EUGENE, Ore. – London Kirk, Carter Gordon, and Madigan Kelly earned their spots at outdoor nationals with strong performances at the Oregon Preview on Saturday. Warrior Track and Field saw multiple personal bests throughout the day, including a school record in the long jump by Jennah Carpenter.
“Another up-and-down weekend for us,” Head Coach Mike Collins said. “We feel pretty good about a few performances, but we definitely have some areas where we need to get better. It is nice that we have spring break coming up, and I think we are going to have some athletes pretty focused on improving themselves before we come back.”
THE MEN
Kirk, an All-American in the indoor rendition this season, earned his spot in the 400m at outdoor nationals with an automatic-qualifying time of 47.97. He placed third in the field of 23 runners.
After his win in the indoor 800m, Gordon punched his ticket in the outdoor event with a provisional time of 1:52.08. His time is the third best in the NAIA this season and missed an A mark by .08. It is also the fourth-fastest ever by a Warrior. Gordon was fifth at the meet and Griffen Parsells was ninth (1:53.38).
Sophomores Jedidiah Barnaby and Jordan Castillo were in action in the 100m. Barnaby tied his personal-best time of 10.99 to place 17th and Castillo was 25th (11.31).
Ike Hopper placed second overall in the 400m hurdles (55.56) and Ian Gardom placed 11th in the 110m hurdles with a time of 16.48m. Sam Weller was ninth in the shot put at 14.08m and Kobe Wessels was 28th in the 1,500m (4:00.54).
The men’s 4x400m relay team of Hopper, Preston Cooper, Trenton Johnson and Kirk ran a time of 3:18.48 to win the event. The time ranks second in the Warrior record book.
THE WOMEN
Kelly started the day for LC State with a B standard in the 100m hurdles. She clocked a time of 14.42, tied for third best in the NAIA this season, to place seventh at the NCAA Division I-heavy meet.
After hitting a national standard in the high jump on Friday, Carpenter used her Saturday to set the LC State record in the long jump. She leapt a distance of 5.48m to place sixth in the event. Sydnie Zywina placed eighth with a mark of 5.39m, the second-best mark ever by a Warrior.
Lewiston natives Emily Collins and Anika Grogan were both in action in the 400m. Collins placed third (58.14) and Grogan was 10th (1:00.46). Collins went on to finish 17th in the 200m (26.51).
Freshman Haylee Appleford put her name in the record book in the shot put. She placed sixth in the event with the fifth-best throw in LC State history at 11.46m.
Senior Sara Hathaway placed fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:05.86. Brooklyn Shell was 15th in the 1,500m (4:43.92).
UP NEXT
LC State Track and Field is back in action on April 5 at the Whitworth Peace meet in Spokane.
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