|
Scots cruise to fifth straight MWC
indoor title sweep
Release Date: March 6, 2006
 |
| Individual event winners
for Monmouth College at the Midwest Conference Indoor Track
and Field Championships included, in front, Megan McKenna
(pole vault) and Kila Cox (400-meter dash). In the middle row
are Shannon Turczyn (55-meter hurdles), Tyler Rundle
(400-meter dash), Christina Reiner (high jump), Dante Daniels
(200-meter dash) and Jen Babos (weight throw). In back are
Peter Sprecher (pole vault), Zach Wilson (shot put and weight
throw), Albert Greene (long jump) and Kel Bond (800-meter run
and mile). Monmouth also won five relays to give the Fighting
Scots 18 victories out of 36 events. Wilson, Rundle and Cox
all earned Most Outstanding Performer honors. |
MONMOUTH, Ill. — Following another
thoroughly dominant performance in the Midwest Conference Indoor
Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, one has to
wonder how long the Monmouth College track teams’ outstanding run of
success can continue.
The answer is, there’s no end in sight.
En route to capturing their seventh straight men’s indoor
championship and their fifth consecutive women’s trophy, the
Fighting Scots broke both of their team scoring records. The men,
who are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, compiled 277 points,
while the women broke the 200-point barrier for the first time
(209.5).
The record all-time standard for success in MWC track was set by
Coe, which won 10 straight outdoor titles from 1972-81. Counting
both the indoor and outdoor meets, Monmouth’s men won their 11th
consecutive MWC meet Saturday, a total that also includes outdoor
titles from 2001-05. The only school with more consecutive indoor
and outdoor championships is St. Norbert, which recorded women’s
title sweeps from 1986-91, en route to 12 straight meet victories.
“We were good across the board,” said MC coach Roger Haynes, who
earned Coach of the Year honors on the men’s side and shared the
women’s honor. “That’s how you win meets.”
Haynes added, “I really don’t think about winning consecutive meets.
Every year’s team is different, and every meet is different. At some
point, it will even up. Teams will improve – some have noticeably
improved already – as they strive to reach the pretty high standard
we’ve set.”
Still, both Monmouth teams are on track to continue their dominance,
as nine of Monmouth’s 11 individual champions will be able to defend
a year from now. That includes junior Kel Bond, who won both the
mile (4:21.97) and the 800-meter run (1:55.50), and sophomore Zach
Wilson, who took first in the weight throw (57’2) and shot put
(51’6-1/4).
Wilson established a new school record and meet record with his
weight throw, shattering the old marks, both held by teammate Jeff
Rebholz.
“Zach was really amazing in both events,” said Haynes. “He just puts
in a lot of hard work and believes in what he’s doing. I think he
threw about 46 feet in both events last year, so you can see how
much he’s improved.”
Bond, meanwhile, is one of three Fighting Scots headed to
Northfield, Minn., this weekend for the NCAA Division III Indoor
Track and Field Championships. Others making the trip will be pole
vaulters Peter Sprecher and Jonny Henkins.
Other champions who will be eligible to defend in 2007 are juniors
Tyler Rundle, Dante Daniels and Kila Cox; sophomores Sprecher, Megan
McKenna and Jen Babos; and freshman Shannon Turczyn. In all,
Monmouth individuals and relays won 18 of the meet’s 36 events.
“I think Kel and Dante both flew under the radar a little bit, but
they both had very quality performances across the board,” said
Haynes.
Seniors who capped their indoor careers in style included Christina
Reiner, who won the high jump (5’1-3/4) and Albert Greene, who won
the long jump (23’0).
Greene’s two duels with Lawrence jumper Kolade Agbaje-Williams were
a highlight of the meet. The Viking senior had won both the indoor
triple jump and long jump twice in his first three seasons, but on
Greene’s final long jump attempt, he recorded his first 23-foot
effort – and just the sixth in school history – to nip Agbaje-Williams
by two inches. The Lawrence star returned the favor in the triple
jump, beating Greene (45’9-3/4) by a centimeter and Monmouth’s Alex
Stuart (45’9-1/4) by two centimeters.
“Clearly, Albert improved his approach,” said Haynes. “Overall speed
is how you make a difference in jumps, and he’s gotten better there.
