Seniors make one final impact on Midwest Conference track scene

Monmouth track coach Roger Haynes conducted his own private ceremony for his outstanding senior class a week ago, having all 23 graduating performers speak at the team’s banquet. The Fighting Scots’ unofficial Senior Day came last weekend at the Midwest Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with seniors posting 12 of Monmouth’s 22 individual event victories as the men’s and women’s teams cruised to decisive victories.

The men reeled off their seventh straight outdoor title, scoring 307.5 points to leave Illinois College’s total of 133 points a distant second. The women have now won three consecutive crowns after outpointing Carroll 219.5 to 107.

"It’s going to be hard to see the seniors go," said Haynes, who has now coached Monmouth teams to 44 indoor and outdoor conference titles. "It’s a bittersweet thing.

He added, "Our men were pretty solid overall and set a number of conference records. Overall, it was a very good weekend."

Four Scots were double winners at the meet, and all four are senior men. The list was headed by Dante Daniels, who swept the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Already known as "Monmouth’s fastest man" for his school-record in the 100 last year, Daniels claimed the Scots’ mark in the 200, as well, with his time of 21.36. He moved up to fifth in the nation in that event and established a new MWC record, one of seven Monmouth set on the day. His 100 time of 10.63 was a season best, giving him the No. 14 spot nationally.

"More than anything, it was a matter of Dante being at his emotional and competitive peak," said Haynes. "He was challenged in both races by (IC’s) D.J. Jackson, and he came from behind to win them both. I think that shows how badly he wanted to win both races."

The Scots also doubled up in the jumps and throws, as well as the middle distance events. Alex Stuart posted season bests in the long jump (22’5-3/4) and the triple jump (46’11), with the latter mark putting the All-America into the national rankings at the No. 23 spot. The versatile Stuart added a third-place throw in the javelin (173’0).

Jeff Rebholz also had a first and two thirds. His winning marks came in the shot put (54’1-3/4) and the discus (153’10), and he threw the hammer 157’9. Rebholz is currently fourth in the nation in the shot.

Kel Bond led a podium sweep for the Scots in both middle distance races, winning the 800-meter run in 1:54.26 and taking the 1500-meter run in 4:01.25.

"He was stronger through 600 meters than he has been so far," said Haynes of Bond’s 800-meter race. "But he was all alone at the end, which makes it difficult to push the pace. I’m confident he can get in the 1:52 range at our last two meets."

Bond was trailed by classmate Zach Barr (4:02.89) and Aaron Etienne (4:04.61) in the 1500 and by Etienne (1:58.02) and Damon Bautista (1:58.07) in the 800. Haynes reported that Bautista passed several competitors in the final 150 meters before coming up just short of Etienne.

Speaking of 1-2-3 finishes, Zach Wilson had one of each in the throwing events. His winning mark was a conference-record hammer throw of 176’10, and he placed second in the shot (51’2-1/4) and third in the discus (145’6).

Wilson joined all four of the men’s double winners in earning Most Outstanding Performer honors at the meet.

Four women also claimed MOP honors, and the biggest breakthrough came from Tanesha Hughes, who had personal records in the discus (a first-place heave of 141’10) and the shot put (a runner-up effort of 42’6-3/4). Both marks moved her into the national top 20.

Sprinters Shannon Turczyn and Brenda Herrera and pole vaulter Jessica White claimed the other meet honors. Turczyn lowered her provisional time in the 100-meter hurdles to a conference-record 14.68 in the preliminary round before winning the event in 14.77. She also placed sixth in the 200-meter dash.

Herrera became the first person to defeat Carroll’s Melissa Roesch at an MWC meet in two years, rallying to win the 100-meter dash in 12.36. She placed second to Roesch in the 200-meter dash (25.59).

White’s winning pole vault was a conference-record 11’11-3/4, and she remains in the national top five in that event.

Other women’s winners were Megan Clennon, who set a PR of 5’4-1/2 in the high jump, and Katey Vaccarello, who ran the 400-meter hurdles in 1:07.50 to win her first MWC event. Clennon added a runner-up finish in the javelin (113’1).

Seniors Tim Frank and Brandon Hurckes won the high jump (6’4-3/4) and 100-meter hurdles (15.52), respectively. Monmouth’s other first-place efforts came from Luke Reschke in the 400-meter dash (a PR (provisional-qualifying time of 48.41); Peter Sprecher in the pole vault (an MWC-record 16’5-1/4); Barr in the steeplechase (9:29.63); Clay Staley in the 10,000-meter run (an impressive 32:21.28 in his first race at that distance); and Brad Gross in the 400-meter hurdles (56.34). It was Gross’ first individual victory at an MWC meet after 10 relay firsts.

Staley added a second-place finish in the steeplechase (9:35.50), Reschke was fourth in the 200-meter dash and Gross took seventh in long jump.

Not surprisingly, when Monmouth’s talented sprinters combined their efforts, the result was even more victories. The men won the 4x100 and 4x400 in MWC-record times of 41.77 and 3:15.47. Daniels, Reschke and senior Tyler Rundle were on both teams, with Gross joining the 4x100 group and senior Josh Reschke running on the 4x400 squad. The women’s 4x100 team of Turczyn, senior Kila Cox, Lauren Firchau and Herrera won in 49.68, while Turczyn, Vaccarello, Cox and Herrera ran on the second-place 4x400 team (4:03.72).

Also placing second for the Scots was the very busy Megan McKenna. Her runner-up marks were 11’5-3/4 in the pole vault and 18’1 in the long jump. McKenna added a fourth-place finish in the triple jump and was eighth in the 100-meter dash. Jenny Babos also racked up the points, placing second in the discus (140’9), third in the hammer (136’1) and fourth in the shot.

Cox placed second in the 400-meter dash (58.93) and fourth in the 200-meter dash, while Widdop was second in the 100-meter hurdles (16.02) and fifth in the long jump.

Josh Reschke’s PR of 48.81 was good for second in the 400-meter dash, and Jonny Henkins was runner-up in the pole vault (15’11-1/4).

Thirds came from Rundle in the 100- and 200-meter dashes (10.97 and 21.77); senior Darin VanNattan in the 10,000-meter run (33:40.47); and senior Sara Ingersoll in the 800-meter run (2:23.05). Ingersoll was also fourth in the 1500-meter run.

Distance runner Katie Staab scored in three events and Gloria Lehr earned points in two. Also scoring individually for the women were seniors Jacquie Ouart, Joni Nelson and Andrea Emery, as well as Valerie Daves, April Campen and Cassie Jensen. Men’s scorers included senior Dane Justice, Jacob Stott, Matt Peharda, Brad Begyn, DeMarkco Butler, Seth Leitner, Ryan Hardman and Dan Higgins.

Monmouth’s other seniors are Adam Rodriguez, Kyle Schierer, Ken Stachorek, Lindsay Ditzler, Ashley Gaul and Carissa Young.

Monmouth will try to establish or improve provisional marks at two "last chance" meets this week. The Scots will compete at Central College on Wednesday and at Augustana on Friday.