GRESHAM, Ore. - Junior Kelly Cruise (Salem, Ore.) showed that she knows how to make an entrance, as on Saturday at the Saints Open in her first-ever meet with the Corban University track & field teams, she uncorked an nationally qualifying throw in the Javelin, becoming Corban's first national qualifier of the year. She, among other Warriors, competed against top-notch competition from around the northwest, as well as against the weather, on a stormy day that brought successes on many levels.
RESULTS
Cruise's throw of 135' 9" not only was an NAIA 'A' standard throw, but it broke the school record in the event and slotted her in first place by more than 11 feet. The throw currently ranks second overall in the NAIA.
"The weather was horrible, and lightning cancelled the later events in the day," said Corban head coach Norm Berney, "but our athletes really competed hard and showed true spirit in battling against tough competition and the elements. The highlight of the meet was definitely Kelly's automatic qualification, so we were very excited for her, as well as a number of other PRs for our athletes."
Also throwing in that event was freshman Lindsay Asplund (Battle Ground, Wash.), and while throwing for the first time ever in the Javelin, Asplund broke the 100-foot barrier, recording a 10th-place distance of 102' 1". In addition to the Javelin, she also competed in the Pole Vault, placing fifth with a mark of 10' 5.5".
In the 100 Meters, freshman Kristi Childers (Milton-Freewater, Ore.) ran a time of 13.04 seconds to place third overall, showing the type of potential she has. That time currently ranks sixth overall in program history.
Over in the High Jump, senior Sarah Taylor (Bend, Ore.) tied for first at the meet, clearing a height of 4' 11.75".
In the Long Jump, sophomore Adrianna Curteman (Albany, Ore.) registered a distance of 15' 6.25" for third place.
Qualifying for the conference meet with solid marks in the Steeple Chase were seniors Rebekka Russell (Great Falls, Mont.) and Erica Schearer (Canby, Ore.), as Russell notched a fifth-place finish with a time of 13:03.70, and Schearer a mark of 13:32.15.
In the Discus, sophomore Mackenzie Howell (Sherwood, Ore.) won the event with a toss of 107' 10", battling the elements to take first place.
The quartet of Curteman, senior Cecilee Russell (Hillsboro, Ore.), freshman Lexi McQueary (Kennewick, Wash.), and Childers combined for the eighth-fastest time in program history in the 4x100 at 50.40 seconds, taking second only to NCAA Division II opponent Northwest Nazarene. In the 4x400 Relay, the Warrior women also took second thanks to a time of 4:07.15 from the foursome of Childers, Asplund, freshman Elizabeth Oosterhout (Tahoma, Wash.), and senior Chelsea Petersen (Sisters, Ore.).
On the men's side of things, sophomore Jason Bracken (Battle Ground, Wash.) put forth a solid all-around effort, continuing to prepare for the decathlon that awaits at the conference meet down the road. In the Long Jump, Bracken placed second overall with a career-best jump of 21' 3.25", while in the Javelin, he launched a career-best throw of 164' 4", taking seventh overall in the event. Additionally, in Corban's 4x400, he anchored the team that took third with a time of 3:27.65, joining junior Amadi Amaitsa (Keizer, Ore.), sophomore Travez Whyte (Kingston, Jamaica), and freshman Michael Stevens (Grangeville, Idaho) in the race.
Amaitsa also competed in the 400 Meters, clocking a fourth-place time of 51.52 seconds.
In the 4x100 Relay, the quartet of Stevens, sophomore Christian Bohuslavizki (Santa Margarita, Calif.), sophomore Nathan Martin (Turner, Ore.), and freshman Asa Flanagan (Scappoose, Ore.) combined to take second overall, crossing the finish line in a time of 44.01.
In the 110 Hurdles, Martin and Stevens placed fourth and fifth with times of 15.62 and 15.93 seconds, respectively.
In the Shot Put, senior Dane Walker (Anchorage, Alaska) registered a throw of 44', good enough for fifth place overall at the meet. In the Hammer Throw, he took eighth place with a throw of 129' 10".
The Corban track & field teams return to action this week when they travel across town to take on Willamette University in a Dual Meet on Thursday. The meet is set to start at 2 p.m.
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