ORIGINALLY WRITTEN
The Tabor College men and women both placed second at the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference track and field championships held in Winfield on Friday and Saturday.
Both teams finished second behind Southwestern College.
“We set a goal of being second for both the men and women at the beginning of the year and we accomplished that goal,” coach Dave Kroeker said. “Outstanding personal performances by several athletes really made the meet special.”
First-place performances were turned in by Jeremiah Randall in the discus (139 feet, 11 inches), Clint Reed in the high jump (a school record 6-9) and the men’s 4×400 relay team (Matt Rorabaugh, Caleb Stanton, Tim Jones, and Landon Goertzen) with a time of 4:20.42.
Kroeker said Randall surpassed his personal-best throw by almost eight feet and Reed qualified for the national meet with his performance.
“It came down to the last event for both the men and women to beat Friends and both the 4x400m relay teams did what they had to do.”
All-conference performances (second or third place) were accomplished by the following men: Brent Wichert, third in the discus (137-2); Rorabaugh, third, high jump (6-7); Stanton, third, 200 meters (22.23) and 400 meters (50.27); Goertzen, second, 800 meters (1:54.62); Trent Voth, second, 110-meter high hurdles (15.61); men’s 4×400 relay, second, Pete Richert, Jeff Anenson, Ryan Sperling and Randall (8:22.34).
All-conference performances from the women came from: Tamara McCarren, second, shot put (38-9) and third, discus (132-7); Ashley Scherrer, third, long jump (16-81/2) and triple jump (35-91/4, school record), Angela Jost, third, 1,500 meters (5:09.23); Jennie Throne, second, 400-meter low hurdles (1:11.74); 4×800 relay, third, Throne, Kandi Holland, Esther Richert and Scherrer (10:32.5); 4×400 relay, second, Throne, Amber McKillip, Holland and Scherrer (4:14.56, school record).
Honorable mention performances (fourth through sixth) were turned in by the following men: Cody Dick, fifth, hammer (124-7); Dan Rains, sixth, hammer (118-7); Lee Waldron, fourth, javelin (158-11); Rorabaugh, fourth, 400 (51.23); Jeff Anenson, fifth, 800 (1:58.62); Richert, fifth, 1,500 (4:12.88); and the 4×400 relay, fourth, Garrett Bryant, Rorabaugh, Chris Baarts and Jones (44.26).
Honorable mention performances were turned in by the following women: McCarren, fifth, hammer (133-5); Ashlee Helmley, fourth, long jump (16-71/2) and sixth, 100 (13.27); Christine Van Doren, fifth, long jump (16-1); Scherrer, fifth, 100 (13.23); Rachel Kostner, fourth, pole vault (8-6); Jennifer Palgrem, sixth, pole vault (7-6) and 100 (13.23); McKillip, sixth, 400 (1:04.78); Jost fourth- 3,000 steeplechase (12:47.51, school record).
“Matt Rorabaugh qualified for nationals with a provisional mark in high jump and Caleb Stanton had an excellent meet running well in the 200m, 400m and 1600m relay,” Kroeker said.
“Landon Goertzen had another outstanding conference meet just missing a four-peat in the 800 meters and then coming from behind on the anchor leg to overtake Southwestern for the 1,600-meter relay title.
“Freshman Ashley Scherrer had a great first conference meet as a Bluejay jumping her best jumps of the year in the long jump and triple jump,” Kroeker added. “Senior Tamara McCarren had solid performances in the discus and shot put in her last KCAC meet.
“In a close points race, everybody really stepped up and contributed,” he said. “It was fun to be a part of.”
Following are the team scores for the men: 1. Southwestern 260, 2. Tabor 100, 3. Friends 90, 4. Bethel 69, 5. Bethany 46, 6. McPherson 40, 7. Ottawa 22, 8. Sterling 14, 9. Kansas Wesleyan 3.
Following are the team scores for the women: 1. Southwestern 256, 2. Tabor 80, 3. Friends 73, 4. Kansas Wesleyan 56, 5. Bethany 53, 6. Ottawa 51, 7. Bethel 23, 8. McPherson 14, 9. Sterling 12.
Kroeker was voted by the other conference coaches as KCAC Men’s Co-Coach of the Year along with Southwestern’s Jim Helmer.
“This honor comes because of the hard work and dedication of athletes and assistant coaches,” Kroeker said.
