GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Alma College track and field teams put their season long work to the test at the two-day MIAA Field Days, on May 2nd and 3rd, at Calvin University. The Scots once again saw some new personal records while the women finished sixth and the men finished seventh overall.
For the women's side of the meet, Helena Snyder helped lead the charge scoring 15 individual points for the team. Snyder set a new personal best in the 100-meter hurdles as she placed third with a time of 15.59, scoring six points towards the team. Snyder also added a point for the women's team in the 400-meter hurdles as she placed eighth in finals with a time of 1:20.78. Snyder best finish for the championship came in the high jump as she placed second with a personal record of 1.63 meters. Her jump at the championship is now the 36th best in all of Division III for the women.
Lauren Brawt finished right behind her teammate scoring 13 individual points towards the team total for the women. In the 400-meter run, Brawt finished third in finals, scoring six points and running a time of 1:00 .05. Brawt narrowly beat her finals time in prelims the day before with a personal best time of 59.95. Brawt also scored another third-place finish, this time on the long jump competition, as she set a new personal record of 5.24 meters, scoring another six points. Brawt's final point came in the triple jump where she placed seventh with a mark of 9.92 meters.
Andrea Taghon scored a point for the Scots in the 100-meter hurdles as she finished in eighth with a time of 16.71. Taghon then scored another two points in the 400-meter hurdles as she finished seventh with a time of 1:12.32. The 4x100 meter relay team of Allsion Wichert, Taghon, Brawt and Snyder finished fifth, scoring four points with a time of 50.94. The 4x400 meter relay team of Sophia Sanford, Taghon, Brawt and Snyder were able to claim the bronze with a season best time of 4:08.11, scoring six more points.
Liathano Ramirez claimed two eighth place finishes in the discus and hammer throw events. In the discus, Ramirez threw for a mark of 32.73 meters, scoring one point for the Scots. In the hammer throw, Ramirez threw for 38.02 meters, again scoring one point in finals. The women's team recorded 12 total PRs over the two-day event, peaking for the biggest event of the season.
On the men's side of action, Devon Frenchko scored the Scots four points in the 100-meter finals finishing in fifth with a personal record time of 10.97, two spots above his seed after prelims. The 4x100 meter relay team of Jordan Williams, Chandler Holloway, Landon Jennings and Frenchko scored four points with a fifth-place finish, running a season best time of 42.28. The 4x400 meter relay team of Andersen Strand, Leland Edelyn, Phillip Banner and Jennings placed sixth with a season best time of 3:27.35, scoring three points.
In the field events, Jerrold Atwell placed sixth in the discus throw scoring three points. Atwell threw for a personal best of 39.61 meters. Joseph Gonzales scored two points with a seventh-place finish in the men's high jump, clearing a mark of 1.75 meters. Ed Markarian also scored two points finishing in seventh with his best mark of 12.29 meters. The men's team also recorded double-digit PRs with 11 over the two-days.
The Scots will now send individuals to last chance meets in the coming weeks in hopes of one qualifying for the National Championship to be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
