NWC CHAMPIONSHIPS: Bruin Men & Women Both 4th after Day 1 of NWCs

Day 1 Results

FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Led by a first in the women’s javelin by Beth Stam and three second-place finishes, the George Fox University Bruins stood fourth in both the women’s and men’s divisions after the first day of competition in the Northwest Conference Track and Field Championships Friday here at Pacific University’s Lincoln Park Stadium.

George Fox had 39 points in the women’s events, with all of the track finals and a number of field events still to come on Saturday.  Whitworth University was first with 62 points, followed by Willamette University with 55 and Linfield College with 43.  The Bruins men had 33 points, trailing Whitworth with 79, Linfield with 66, and Willamette with 59.

Stam cruised to victory in the women’s javelin with a throw of 142-0 (43.28m), over six feet ahead of the runner-up mark.  The distance was a stadium record, was an NCAA Division III National Championship provisional qualifier, and moves her up from sixth to fifth in the national standings.

In the women’s long jump, Cindy Walsh’s leap of 18-0.25 (5.49m) was edged by Angie Miller of Pacific, who had an 18-0.5 (5.50m).  Both earned NCAA Championship provisional qualifying status. 

Joel Krebs, the 2007 national men’s javelin champion, had not thrown in a few weeks in order to rest a sore arm, but came back strong with a throw of 201-4 (61.36m) to place second behind Grant Piros of Willamette at 203-0.  The mark met the NCAA provisional qualifying standard, but Krebs already has a better mark this season of 203-7, which is sixth nationally.

Dakari Kongela jumped 22-5 (6.84m) to finish second to Josh Lovell of Linfield (22-5.25) in the men’s long jump, but did not take his final two jumps in order to prepare for the 100 meter dash, in which he placed fourth with a time of 11.26 to qualify for the finals on Saturday. 

Others who earned points for the Bruin men were Sam McKenzie, who finished third in the high jump with a height of 6-1.25 (1.86m); David Dillow, who placed eighth in the long jump with a mark of 20-3 (6.17m); and Cam Eberhart, who was eighth in the 3000 meter steeplechase in 10:04.83.

For the George Fox women, Connie Evjen took fourth in the pole vault with a height of 9-6.25 (2.90m),  Reneca Bauer was eighth in the vault at 8-7 (2.62m),and Hana Fisher took seventh in the javelin with a throw of 114-3 (34.82m) to earn points for the team total.. 

In preliminary events that will be fnished on Saturday, Garrett Blizzard earned the top spot in Saturday’s men’s 400 meter dash with a time of 49.77, while David Dillow also qualified for the finals, placing eighth in 50.85.  Blizzard was also fourth in the 200 meter dash in 22.47.

John Zaganiacz qualified for two finals, finishing with the best time in the 400 meter hurdles at 56.26, and eighth in the men’s 100 meter dash with an 11.46.  Adam Haldorson reached the finals of the 400 hurdles also with a matk of 58.04, placing seventh.  In the 110 meter hurdles, Nate Dillow and Ryan Forbes finished fifth and sixth respectively with times of 15.73 and 15.79.

In the women’s preliminaries, Irene Johnson was first in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.56 and third in the 100 meter hurdles with a 15.20.  Melissa Leighty was fifth (15.32) and Lizzy Alaimo was seventh (15.98) in the 100 hurdles.  Rachel Meis was ninth in the 100 at 13.14.  Mollie Honan took first in the 400 meter dash in 59.64.  Lisa Mensonides, despite a knee injury, was ninth in 2:23.85 in the 800 meter run.

McKenzie in the men’s high jump, Kongela in the long jump, Krebs in the javelin, Stam in the women’s javelin, and Walsh in the long jump all earned All-Conference honors by finishing third or higher.

Saturday’s final events get under way with field events at 10:30 a.m. and running events at 12:00 noon.