The Tabor College track and field teams earned two gold medals and qualified one for nationals at the Hutch Night Relays Thursday.
The Bluejay men turned in 22 top-eight performances, leading to a third-place team finish among a nine-team field with 88 points behind the host school (218) and Cloud County (204).
Paving the way for the men?s team, Garrett Daugherty won the 800-meter run in an NAIA B qualifying time of 1 minute, 53.42 seconds, which was the fastest time of any KCAC athlete so far this year.
Two Bluejays placed second: Bret Mueller in the 1,500-meter run (4:15.46); and Joel Allen in the 3,000 steeplechase (10:01.43).
Three Bluejay events earned the bronze medal: Zac Krehbiel, Caleb Blue, Ontrevon Cooper and Cody Coleman placed third in the 4×100 relay (44.35); Blue, Keith Francis, Mueller and Daugherty were third in the 4×400 (3:25.20); and Caleb Neufeld finished third in the hammer (136 feet, 7 inches).
Turning in fourth-place finishes were: Blue in the 400 (50.51); and Jonathan Gibson in the shot put (45-8).
Four Bluejays finished fifth: Daniel Quiring in the shot put (44-81?2); Shawn Johnston in the javelin (143-9); Keith Francis in the 400 (50.71); and Josh Richert in the 1,500 (4:24.33).
Completing the top-eight performances were: Tyler Parrish, sixth in the 1,500 (4:28.08); Tyler Entz, sixth in the high jump (6-0); Avery Franz, seventh in the triple jump (40-43?4); Johnny Loera, seventh in the shot put (40-51?4); Mueller, Richert, Allen and Parrish, seventh in the 4×400 (3:47.20); Dewayne Biggs, eighth in the high jump (5-8); Quiring placed eighth in the discus (115-8); Gibson, eighth in the javelin (123-4); and Krehbiel, eighth in both the 100 (11.24) and the 200 (22.64).
The Tabor women, meanwhile, turned in 10 top-eight performances, leading to a sixth-place finish with 49 points among nine teams. Cloud County won with 2221?2).
Hannah Holmes paved the way for the women?s team. She won the 5,000-meter run with a time of 19:02.58, lapping the field and setting a new personal record.
Tabor earned three silver medals. Jessica Samuel, Ashton Kroeker, Paula Young and Sarah Hagen placed second in the 4×400 relay (4:32.14); and Ashton Kroeker was second in both the high jump (4-111?2) and the triple jump (35-4).
Completing the top-eight performances were: Samuel, fifth in the 400 (1:03.40) and sixth in the 200 (26.43); Emily Peterson, sixth in the javelin (95-9); Kaylee Schmidt, seventh in the javelin (68-11); Kroeker, seventh in the 400 (1:03.91); and Sarah Hagen, eighth in the 800 (2:38.62).
Coming?Tabor will compete at Wichita State University Friday. Events are set to begin at 3 p.m. The Bluejays will compete at Pittsburg State Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
