February 20, 2016
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The HCAC Indoor Track & Field Championship was a day for school records by the Bluffton University Beavers. Never in the history of the program have so many new marks been established in a single meet.
The records started to fall early in the competition when the women’s 4 x 200 meter relay quintet of Terrill Webb (Kenton), Hannah Krull (Lewisburg/Tri-County North), Keturah Warlick (East Point, Mich./Clintondale) and Sarah Hunter (Mt. Blanchard/Riverdale) eclipsed the 2005 mark by four tenths of a second, and this in spite of some “interesting” handoffs. Soon thereafter Warlick shaved seven tenths off the 60 meter mark she had set earlier in the season.
The most impressive Beaver performance of the day, however, came next when Edgar Gonzalez (Melvindale, Mich./Melvindale) smashed the school record that had been held by now Bluffton throws coach Jason Fisher. Gonzalez heaved the 35-pound weight 17.49 meters or 57’ 4.75”, a distance which currently places him 13th on the NCAA Division III national performance list, and won the event. In only a matter of minutes, Jack Fisher (Norwalk/St. Paul) took over four seconds from his year old mile record for a 3rd place finish. Fisher went on to do an impressive double by finishing 4th in the 800 meters less than an hour later. Almost simultaneously Kyle Knezovich (Utica) established a new record in the pole vault, bettering the mark he had set earlier in the season by three inches and placing 3rd overall. Female vault phenom Terrill Webb (Kenton) showed her speedy side by breaking the 200 meter record that had stood since 2003, establishing the new record at 26.94 and also placing 3rd. The record breaking ended near the end of the meet when Anna Hairston (Mansfield/Ontario) stopped the clock just in time to break her own 3000 meter record from last year, after having placed 5th over the 5000 meter distance at the start of the meet.
“In 27 years of coaching, I have never had the honor of seeing so many of my team’s school records fall in such quick succession,” said Head Coach Karen Brandt. “What a testament this is to the spirit, toughness and competitiveness of our athletes and coaches.”
School records were not the only thrills on the day for the Beavers. In addition to Gonzalez’s victory in the weight throw, Webb continued her dominance in the pole vault, claiming her 5th consecutive title in the five combined indoor and outdoor HCAC championships she has contested to date. Her clearance broke the championship record she had previously set and established a new Defiance facility record.
D’Nae Reese (Columbus/Upper Arlington) continued her superb throwing with a 2nd place in the women’s 20 pound weight throw. Sarah Hunter had a busy day with a 2nd in the 800, 3rd in the 400 and anchoring both the 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 meter relays to season-best times. Brandt stated, “The 400/800 double is quite difficult with only 30 minutes between the two events. Sarah probably would have won the 800 except for the fatigue in her legs from the 400. But she wanted to take on this demanding double for her team. Terrill also had a hectic day. She won the vault, led off the 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 relays and grabbed 3rd in the 200. Like Hunter, she did this in a short time frame and really stepped up for the women’s team.”
Rounding out third place performances for the team was the women’s distance medley composed of Devony Miller (Findlay/Liberty-Benton), Hannah Krull, Miranda Hostettler (Glenmont/West Holmes) and Alissa Hauke (Hillsboro). A number of other Beavers finished in points-paying positions as well. Reese was 7th in shot put; Knezovich 6th in the 60 meter hurdles; the men’s 4 x 200 which consisted of Austin McKinnon (Baltimore/Millersport), Austin Brown (Newton Falls/Newton Falls), Thaddeus Phillips (South Bend, Ind./Riley) and Quincy Salcido (Van Wert) and 4 x 400 (Knezovich, McKinnon, Fisher and Salcido) were both 4th; the womens’ 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 (Webb, Krull, Miller and Hunter) were 5th; Brown was 6th in high jump; Gonzalez 7th in shot put and Sarah Oliver (Lexington) 7th in pole vault with a new PR clearance. Also establishing new PR’s were Shawn Campo (Galion) over 800 meters; Daniel Gregg (Ontario/Mansfield Christian) in the mile; Michael Lehman (West Liberty/West Liberty-Salem) and Patrick Brean (Ashland) at 3000 meters, Chris Tatom (Vickery/Margaretta) in the 5000 meters; and DiVaunta Spearman (Sandusky/Willard) in the weight throw.
Webb, Reese and Gonzalez will compete at Anderson University on Saturday, Feb. 27, as they continue their training aimed at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship meet March 11-13 at Grinnell College in Iowa.
-BEAVERS-
