Bluejays continue dominate run in ACCK

TCtrACCkBurdenPV.jpg
TCtrACCkBurdenPV.jpg

Jessica Burden concentrates on pitching herself over the bar Saturday at Bethel. Burden?s first-place points helped propel the Bluejays to their fifth ACCK championship in six years. Burden?s performance tied the school record in the women?s pole vault. Phyllis Richert photo

The Tabor College women?s and men?s track teams both brought home championship plaques from the Associated Colleges of Central Kansas Championships at Bethel on Saturday.

Coach Dave Kroeker said this is the sixth straight year for the men and fifth of the last six for the women.

The women easily outdistanced second-place Bethany, 205 to 111. Sterling (104) took third, followed by Bethel (96), Kansas Wesleyan (34) and McPherson (31).

Shelby Miller won the long jump (16 feet 31⁄2 inches) and took second in the 400 (1:02.86) and pole vault (8-0).

The Bluejays also set school records on first-place finishes by Jessica Burden in the pole vault (9-0) and Breanna Wray in the hammer throw (148-71⁄2).

Wray improved on the record mark she set at Friends last week by 13 inches, and Burden matched the record set by Jennifer Palmgren at the 2006 ACCK Championships.

All three women?s relays placed first. Jennifer Schmidt, Kelli Kopper, Andrea Batista and Tasia Johnson won the 4×100 in 52.04. Kopper, Liz Kleinsasser, Schmidt and Miller turned in the top 4×400 time (4:15.89), more than five seconds faster than Sterling?s second-place team.

Miller, Kleinsasser and Kopper teamed with Heidi Schmidt to take the 4×800 (10:13.08).

The team totals were much closer on the men?s side, with Tabor (207) placing ahead of Bethel (192), McPherson (95), Sterling (78), Bethany (59) and Kansas Wesleyan (8).

Tabor?s individual champions included Silas Hibbs in the pole vault, Justin Ball in the 800 and the 1,500, Adam Dirks in the hammer, Dan Sigley in the 3,000 steeplechase, and Andrew Schroter in the 400 hurdles.

Coming?Tabor hosts its home meet today and will participate in the KU Relays April 17-19 in Lawrence.

?We are hoping for some warmer weather for a change, and the chance to show what we can do on our home turf,? Kroeker said.

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