Results http://www.bluffton.edu/athletics/trackandfield/2014/0419.htm

Good weather, great facilities and hard work from home paid dividends over the weekend as the men's and women's track and field team competed in the Spring Invitational at Kenyon College on Saturday, April 19. Event winners, numerous best performances and another school record highlighted the day.

Freshman Ty White (Orrville), running a PR performance of 50.59, won the men's 400 meter event over 21 other contestants. Later in the afternoon, White returned to the track to run his fastest time to date in the 200 meters and finished his day by anchoring the 4 x 400 meter relay.

In the men's 800 meters, freshman Jack Fisher (Norwalk/St. Paul) bested a field of 44 competitors with a time of 1:57.47 and joined White as 3rd leg of the men's 4 x 400 which placed 4th among 12 teams.

Terrill Webb (Kenton), also a freshman, continued her assault on the women's pole vault, breaking her school record yet again to establish the new height at 10' 11.75". Webb's clearance placed 2nd in the competition but puts her atop the HCAC qualifier list by over a foot going in to the championship meet this weekend.

The track athletes in particular proved themselves adept at their disciplines as many established new PR times. Freshman Whitney Warnecke (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) had the unique experience of exactly duplicating her previous bests in both the 100 and long jump while setting a new best time for 200 meters. Sophomore Hannah Krull (Lewisburg/Tri-County North) had two new best times on the day at both 200 and 400 meters while freshman Kati O'Neill (Wapakoneta) and Raven Wilson (Coshocton/Riverview) both saw PR's at the 800 and 1500 meter distances, respectively. Running the 100 meter hurdles for the first time this season, senior Kayla Mullenhour (Delphos/Jefferson) surprised herself with a new PR time that was nearly half a second faster than her previous best which dated from 2012. The time also qualified her for the event at the HCAC championship.

The men's tracksters were not to be denied as sophomore A.J. Ehresman (Attica/Seneca East) also had a pair of PR times in the 100 and 200 meter races. Junior Josh Mattoon (Rawson/Cory-Rawson) had a big day with new bests in both 200 and 400 and equaling his previous best in the high jump. In the 1500 meter race, senior Martin Russ (Rocky River) finished 5th in a field of 40 with a PR time of 4:09.57 while further in the pack freshman Travis Siler (Miamisburg) ran a new fastest time.

Field athletes had their day in the sun as well with freshman Kim Meyer (Defiance) throwing a PR in the shot put as did sophomore Alex Parker (Alger/Upper Scioto Valley) in shot, freshman Jacob Moran (Carey) in discus and freshman Aron Gibson (Caledonia/River Valley) in javelin. The most improvements came from the hammer throw as sophomores Edgar Gonzalez (Melvindale, Mich./Melvindale) and Alex Parker as well as Gibson all threw new best distances. Competing as an open athlete, Coach Jason Fisher highlighted the men's hammer competition, winning over a field of 35 competitors with a throw of 175' 6".

While perhaps not improving upon previous best performances, many athletes placed in the top eight of their event, thereby earning points toward the team score. Mullenhour was 6th in the 400 meter hurdles; Warnecke was 3rd in the long jump; freshman Trey Everett (Sidney/Fairlawn) was 2nd in both the high jump and long jump; freshman Blake Drewes (Archbold) was 5th in the high jump; Gonzalez was 6th in shot; Moran was 8th in discus; and junior Jeff Parker (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) was 2nd in javelin along while Coach Fisher placed 4th in the event. The men's team in particular had a quality day, scoring points to secure 5th place among the 14 teams at the meet.

"After the bitter cold and winds of this winter that never seemed to want to turn to spring, it was really nice to be in shirt sleeves and not see my athletes shivering waiting for their event to begin," said Head Coach Karen Brandt. "Good weather lifts everyone's mood, athletes are no different; that combined with Kenyon's facility, good competition and the hard work everyone has put in led our team to perform well. Despite having to be at a meet between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, good attitudes prevailed and people came focused and ready to compete. As a coach, you can't ask for more than that. This meet was our last tune-up competition prior to the HCAC championship and it gives me every indication that we are ready to go. Hopefully the weather will cooperate once again."

The Beavers will travel to the campus of Defiance College on Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26 for the HCAC Championship meet. Competition begins at 3 p.m. Friday and continues throughout the evening with finals being contested in the pole vault, triple jump, javelin, shot put, steeplechase and 10,000 meter events. Preliminary rounds will take place in the high and intermediate hurdles as well as the 100, 200, 400 and 800 meter races. Competition resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. with a full slate of final round competitions throughout the day which are scheduled to conclude at approximately 3 p.m. with the 4 x 400 meter relays. An awards ceremony will follow the meet at 3:30 p.m.