CSC track and field teams finish second
The Chadron State track and field team hosted the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. Both men and women finished second in overall team standings with scores of 145.5 and 124, respectively.
For the men, Damarcus Simpson, sophomore of Lafayette, Georgia, stood out, finishing top five in every event he competed in. Simpson finished fifth in triple jump, reaching 46 feet, 2 3/4 inches; second in the 60-meter dash and high jump, recording a time of 6.72 seconds and height of 6-7 1/2; and won long jump going 25-4.
Simpson’s long jump is a new facility record, surpassing the previous one of 24-8 1/4, set by former Eagle Jourdin Holden in 2007.
“I felt great competing in long jump and was happy to break the facility record,” Simpson said. “It was a surreal feeling doing that well in high jump, and again, I felt great competing at a high level this weekend.”
Simpson was named Men’s Athlete of the Meet and Men’s Field Athlete of the Year in the RMAC.
On the men’s side, the only other winner came as a group effort, as the Eagles took the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:19.51, which converts to 3:14.88 due to altitude and the size of CSC’s track. The team consisted of Lane Higgins, sophomore of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; Zerek Jones, senior of La Junta, Colorado; Austin Fajfer, redshirt freshman of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Martin Moriel, senior of Phoenix. The men’s 4×400 team currently sits No. 22 in D-II indoor rankings.
Jones faired well individually, placing third in the 800 with a time of 1:52.92, which converts to 150.15. He finished 71 tenths of a second behind first place finisher Colorado Mines’ Patrick Weaver, junior of Hugoton, Kansas. Jones shaved nearly a second off his school record of 1:53.73, which he set Jan. 29 at CSC’s Don Holst Twilight Open. He currently sits No. 10 in D-II indoors.
Other Eagles racked up points in field events for the men.
Dez Smith, junior of Bellflower, California, finished second in triple jump, leaping 47-3, a career best. In weight throw, the men claimed four of the top eight spots, scoring 21 points. Cory Martens, redshirt freshman of Newton, Kansas; Blake Jacobs, redshirt freshman of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Jesse Bleidt, sophomore of Lewellen, swept second through fourth, respectively. David Aldridge, sophomore of Omaha, finished seventh.
Other medalists for the men included Scottsbluff natives sophomore Isaiah Castellaw and junior Matthew Klein. Castellaw finished second in long jump and third in high jump. Klein placed third in the 60 high hurdles.
Andre Woodson, junior of Sacramento, California, and Skylar Hoopes, senior of Lusk, Wyoming, finished third in the 200 and pole vault, respectively. Woodson also placed fourth in the 60, running 6.81.
On the women’s side, Stachia Reuwsaat, junior of Rapid City, South Dakota, placed top two in both of her events. Reuwsaat placed first in long jump with seemingly little effort, jumping 20-9 on her first attempt. It proved to be enough, as she scratched four of her next five attempts. She finished second in the 60, running 7.60.
The women dominated in high jump, claiming three of the top eight spots. Angelique Urenda, junior of Pueblo, Colorado, led the way, clearing 5-4 to win the event. Right behind her, Kenzie May, sophomore of Indianola, placed second with a first attempt jump at a height of 5-2. Shelby Bozner, senior of Rock Springs, Wyoming, tied for fifth also clearing 5-2 on her third attempt.
Urenda and Bozner both medaled in other events. Urenda placed second in pole vault, going 11-8.
Bozner was the first leg of the 4×400 relay team, which finished first with a time of 3:50.67, edging Adams State University by 36 tenths of a second. The time converts to 3:46.47. The other members of the relay consisted of Nikki Glasson, senior of Wheatland, Wyoming; Kelsy Wood, junior of Hemingford; and Tiffany Thomas, senior of Kingston, Jamaica. They currently sit No. 13 in D-II.
Thomas and Wood also reached the podium in individual events. Thomas placed third in the 400, running 56.30. Her time converts down to 55.28, and she currently sits tied for No. 15 in D-II. Wood also took third in the 60 high hurdles, running 8.84. Chadron native Nicky Banzhaf, junior, placed third in the 5,000, running 17:59.64. Keri Ruff, junior of Eaton, Colorado, placed second in the weight throw at 53-11.
The Eagles concluded their indoor season breaking 10 school records, four by the women and six by the men. Four Eagles automatically qualified for indoor national championships, and 24 hit provisional marks. The NCAA D-II Indoor Track and Field Championships will be,March 11-12 in Pittsburgh, Kansas.