Spartan Track and Field Squads Impress at Little State Championships
Kody Smith
Sophomore Hannah Wappes continued her successful second-year as a member of MU’s track and field program, securing the title of Athlete of the Meet honors at DePauw University on Saturday, April 14. The efforts of Wappes, combined with strong performances from field participants, led to a second place finish for the women’s team.
For the second time during the 2018 outdoor season, Wappes won the 800 and 1500 meter events. In the 800-meter contest, Wappes crossed the finish line after 2:19.76, which was first in the HCAC, and a time of 4:58.62 in the 1500-meter run.
On the field side of the Little State Championships at DePauw, senior Jacey Cauhorn stood atop of the discus standings, hurling a distance of 123 feet and five inches in route to a first place finish in the category. Cauhorn also impressed in the shotput, tossing a distance of 38 feet, 6.75 inches to take a second place finish. A mark of 151 feet, 11 inches launched senior Kara Breuckman to a first place finish in the hammer throw. Sophomore Austin Jones impressed with a hammer distance of 144 feet, nine inches to secure second place in the contest. Cauhorn concluded the Spartan sweep of the top three positions of the hammer throw, launching a distance of 141 feet, seven inches to secure third place. Senior Paige Keller rounded out the solid afternoon for the field squad, secured a runner-up spot in the pole vault, as her second place finish was capped off by a throw surpassing 10 feet, eight inches.
On the men’s side, senior Harrison Hollis had a first place finish in his grasps in the 100-meter dash, clocking in a time of 10.83 seconds. The time broke the record in the category at Blackstock Stadium, but his new record was short-lived, as five-hundredths of a second separated him and the first-place winner, securing a second-place finish for Hollis in the 100. Hollis returned later in the afternoon to the 200-meter contest, finishing third with a time of 22.19 seconds.
72 points in the field events led the Spartans to a fourth place finish as a team, including a second place finish for freshman Landon Balch in the high jump. The first-year member of the track and field team surpassed a career best jump, clearing six feet, two inches. Senior Drew Foster concluded the hammer throw with a fifth place finish, launching the hammer a distance of 144 feet, four inches to round out the fourth place team finish.
The final pre-conference outdoor meet of the season will take place tomorrow, Saturday, April 21, as the Spartans will travel to Ohio Northern University to participate in the Polar Bear Invitational.