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Pole position: Two Scots vault to
top of national rankings
Release Date: January 30, 2007
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Jonny
Henkins |
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Peter Sprecher |
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Jessica
White |
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| Images Copyright ©
Scott Spitzer/ Captured Moments
Photography |
MONMOUTH, Ill. —
Apparently, Monmouth College’s pole vaulters did not get coach Roger
Haynes’ message. After all, the first three meets of the indoor
season were supposed to be a lot more about training than about
posting national-qualifying marks.
While the Fighting Scots’ sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners and
throwers are working on a gradual buildup to the biggest meets of
the year in March, four pole vaulters are stealing the early season
thunder.
Competing Saturday at Monmouth’s lone home meet of the indoor and
outdoor seasons, Jessica White re-broke the school record she set a
week ago, clearing 11'10 to win the meet and move up to fifth place
in the national rankings. Teammate Megan McKenna also posted a big
number, as her PR of 11'6-1/4 was good for second place and a No. 9
spot nationally. McKenna added a victory in the long jump, soaring
17'0-3/4.
Impressing Haynes as much as the height they cleared was the
competition they defeated, which included three 2006 national
qualifiers. White beat them all, including an All-American, and
McKenna beat one and tied the other two.
The men’s competition featured one brilliant vault after another for
Monmouth’s Peter Sprecher and Jonny Henkins. Together, they kept
raising the bar, and when they both cleared 16'6, they qualified
automatically for the national indoor meet. Neither had gone that
high before, so the day was already a success when they attempted to
break Keenan King’s school record of 16'10-3/4. Although neither
could, they have more than a month to train for nationals, and they
are currently tied for first among all Division III vaulters.
“They were more ready than what we thought they were,” said Haynes,
who revealed that neither vaulter had a particularly strong week of
practice. Although they both possess “pretty good inherent physical
ability” and share a common personal best, their coach said they’ve
arrived at that height differently.
“Peter needs to get more technically sound with his run and his
takeoff,” said Haynes. “His strength in the air. Jonny is the
opposite. He’s great at the end of his run and the jump-off but
needs to do better when he’s upside down.”
Another individual star at the meet was Jeff Rebholz, who won the
shot put (53'11-1/4) and weight throw (56'6-1/2). Praised for his
offseason workout habits, Rebholz, too, appears ahead of the
training curve and could be in for a very memorable senior season.
He is currently ranked fourth in the nation in both throwing events,
and Haynes called his performance at the meet “outstanding.”
Triple jumper Alex Stuart established a new indoor school record
while winning his specialty event with a leap of 46'4, and “that
gets him in the hunt” for All-American honors, said Haynes.
Monmouth’s other winner on the day was Kel Bond, whose “dominant”
time of 1:55.89 beat a talented field of runners at the Midwest
Invitational, which included Wartburg, Central, Loras, Augustana,
Illinois Wesleyan and Knox.
“He’s been training at longer distances, so he’s definitely on track
to run faster and get back to nationals,’ said Haynes. “He ran very
fast for this time of year.”
The competition was so strong that Monmouth did not win either meet.
The men’s 140 points placed third behind Augustana (194) and
Wartburg (184), while the women scored 80.83 points. Their meet was
won by Wartburg with 223 points.
“That meet will be one of the best Division III meets in the country
all season,” said Haynes. “By my count, there were 18 NCAA
qualifying performances, including seven by our athletes. Four of
those 18 qualifying marks were also the best in the nation so far
this season.”
Runner-up performances from the Scots came from Shannon Turczyn in
the 55-meter hurdles (8.70), Kila Cox in the 400-meter dash
(1:01.41), Luke Reschke in the 400-meter dash (50.79) and Tim Frank
in the high jump (6'3-3/4). Placing third were Megan Clennon in the
high jump (4'11-1/2) and Clay Staley in the 3000-meter run
(8:55.50). Staley added a fourth-place finish in the mile (4:30.78)
to complete “an excellent day.”
Haynes was also impressed with Ryan Hardman in the 400-meter dash
(fourth-place, 52.40) and his performances on two relays, and by
DeMarkco Butler, who dropped his 55-meter hurdle time (8.67) by more
than a second. The 4x400 squad of Dante Daniels, Luke Reschke, Josh
Reschke and Tyler Rundle edged closer to the provisional time of
3:21.30, placing second in 3:21.68.
On the women’s side, Haynes praised his sprint and hurdle group,
including Turczyn, Cox and Ashley Widdop. That trio ran together on
the fourth-place 4x200 squad (1:50.04), and Cox and Widdop were part
of the 4x400 squad that placed seventh in 4:14.17.
The Scots will be back in action this Saturday at a meet at Illinois
Wesleyan.
Men's Indoor Track
| Women's Indoor
Track
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