Salty air tousling long flowing strawberry-blond locks and warm, grainy sand comforting exhausted feet transformed 320 pounds of muscle, passion and faith from a vigorous offensive lineman to a relaxed beach-goer, just for a day.

The Chadron State Track and Field team finished with six provisional qualifiers and set a new school pole vault record at the Air Force Invitational Friday and Saturday.

There are moments when pageant participants doubt themselves. A stutter can ruin an interview. Swimsuit and heels on a stage can be uncomfortable. Six judges watch every move. It is, after all, a competition.

Senior center Moala Tautuaa, of San Francisco, collected a career-high 30 points, snagged seven rebounds and passed the 1,000 point mark in his career during Saturday’s 91-85 home win over visiting Western New Mexico, Silver City.

The Eagles and Lopers fought neck and neck though the fourth quarter, but a solid finish claimed a much needed 64-60 Eagle victory.

Despite cold and rainy weather, Chadron State’s men’s 4×100-meter relay team won their event and several other athletes placed well at the Jack Christiansen Invitational at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., Saturday.

Four more school records were set and several athletes qualified provisionally for the National Meet in late May.

A total of 39 Chadron students in the men’s ensemble, women’s choir, and concert choir performed a successful choir concert at Chadron Arts Center Sunday afternoon according to conductor Una Taylor.

The women’s track and field team is ranked first in the Central Region of the RMAC because of its performance at the University of Colorado Invitational Meet last Saturday in Boulder, Colo.

Opening the outdoor season, three Chadron State athletes scored provisional qualifying marks. Several others had career-best marks in a dual at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Saturday.