HILLSBORO: Bluejays send four to NAIA meet
The words 'last chance' must have meant something to Bluejay track team members Mandi Janzen and Landon Goertzen.
For the senior Janzen, her final shot at qualifying for the NAIA National meet was pending on a good performance at the May 9 Emporia State Twilight Qualifier Meet.
Only a junior, Goertzen possibly has one more year left if he didn't perform up to standards on Friday.
But Janzen and Goertzen made the most of it Friday, joining Tamara McCarren and Rachel Evans as the four Bluejays who will represent Tabor in the national meet May 22-24 in Olathe.
The reigning KCAC women's champion high jumper, Janzen finished ninth out of 11 competitors by leaping a personal record of 5-5 to qualify.
Janzen just missed finishing in a four-way tie for third place at 5-7.
Eventual winner Karol Rovelto cleared 6-4 to beat out Kansas State runner-up Morgan High by better than a half-foot.
"Mandi had a great day at ESU clearing 5-5 on her second attempt and just barely missing on her last two attempts at 5-7," Bluejay track coach Dave Kroeker said. "Mandi's jump puts her in the top 10 in the nation so far this year going into the national meet.
"With the way she is jumping, who knows what could happen in Olathe in a couple of weeks? She was obviously very excited, but was extremely focused mentally throughout the competition."
In the men's 800 meters, Goertzen shattered Don Dahl's 1968 school record time of 1:54 with 1:53 eighth place finish.
"Landon eclipsed his personal best set at the KCAC meet this year by over two seconds, and he still wasn't really pushed in the last 100 meters of his race," said Kroeker. "I wish he could've been in a little faster heat.
"His time is the 11th best NAIA time in the nation going into the national meet and with better competition, he may drop his time even more."
