McPherson College’s track and field team took a partial squad to Crete, Neb., for the Doane Relays last weekend as it began final preparations for the KCAC championships.
“This meet was a good break for us,” McPherson head coach Bart Gray said. “We’ve been seeing basically the same people at every meet to this point, and this let us see how we stack up against some bigger NAIA, and smaller NCAA schools.”
Sprinters Preston Taylor and Seth Cavenee came away with the Bulldogs only medal finishes. Taylor ran a season best 22.20 to finish fourth in the 200 meters. Cavenee finished fifth in the short dash, covering the 100 meters in 10.92 seconds.
The Bulldogs ran a different combination in the 4 x 100 meter relay, yet ran within one second of the Bulldogs’ season best in finishing seventh. With America Patton in Dallas, Tex., for an all-star football game, Brandt Busse stepped in to the vacated spot and combined with Kris Smiley, Preston Taylor, and Seth Cavenee to run 43.60.
Tim Cox’s search for a sub-2 minute 800 meters, was sidetracked by another seeding situtation that placed in him the next to the last heat. Cox did post a season best of 4:13.31 as he finished just out of the medals in the 1500 meters.
Dan Hudachek and Justin Ratliff hit season bests in the discus throw while Val Thompson and Hayden Owen notched season highs in the hammer throw and Scott Phillips got one in the shot put.
“Our throwers just keep making improvement,” said Gray. “They’re young and have a long way to go, but their work effort is going to get them there (to personal goals).”
Mandi Shobe was the only medallist for the McPherson women, finishing sixth in the 10,000 meters. Beth Krehbiel equaled her season best in the high jump while Sheila Bevan posted a season best 104’5” in the discus. Katie Atwater notched a SB in hammer throw, tossing the ball and chain 104’2”. Both Kelsey Hendricks and Rachel Butler hits season bests in the javelin.
This week the Bulldogs are scheduled to split forces as the men’s 4 x 100 meter relay team will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, seeking a national qualifying mark at the Drake Relays. The remainder of the team will go to Winfield for the annual Southwestern College Relays on Saturday.
Complete McPherson results
MEN –
100m Dash – 5. Seth Cavenee 10.92, 11.08p; Preston Taylor 11.16p; Brandt Busse 11.84p
200m Dash – 4. Preston Taylor 22.20SB; Seth Cavenee 22.46
800m Run – Tim Cox 2:03.95
1500m Run – Tim Cox 4:13.31SB
5000m Run – Bryan Grosbach 18:15.41
4 x 100m Relay – 7. McPherson 43.60 (Kris Smiley, Brandt Busse, Preston Taylor, Seth Cavenee)
Shot Put – Owen Hayden 33-3; Val Thompson 32-9.5; Scotty Phillips 31-2SB
Discus – Dan Hudachek 131-5SB; Justin Ratliff 110-3=SB
Hammer – Val Thompson 113-2SB; Dan Hudchek 110-7; Scotty Phillips 92-7; Owen Hayden 91-10SB
WOMEN –
100m Dash – Laura Engquist 14.69
200m Dash – Laura Engquist 31.33
800m Run – Deidre Frager 2:39.57
5,000m Run – Bethany Lobmeyer 24:16.55
10,000m Run – 6. Mandi Shobe 49:03.35
400m Hurdles – Beth Krehbiel 1:16.35
High Jump – Beth Krehbiel 4-10=SB
Long Jump – Nicole Harkins 14-6.25
Shot Put – Kelsey Hendricks 33-9
Discus – Sheila Bevan 104-5SB
Hammer – Katie Atwater 104-2SB
Javelin – Deidre Frager 104-4; Kelsey Hendricks 89-5SB; Rachel Butler 79-5SB