In a track meet that featured 27 teams at Welch Stadium for the ESU Relays, both the Emporia State men’s and women’s track teams finished in the top five.
The men placed fourth with two individual runners-up and the women placed fifth with one individual runner-up. The Hornets had four provisional qualifying marks.
“The meet was very large and I thought we did very well,” said Steve Blocker, head coach. “I am very proud of how they competed.”
The first win of the day for ESU came in the 4×100 relay, as Duke Tibbs, junior, Taysean Goodwin, freshman, AJ West, sophomore, and Kyle Evans, freshman, won the event with a time of 41.29 seconds. It was the second event of the afternoon.
The only provisional mark for the Hornets on the track was the men’s 4×400 team. The team of West, Wyatt Sander, sophomore, Parker Evans, freshman, and Goodwin qualified with a time of 3:13.61.
The other three provisional qualifiers were in the field as Morgan Brant, senior, finished fourth in the women’s high jump, with 1.69 meters. Carrie Kellie, senior, finished fifth in the triple jump with 11.69 meters. The other provisional mark came from Morgan Gilliand, junior, who finished sixth in the shot put with a throw of 13.99 meters.
Tibbs placed second in the 400 meters with a time of 48.62 seconds. Goodwin also finished second with a time of 21.71 in the 200 meters.
“I think as a whole we competed well,” Williams said. “Everyone did well, I thought.”
There were several top 20 finishes for the Hornets in the sprinting events. Latiyeara Yeargin, sophomore, finished seventh in the 100 meters. Morgan Flowers, junior, finished 18th in the 200 meters Teagan Hayes, freshman, finished 19th in the event. Elizabeth Blevins, sophomore, finished fifth in the 400 meters.
The Hornets had three top 20 finishes in the 400 meter dash. Tibbs finished second, Evans finished ninth and Travis Sipe, senior, 18th.
“It went well,” Sipe said. “There wasn’t a ton of phenomenal marks for us but there was some high points for our team. It was a great outdoor opener for the majority of our men’s and women’s teams.”
There were three top 25 finishes in the 1500 meters for the Hornets. Cole Bosley, freshman, has finished sixth and Daniel Claassen, senior, has finished 10. James Bowlin, senior, finished 22nd.
Two other relays finished in the top three. The “A” team for the 4×100 finished second and the 4×200 “A” team placed third with help of Morris Williams II, sophomore.
The next meet for the Hornets track squads is the MIAA- NSIC challenge in Maryville, MO. The meet starts today and runs through Saturday.
