CSC tracksters run for success at large meet

During the indoor track meet that brought in about 1,000 contestants, a number of Chadron State’s athletes finished with personal bests and some placements at the D2 Invitational Meet Friday at South Dakota State University at Brookings.

Riley Northrup, head track and field coach, said that the main reason the team travels to Brookings is because of the bigger, 300-meter track.

“The 60 meter is always a straight away race; it doesn’t matter if we are in Chadron or in China,” He said. “The bigger radius curve for the 400, they only have to run a curve two times instead of four times. The more time you can spend running straight in track and field, the better.”

The Eagles soared to a number of placements and successful marks in the jumping events.

Derrick Nwagwu, junior of Aurora, Colorado, finished second in the triple jump with a 48-feet, 4-inch leap. This jump passed his mark of 47 feet, 8.5 inches during the Myrle Hanson Open Meet at Black Hills State University, Saturday, Jan. 15, that earned Nwagwu last week’s Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Week Award.

“I did alright,” Nwagwu said. “I was aiming for first so the second-place finish was a little disappointing but I’m coming back from multiple injuries so I can’t be too mad about it.”

Also, Joss Linse, senior of Plattsmouth, and Brock Voth, senior of Berthoud, Colorado, both placed in the triple jump.

Linse took fifth with a leap of 45 feet, 6.5 inches and Voth marked 45 feet, ½ inch to finish sixth.

Emory Yoosook, sophomore of Casper, Wyoming, competed against 44 long jumpers and finished third with his farthest mark being 22 feet, 7.75 inches.

Over in the high jump, Joe Dumsa, senior of Sandy, Utah, cleared 6 feet, 4.75 inches to place eighth.

Miranda Gilkey, senior of Lusk, Wyoming, took second in the women’s high jump competition by clearing five feet, three inches.

Away from the jumpers, CSC also saw success on the track.

“I put a big emphasis on them (sprinters) being fast and then as the season goes on, being able to finish races better,” Northrup said. “This last weekend was the first time that I really saw them, especially with our 400 group, put together like 200-meter splits of their 400 that are basically exactly where I want them to be right now.”

Osvaldo Cano, junior of Oshkosh, raced against 47 runners in the 400 meters and took fifth with 49.58 seconds. He also finished the 200 meters in 22.35 seconds, setting his indoor career best and finishing sixth.

Cano’s twin brother, Osiel Cano (junior of Oshkosh), set his career best in the 400 meters with a time of 50.4 seconds to take 10th. He also beat his personal record in the 200-meter dash timed for 23.5 seconds.

The women’s saw Carlie Collier, junior of Dunning, took sixth of 32 women in the 400 meters, timed at 59.67 seconds.

Also in the 400 meters, Caydince Groth, freshman of Cheyenne, Wyoming, set a personal record at 60.33 seconds to finish 10th.

CSC track team hosts its Don Holst Open meet on Saturday in the Nelson Physical Activities Center.

Nwagwu said he was excited to be jumping in front of his friends and on a familiar track.

“It’s going to be a fun one,” he said. “Might have to dust off the sprint spikes and run a race or two, we’ll see.”