TABOR COLLEGE: Track teams compete at Southwestern relays
With the KCAC meet coming this weekend at Friends University, the Bluejay track teams got a good tuneup April 26 at the Southwestern Relays in Winfield.
Competing against grueling competition from Oklahoma and all the KCAC schools but Ottawa, Tabor got a bird's eye view of what they'll be facing at the league meet.
So tough was the competition, only Landon Goertzen and Mandi Janzen brought home gold medals for their respective teams.
Despite just the two first place finishes, the progressive day for the Bluejays saw nine personal records set and four school records fall.
"We just had a great day on the track and in the field events as well," said Bluejay coach Dave Kroeker. "We had nine personal records set Saturday and all of the relay teams for both the men and women ran season best times."
Goertzen ran a 1:56 time in the 800 meters to remain the one to beat at the league meet.
Men's highlights also included senior Kevin Nickel finishing runner-up in the 3000 meter steeplechase to Southwestern's Brant Littrell, running a personal best time of 9:46.
Jeremiah Randall had his best day throwing the discus in college, setting a personal record with four throws better than his previous best distances, including a sixth-place 138-10.
Brent Brockmueller took third in the hammer throw with a heave of 142-5.
The Lady Bluejays' day was highlighted by one gold medal, two silvers, and a bronze to go along with setting four school records.
Janzen fought off gallant efforts from teammates Shannon Kroeker and Carissa Litton to win the women's high jump with a leap of 5-2.
Senior Rachel Evans finished second in the 100 meter hurdles. Her time of 15.31 was enough to earn her a ticket to the NAIA National meet at the end of May.
Rounding out the second place finishes for the Lady Bluejays was the 4x400 meter relay team of Amber McKillip, Shannon Kroeker, Karen Patton, and Angie Jost, who ran a 4:20.
Jost, Shannon Kroeker, and Patton were joined by Becky Jons in the 4x800 meter relay team, which shaved 19/100 of a second of their previous school record time of 10:18 for third.
Patton's success didn't stop there as she set broke her school record in 5,000 meters with a fifth-place time of 20:11.
Tamara McCarren beat her previous school record in the hammer throw with an eighth-place heave of 132-2.
Erin Voth set a school record becoming the first woman in school history to compete in the 3000 meter steeplechase, finishing in a fourth-place 17:58.
Coach Kroeker was quick to commend his assistants in preparing the athletes to perform at their best.
"Shelby Wehrman (sprint/relays/long jump), Suzy Best (middle distance/distance/triple jump), and Andy Shewey (high jump) do a great job," Kroeker said. "They deserve a lot of credit for the kind of improvements we have seen throughout this season.
"Now the test will be at the KCAC meet this weekend. We need to cap off a great season of individual accomplishments with a great team effort at Friends."
Friday's field events begin at 3 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday at Wichita's Friends University.
Running events are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Women's results
400m — 4. Lahna Daugherty, 1:12.27. 4x100 — 3. Tabor, 53:05. 800 — 1. Tabor A, 2:08.03. 4x800m — 3. Tabor A, 11:02.63. 4x400 — 2. Tabor A, 4:20.40. 800m — 8. Esther Richert, 2:43.27. 1500m — 4. Angela Jost, 5:08. 3000m steeplechase — 4. Erin Voth, 17:58.55. 5000m — 5. Karen Pattton, 20:11.64. 100m hurdles — 2. Rachel Evans, 15.31. 100m — 4. Christine VanDoren, 13.75. 200m — 7. Carissa Litton, 28.72. High jump — 1. Mandi Janzen, 5'2"; 4. Shannon Kroeker, 4'10"; 8. Litton, 4'4". Pole vault — 7. Kostner, 8'. Javelin — 8. Kostner, 99'2". Long jump — 4. VanDoren, 15'. Triple jump — 6. VanDoren, 31'10.75". Discus — 4. Tamara McCarren, 139'9"; 11. Angela Kroeker, 112'3"; 12. Trista Hanley, 110'10"; 17. Jen Hope, 77'3". Hammer throw — 8. McCarren, 132'2"; 11. Hope, 105'6"; 14. Hanley, 96'5". Shot put — 6. McCarren, 39' .25"; 14. Hanley, 33' 1/2".
Men's results
4x100 — 4. Tabor A, 43.44. 1600 — 3. Tabor A, 3:50.27. 4x400 — 5. Tabor A, 3:27.02. 400m hurdles — 5. Brian Lightner, 58.06. 3000 steeplechase — 2. Kevin Nickel, 9:46.37; 6. Ryan Sperling, 10:55.44. 110m hurdles — 5. Matt Insley, 16.32. 1500m — 6. Pete Richert, 4:15.36; 19. Sperling, 4:40.70. 800m — 1. Landon Goertzen, 1:56.76. 200m — 11. Ernest Garza, 23.92; 15. Will Higerd, 24.48; 16. Dwayne Cleaves, 24.65; 17. Rickey Ishida, 25.24. Pole vault — 15. Higerd, 11'. High jump — 6. Adam Penner, 6'. Javelin — 5. Lee Waldron, 152'4". Long jump — 5. Brian Lightner, 10'4 3/4". Hammer throw — 3. Brent Brockmueller, 142'5". Discus — 6. Jeremiah Randall, 138'10"; 14. Todd Harper, 116'7"; 24. Brockmueller, 105'8". Shot put — 7. Brockmueller, 433'3"; 12. Harper, 38'8"; 21. Waldron, 33'4".
