Feb. 12, 2014

By Emily Leclair

The UW-Whitewater men’s and women’s track and field teams had a successful weekend at the Pointer Invitational hosted by UW-Stevens Point. The men’s team placed third of 10 teams, while the women’s placed fourth of 11.

Men
The Warhawks started off strong with a 1-2-3 finish in the 60-meter dash. Junior Dylan Crafton was first to cross the line in 7.05, followed by sophomore Pat Chatman and senior Moriarty Brown-Griffin, both crossing the line at 7.12.

The ’Hawks continued their success in the 60-meter hurdles, with junior Mike Judd finishing first with a time of 8.60. Freshman Bryce Davis was third with a time of 8.68.

“We try to give it our best,” Crafton said. “Our main goal is to go in there and leave everything on the track.”

Junior Dawson Miller added to the ’Hawks success with a first place finish in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:57.49. Junior Justin Bowers also added a first place finish with a leap of 22-9.25 in the long jump.

In the 400-meter run, junior Jared Denu recorded a time of 49.75, second-fastest in the competition.  Sophomore Zach Stockheimer heaved the weight throw 53-1.5, finishing second.

The ’Hawks distance medley relay team of Miller, senior Kevin Buntman, sophomore Austin Seeger, and freshman Austin Banda recorded the fastest time in the competition, 10:51.18.

The 4×400 team of Rudebeck, Denu, junior Kevin Goreman and freshman Alex Sharrock finished second with a time of 3:21.73.

“We have a really young team,” Crafton said. “The young people we have are so talented, and it’s great because they step up in ways you wouldn’t think.”

Women
Junior Shelby Mahr led the Warhawks with two top finishes on Saturday. Mahr tossed the shot put 43-3, the best in the competition.

She heaved the weight throw 58-3 to finish first and record the third-longest throw in Division-III so far this season.

Senior Melanie Pilon added to the ’Hawks’ success, posting the seventh-highest pole vault in D-III this season, 12-2.25, to win the event.

Sophomore Tyler Henderson added another win in the field events with a leap of 36-4.75 in the triple jump.

Freshman Megan Linse finished second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.14.

The Warhawks’ 4×400 relay team of sophomore Candice Wayne, juniors Beth Dreikosen and Lexie Sondgeroth, and sophomore Jenni Rathsack recorded the fastest time in the competition, 4:02.64.

The distance medley relay team of sophomore Amy Kahl and Megan Buse, and juniors Amanda Brom and Lauren Mosher finished second with a time of 13:09.33.

Both teams will compete in the WIAC Quad hosted by UW-Oshkosh on Feb. 15th in Oshkosh.

“We have conference coming up at the end of this month so we’re all pretty excited for that,” Wayne said. “And then after that we have nationals, so we’re working on dropping time and getting qualified for both those meets.”