Adam Dirks launches a javelin Saturday at McPherson. Dirks, a freshman from Hillsboro, placed second in the event and set a new personal record with a throw of 178 feet, 3 inches.
The Tabor College track and field squads swept the team titles and turned in a handful of notable performances during their first meet of the season in McPherson Saturday.
“The first meet of the year is always a little scary because both coaches and athletes don't know what to expect,” coach Dave Kroeker said. “It was pretty cold and windy until late in the meet so good performances were made even more difficult.”
On the track, Liz Kleinsasser picks her way through the pack on her way to a second-place finish in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:28. Both the Tabor teams finished first. Photos by Phyllis Richert.
The women’s team posted 133 points in 19 events for first place.
“Although both the men’s and the women’s teams won team titles, the chance to finally get to compete under the gun was the most important thing for our teams,” Kroeker said. “Everyone got to get a time, distance, or height to start working from in order to improve.”
In the 10,000-meter run, Jera Teselle turned in the single best performance of the day, finishing in 44 minutes, 31.20 seconds and trimming three minutes from her own school record.
The Bluejays put together top finishes in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and had a total of four first-place finishes.
Kelli Kopper, Shelby Miller, Jennifer Schmidt and Jessica Burden posted a 4x100 time of 52.88 seconds. Kopper, Liz Kleinsasser, Tessa Siebert and Miller ran the 4x400 in 4:21.92. Miller (first, 1:03.67) also ran the 400 individually.
The Tabor men posted 203 points in 20 events and finished well ahead of the five other competing teams: Bethel (149), McPherson (123), Friends (46), Haskell Indian Nations (32) and Bethany (26).
Kroeker highlighted performances by Silas Hibbs and Adam Dirks as among the team’s best of the day. Hibbs won the pole vault and equaled his best jump from a year ago by clearing 13 feet, 6 inches. Dirks threw the javelin a personal record distance of 178-3—just 5 feet shy of the NAIA outdoor meet “B” qualifying standard.
Including Hibbs’ win, Tabor turned in seven first-place finishes.
Andrew Covin won the 400 meters in 52.1 seconds and Brent Nelsen (53.45) claimed second.
Andrew Schroeter (57.99) took first place in the 400 hurdles Nathaniel Porter (58.32) grabbed second.
Zac Rembolt (10:58) finished first in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, outpacing his only competitor by 1:27.
The Bluejays also put together a first-place 4x400 unit—Brent Nelson, Andrew Schroter, Andrew Covin and Nathanial Porter ran the race in 3:31. Matt Dean took first in the long jump (20-1). Matt Vaughn (119-1) and Matt Fox (103-4) took first and second in the hammer throw.
Goessel High School alumus Garrett Hiebert, attending Bethel, claimed first in the javelin and came up just short of the national “B” qualifying standard with a throw of 182-7.
Coming—Tabor will travel to Lindsborg Friday to take part in the Bethany Invitational.
KCAC TRACK & FIELD
McPherson Invitational March 15 at McPherson College
