KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
COLUMBUS, OHIO – Indiana State junior Greggmar Swift was a double winner Saturday as he was victorious in the 110 meter hurdles and then ran the second leg of the 4x100 meter relay team that also won on the final day of the Jesse Owens Track Classic hosted by Ohio State University.
Swift ran 14.03 to win the 110 meter hurdles and then teamed with Keith Housley, Justin Baxtron and Shaun Smith to win the 4x100 meter relay in 41.06 seconds. Smith came back later in the meet to place fourth in the 100 meter with a time of 10.69 while Baxtron was ninth in 10.83.
Nicole Hope soared to new heights in the women's pole and came close to becoming just the second Sycamore to successfully clear 14 feet as she placed third in the event when she cleared a career best 13'-9¼” (4.20m). Former Sycamore and current volunteer coach Kylie Hutson is the only member of the Indiana State women's team to clear the 14-foot barrier during her collegiate career and holds the school record at 14'-9½” (4.51m). Hope is now second on the all-time list. Richelle Kimble placed fifth by clearing 12'-9½” (3.90m).
Stacia Weatherford ran to a third place finish in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.18 seconds while Carmelia Stewart finished ninth in 14.66. Weatherford also finished fifth in the 400 meters with a career best time of 56.28 seconds. Shelby Higginbottom finished ninth in the 800 meters with a personal best time of 2:14.18.
Kaisha Martin placed fourth overall (second collegian) in the long jump with the best leap of her career at 19'-0¾” (5.81m). Kalyn Davis had the best leap of her Indiana State career as she finished fifth in the high jump at 5'-5” (1.65m) with Ioanna Koltsidou tying for eighth by clearing 5'-3” (1.60 m).
Indiana State's 4x400 meter relay of Higginbottom, Weatherford, Leeann Michl, and Macey Black finished second in 3:47.45 while the 4x100 meter relay team of Martin, Black, Demetra Camble, and Katie Wise was fourth in 46.91.
The Sycamore men's 4x400 meter relay of Arqeil Shaw, Max Tuttle, Michael Steele, and Kevin Piraino ran to a third place finish with a time of 3:17.57. Tuttle also finished fifth in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 52.83 seconds with Jonathan Jackson eighth in 53.33.
Wes Schenck was sixth in the men's pole vault by clearing 15'-9¾” (4.82m) with Drew LaMaster and Connor Curley each clearing 15'-3¾” (4.67m). LaMaster placed eighth by virtue of fewer misses while Curley tied for ninth. Maurice Lyke placed 10th in the long jump with a leap of 22'-9¾” (6.95m).
Also for the Sycamore women, Camble was 13th and Wise 14th in the 100 meters as each ran 12.04 seconds in their respective heats with Camble coming back to place 12th in the 200 meters (25.17). Amy Fanella placed 13th in the 400 meter hurdles (1:06.15).
Also for the Sycamore men, Brad Adams finished 12th in the 800 meters (1:54.69), Ryan Dickson 14th in the 200 meters (22.12), Piraino was 18th in the 400 meters (49.85), Jamal Hampton tied for 11th in the high jump (6'-2¾”/1.90m) and Justin Applegate was 18th in the hammer throw (156'-2”/47.60m).
On Friday, Taylor Head and Katy Rutz headlined the Indiana State effort with Head placing second in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and Rutz sixth in the women's discus.
Head ran a career best 9:11.17 to place second in the 3,000 meter steeplechase which was won by Michigan State's Ben Miller in 9:06.82. Gabe Occasion placed 11th (9:59.46).
Rutz posted a distance of 153'-6” (46.79m) on her second throw of the competition to finish sixth with the distance 10th on Indiana State's all-time list. The freshman came back on Saturday to place 20th in the shot put at 41'-5¾” (12.64m).
Also on the track for the men Friday, Dustin Betz ran a career best 3:52.44 in placing ninth overall (seventh collegian) in the 1500 meters with Corey Hahn finishing in 17th (3:48.90). Bryan Horsman also ran a personal best in the 5,000 meters as he finished in 15:40.04 (34th overall).
Two track events were held on the women's side Friday with Michl finishing 13th in the 1500 meters (4:38.49) and Kalli Dalton 18th (4:41.46). Hanna Mercer was 10th in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (11:11.44).
Two field events were conducted on the men's side with the Sycamores placing two in the top eight of the javelin throw and both with career best efforts. Brenner Stage had a throw of 171'-11” (52.40m) to place sixth overall with Austin Schulthies seventh at 170'-3” (51.90m).
The next week will be a busy one for the Sycamores with some members travelling to Des Moines, Iowa, for the annual Drake Relays (Thursday through Saturday) while the rest of the team competes at Eastern Illinois University in the Tuesday Tweener.
