By Harrison LaLone, Sports Information student assistant
Adrian, Mich. - The Alma College track and field team concluded competition at the MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday (May 4) at Adrian College.
The women's team came home sixth while the men finished seventh.
Junior Erin Goggins (Hastings, Mich./Hastings) posted the best singular performance, a runner-up finish in pole vault. Freshman Charley Hengesbach (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) contributed the most points for the Scots over the two-day event.
What Happened
- Goggins earned eight points with her second-place finish in pole vault, just two inches shy of victory.
- Hengesbach led the Scots with nine points with a fourth-place finish in shot put on Friday and a fifth-place performance in discus Thursday. Both performances set new personal-bests.
- Senior Karen Flesh (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) matched Goggins' eight points with a third-place performance in shot put and a seventh-place hammer throw finish.
- Junior Kyle Kraus (Middleville, Mich./Thornapple-Kellogg) and sophomore John Mitrzyk (Standish, Mich./Standish-Sterling) each contributed four points. Kraus finished sixth in the javelin throw and eighth in the triple jump. Mitrzyk finished fifth in the long jump.
- Freshman Grace Hearth (Freeland, Mich./Valley Lutheran) earned 3.5 points between a sixth-place high jump and an eighth-place 100-meter dash.
- Sophmores Payton Hirschenberger (Freeland, Mich./Saginaw Nouvel) and Jacob Wildenhaus (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) each posted sixth-place performances in the long jump and 110-meter hurdles respectively.
- Sophomore Blaire Showers (Ithaca, Mich./Ithaca) added three points between a seventh-place 1500-meter run and an eighth-place 800-meter run.
- Freshman Nolan Rowland (Battle Creek, Mich./Richland-Gull Lake) posted a seventh-place performance in the pole vault.
- Senior Chelse Van Spronsen (Jenison, Mich./Jenison), sophomore Luke Reed (Benzonia, Mich./Benzie Central), and freshmen Stephanie Davis (Elmira, Mich./Gaylord) and Alejandro Betancourt (Wheeler, Mich./Breckenridge) each contributed one point with eighth-place performances.
They Said It
"We had some good performances this weekend. A number of people made the podium and those who didn't posted season-bests. We just need to continue building on some things for next year." - Head Coach Matt Chovanec
Notables
- Of the point-scoring performances, nine set new personal-bests.
- Alma was led by its youth; the freshmen led the Scots in points with 16.5, followed by the sophomores with 14.
Up Next
The MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships marks the end of the Alma College track and field season. A few Scots may attempt to qualify for national competition individually in the coming weeks.
