PITTSBURG, Kan. -- John Brown University's track and field teams recorded several season-best performances Thursday (April 17) at the Pittsburg State (Kan.) Tune-Up, the squad's final regular-season competition before next weekend's Sooner Athletic Conference Championships.
The Golden Eagles were paced by strong showings in middle distance events on both the men's and women's sides, along with promising marks in several field events.
Sophomore Chase Stone posted a time of 22.39 in the 200 meters, while freshman Liam VanDerHorn clocked 24.23 in the same event.
On the women's side, sophomore Emma Morton recorded a time of 1:02.05 in the 400 meters.
Senior Drew Janzen produced the men's top performance of the day, finishing sixth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:55.76. This marks Janzen's third entry on the program's all-time top-10 list in the event, now ranking eighth. Sophomore Henry Zedler also competed in the 800 meters, recording a time of 2:01.43.
For the women, sophomore Anna Keys finished in the 800 meters with a time of 2:26.45, followed by senior Mikey Duncan (2:30.49).
Freshman Sam Burkett ran the 1,500 meters, clocking a time of 4:15.43. Sophomore Zach Briscoe followed in the same event with a time of 4:31.34. In the 5,000 meters, freshman Gabriel Pelkey crossed the line in 16:57.37.
Keys doubled back in the 1,500 meters, placing eighth overall with a time of 5:00.87, which ranks just outside the program's all-time top 10 in the event. Senior Emma Brown (5:20.85), Duncan (5:28.36), freshman Anna Claire Orr (5:47.25), freshman Adelyn Janssen (6:04.44), and junior Naia Shepherd (6:05.55) also ran in the event.
Freshman Paige Andrews delivered one of the day's best performances, finishing second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:48.11. Senior Olivia Scates posted a time of 21:46.15, along with Shepherd (24:10.33).
"Paige has been chasing a sub-20-minute mark in the 5,000 meters for quite some time," head coach Peter Cunningham noted. "She was clinical, hitting her pace lap after lap."
Shepherd then added a fourth-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, crossing the line in 14:48.15, which ranks seventh on JBU's all-time list.
The men's 100-meter relay team of VanDerHorn, Stone, Dutil, and freshman Eli Leach finished fifth with a time of 45.34, grabbing second place in the program record book, while the 400-meter relay squad of Janzen, junior Hayden Landers, freshman Justin Akers, and Zedler placed third in 3:39.43.
"We put together a men's 100-meter relay for the first time this season, and I'm proud of how they executed the handoffs and competed," added Cunningham.
On the women's side, the 400-meter relay team of Morton, Keys, Calder, and Duncan placed third with a time of 4:25.15. A second JBU women's 400-meter relay team featuring Foster, Janssen, Andrews, and Shepherd posted a time of 5:00.28.
Freshman Noah Osterloh soared to a mark of 13.28 meters (43-7) in the triple jump. The performance ranks third in program history, just shy of his own program No. 1 mark of 13.57 meters set earlier this season.
Sophomore Chase Stone leaped 6.56 meters (21-6.25) in the long jump, while freshman Benjamin Coker reached 6.47 meters (21-2.75) in the same event.
Senior Evie Scoles delivered a toss of 12.51 meters (41-0.5) in the women's shot put. The mark ranks fifth in JBU program history and continues Scoles' strong season in the throws.
In split squad action, the men's distance crew competed at the famed KU Relays in Lawrence, Kan. Senior Josiah Petak (34:09.96) and freshman Joshua Freeman (34:42.60) each posted top-10 finishes with sixth and ninth place, respectively. The duo's times landed them sixth and tenth all-time in the program record book, respectively. Sophomore Zach Briscoe crossed the finish line in 35:07.16 to grab 11th place overall.
"I'm also proud of how our men handled the 10,000 meters," Cunningham noted. "They got in some valuable race experience, and although incredibly high winds made it tough to hit their potential times, the effort was there. We're grateful for the opportunity to compete at such a legendary track meet."
The Golden Eagles return to action April 24-26 at the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships, hosted by Texas Wesleyan University at Karen Cramer Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
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