castanedo, 107-8; 7, Courtney Smith, 89-11.
Triple jump—4, Megan Baloun, 34-3 ¼; 5, Allison Brummell, 33-11 ¼; 6, Emily Mason, 29-1 ¾.
High jump—2, Destiny Pelton, 5-2; 3, Megan Baloun, 4-11 ½; 5, Allison Brummell, 4-11 ½.
Pole vault—8, Madison Clause, 10-10.
Men’s Events
100—7, Creighton Trembly, 11.03; 8, Kadin Perez, 11.17
400—2, Osiel Cano, 49.93; 3, Logan Moravec, 50:42; 5, Kyland Fuller, 51.16; 6, Cameryn Spence, 52.11.
1500—2, Charles Fossey, 4:01.66; 4, Garrett Avery, 4:04.81; 8, Nate Mann, 4:17.90.
110 hurdles—4, Creighton Trembly, 14.48.
400 hurdles—2, Logan Peila, 54.33
Shot put—5, Parker Gonser, 47-3.
Hammer throw—6, Shane Collins, 181-6; 7, Christopher Jennings, 153-10; 8, Parker Gonser, 152-3.
Javelin—2, Harley Rhoades, 150-6; 3 Shane Collins, 147-2; 4, Parker Gonser, 132-8.
Long jump—4, Emory Yoosook, 21-10.
High jump—4, Conner McCracken, 6-4 ¾; 5, Alec Penfield, 6-2 ¾; 6-7 tie, James Bruner and Hector Ortega, 6-2 ¾.