Women’s track team ranked 5th in nation

The Chadron State women’s track and field team is ranked No. 5 in the USTFCCCA D-II women’s team rankings, highest in program history.
Senior Mel Herl, of Eaton, Colorado, and Stachia Reuwsaat, senior of Black Hawk, South Dakota, are two of the team’s biggest contributors this season, leading D-II in the weight throw and long jump, respectively.
Herl and Reuwsaat competed at the Air Force Academy Invitational meet Saturday. Reuwsaat took first in the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.5 seconds. Reuwsaat was the NCAA D-II National Long Jump champion and the NCAA D-II National Long Jump runner-up, but she did not compete in the long jump Saturday. Herl tossed the weight throw 21.2 meters for first place and the shot put 11.72m for 14th place.
On Friday, part of the distance team traveled to South Dakota State University, Brookings, to compete in the SDSU D-II Invitational.
Taylor Allison, senior of Gordon, earned third place in the women’s 5,000m run in 19:09.54, just three seconds longer than her personal best. Margaret Vinton, senior of North Platte, ran a career-best time, placing fifth in the women’s 3,000m run in 10:48.
For the men, Kyle Dietsche, senior of Sheridan, Wyoming, earned third in the 3,000m run in 9:02.8 and fifth in the mile, crossing the line in 4:22.22, both personal bests. Eric Yager, junior of Hot Springs, South Dakota, took fourth place in the 3,000m run in 9:04.05 followed by Levi Avila, junior of Mitchell, in sixth place at 9:24.23. Avila also placed sixth in the mile in with a time of 4:23.5.
The rest of the team competed Saturday. At the Air Force Academy Invitational, Ashlyn Hanson, junior of Seward, earned fourth in the weight throw with a 17.51m throw, followed by Keri Ruff, senior of Eaton, Colorado, in sixth, throwing 16.69m.
Maddie Brashears, sophomore of Fort Morgan, Colorado, placed fifth in the women’s long jump with a 5.5m leap.
The women’s mile relay, which consisted of Alisha Heelan, junior of Oshkosh; Cassie Johnson, junior of Rock Springs, Wyoming; Sierra Martinez, sophomore of Aztec, New Mexico; and Alyssa Valko, freshman of Wray, Colorado, placed seventh with a time of 4:06.29.
On the men’s side at the Air Force Academy Invitational, Blake Jacobs, junior of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, tossed a 16.59m second-place throw. David Alridge, junior of Omaha, took fifth place with a 15.31m throw, and Cory Martens, redshirt sophomore of Newton, Kansas, earned eighth, throwing 14.88m.
Several throwers also fared well in the weight throw. Jesse Bleidt, junior of Lewellan, led the Eagles in third place with an 18.01m throw. Jacobs followed in fifth, throwing 17.15m; Martens took seventh with a 16.43m toss; and Frantzlee LaCrete, senior of Lewellan, placed eighth with a 16.21m throw.
Andrew Woodson, senior of Sacramento, earned fourth place in the 60m dash with a time of 6.83.
Kharon Hall, freshman of Parker, Colorado, placed fourth in the men’s triple jump with a 14.50m leap. Khalil James, sophomore of Colorado Springs, Colorado, finished fifth, jumping 14.44m; and Dez Smith, senior of Bellflower, California, took seventh with a mark of 14.11m.
Jack Gibbens, sophomore of Sargent, earned eighth in the men’s long jump, leaping 6.46m.
At the Dave Little Alumni Mile Meet at Black Hills State University, Spearfish, South Dakota, Dominique Oden, freshman of Anaheim, California, placed fifth in the women’s mile, crossing the line in 5:47.3.
Alejandro Garcia, senior of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, is out of eligibility but ran unattached at BHSU, winning the men’s 3,000m run in 8:56.98 and the mile run in 4:21.47.
“Overall, all of the coaches were please with what we saw this weekend,” Head Coach Brad Gamble said. “Looking forward, we are just trying to make sure we are the best we can be at conference and nationals, so we are going to make sure we do everything we can to perform well.”
The track and field team will travel to Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Friday and Saturday for the CSM D-II Invite & Multi Meet.