Track ready for Midwest conference Championship
Dustin Zick
Web Editor
The Carroll College track and field teams performed well at the Benedictine Invitational on April 19 despite missing some big names. The men took home fourth, while the women placed second.
Although the absence of all-American distance runner Erin Kelly and her all-conference counterpart Amy Killian due to academic conflicts was noticeable, others stepped in to pick up the slack. Junior Melissa Roesch led the team on the track, placing fourth in the 100 meter dash in 12.82 seconds. Roesch also took seventh in the 200 meter dash, recording a time of 26.72. Fellow junior Lynann Brusewitz also scored in the sprints, taking eighth in the 100 meter dash in 12.95.
Juniors Ana Wilbur and Rachel Hansen scored in the hurdles, with Wilbur placing fourth in the 100 meter hurdles in 16.76, while Hansen ran a 17.26 to place seventh. Hansen also took seventh in the 400 meter hurdles, clocking a 1:13.9.
The Lady Pios also picked up points in the field events. Sophomore Becca Grafenhaur led the way with a fourth in the pole vault, recording a height of 10’, 04”. Tianna Jungles, a senior, took seventh in the long jump, hitting 16’, .5”. In the throws, freshman Jenny Jackubowski’s toss of 39’, 1” was good enough for eighth place. Senior Heidi Moelling also placed eighth in the javelin, recording a distance of 94’, 10”.
While all-american Josh Hurlebaus competed on the men’s side, his performance was hampered by a hamstring injury he’s been nursing for the past two weeks. The senior did manage to take seventh in the 400 meter dash, clocking a 50.65. J Finster, a junior, stepped up in the sprints with a pair of scoring performances. He placed sixth in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.26, and second in the 200 meter dash in 22.47.
Junior Justin Troeller continued a strong outdoor campaign, taking home Carroll’s only victory of the day by running the second-fastest time in the conference (15.11) in the 110 meter hurdles. Troeller also placed third in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 56.39, an event in which he has the conference leading time. Sophomore Tom Harland also placed in both hurdle events, taking home a seventh in the shorter event and eighth in the long version. He recorded times of 16.40 and 57.87, respectively.
Senior Tim Lyons’ time of 16:10.28 was good enough for fourth in the 5000 meter run. Sophomore AJ Sobrilsky was the only other Pio distance runner to score, taking third in the 3000 meter steeplechase in 10:12.22. The Pios’ 4x400 meter relay team also took third in 3:29.27.
Senior Taylor Pechauer led Carroll in the throws. The standout swimmer’s heave of 139’, 05” was good enough for fourth in the discus. In the pole vault, freshman Chris Adrian took seventh with a height of 12’.
The team will be back in action for the Midwest Conference Champion meet held at Knox College on May 9-10.
Carroll has several athletes who should compete for individual titles at the MWC championship. Hurlebaus won the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash at the indoor championships, while Kelly won the 800 meter run, mile run, and 3000 meter run. Troeller also appears to be primed for a high finish, as he holds the fastest time in the conference in the 400 meter hurdles.
Other athletes to watch on the men’s side are Finster in the sprints, Lyons and Sobrilsky in the distance events, and Pechhauer and Sophomore Josh Joost in the throws.
Athletes to watch on the ladies’ side are Roesch, Brusewitz and Wilbur in the sprints, Killian in the distance events, and Jungles, Grafenhauer, and Jackubowski in the field events.
As a team, Carroll will be competing to top two finishes on both sides.