It was nice to see him have a come-from-behind win. It’s hard to hit
a home run in the bottom of the ninth to win, but that’s what he
did.”
Haynes said the triple jump would not have been such a close affair
if Greene hadn’t narrowly fouled on an effort that would have been
more than 47’0.
Surprisingly, Agbaje-Williams earned a share of the Most Outstanding
Performer honor for men’s field events, but Greene did not. Wilson
was the other men’s field event MOP.
In the running events, Rundle and Cox earned co-MOP honors, and each
contributed to several relay wins. Monmouth’s men captured three
relay titles, and Rundle was on each team. He was joined by Daniels,
Brad Gross and Bradley Franks on the 4x200 (1:29.28); Daniels, Bond
and Luke Reschke on the 4x400 (3:22.35); and Tim Meredith, Reschke
and Adam Rodriguez on the sprint medley (3:36.47).
Cox was part of the Scots’ first-place efforts in the 4x200
(1:47.94) and 4x400 (4:09.42). Turczyn and Jacquie Ouart also ran on
both teams, while the 4x200 also included Ashley Widdop and the
4x400 was completed by Katey Vaccarello.
Rundle’s individual title came in the 400-meter dash (50.17), as he
edged Reschke (50.64). His time might have been good for a
season-best had he not limped home the final few strides with a
cramp. He was able to continue the meet, but Daniels edged him by
.08 to win the 200-meter dash in 22.31.
Cox’s victory came in the 4x400, which she won in 1:01.51, and she
was second in the 200-meter dash (27.35).
“Both Kila and Jacquie really stepped up for us and had great
weekends, especially in terms of their leadership,” said Haynes.
“We’ve been looking for some leaders to emerge from the women’s
team, and they did a great job of providing that, along with Megan
McKenna, Jen Babos and seniors Erin Mann, Abby Horneck and Amy
Horneck. Overall, I probably feel more strongly about what the women
did at the meet. They were excellent in all their efforts, and there
are some real leaders coming out of that group.”
Turczyn led a podium sweep for the Scots in the 55-meter hurdles
with her time of 8.65. Widdop (8.69) and Markie Bacon (8.97) placed
second and third, and the Scots also finished 1-2-3 in the high
jump, with Megan Clennon (5’1-3/4) and Andrea Emery (4’10-1/4)
placing behind Reiner.
“Last year, 9.06 won the women’s hurdles, so to have three of our
hurdlers in the 8s was pretty impressive,” said Haynes.
On the men’s side, Monmouth dominated the podium in the weight
throw, as Rebholz (50’10-1/4) and James Blair (50’10) came in second
and third. Rebholz was also second in the shot put (49’4-1/4).
Sprecher’s winning pole vault was 15’9-1/4, with Henkins taking
second at 15’3-1/2. In the women’s competition, McKenna and Reiner
both cleared 10’5-1/2, but McKenna got the win based on fewer
attempts. She was also second in the triple jump (34’4) and third in
the long jump (17’2-1/4).
Babos exceeded her PR in the weight throw by nearly four feet with
her winning toss of 47’1-3/4. She was also third in the shot put
(38’8-3/4).
Also making it to the podium for the Scots were Brandon Hurckes
(8.09) and Nick Long (8.16) in the 55-meter hurdles; Jessica Dollins
(7.57), Daniels (6.55) and Aaron Daverin (6.68) in the 55-meter
dash; Aaron Etienne in the mile (4:26.31); Sara Ingersoll (2:25.62)
and Rodriguez (1:58.73) in the 800-meter run; Tim Frank in the high
jump (6’6); Sheridan Ray in the long jump (22’0-3/4); and the men’s
distance medley relay team of Josh Reschke, Etienne, Anthony Welty
and Kyle Schierer (10:34.34).
Welty, Franks and Gross scored in individual events for the men, as
did Scott Heiar, Evan Harrison and Chuck Lief. Ouart and Vaccarello
were joined by Abby Horneck, Liz Sandoval, Jessica White, Amy
Horneck and Jessica Phillips as the rest of the women’s scorers.
Men's Indoor Track
| Women's Indoor
Track
|
