Reynolds, throwers come up big on opening day
5/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
University of Montana freshman Lynn Reynolds placed second in the steeplechase with an NCAA regional qualifying time and the Grizzlies' men's shot putters placed four in the top seven to highlight Montana's opening day at the 2008 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Sacramento, Calif.
After one day of events (minus the men's and women's 10,000 meters, which were moved back two hours to keep the races out of the heat), the UM men sit in third place with 38.5 points. Sacramento State leads with 61 points, followed by Montana State with 52.5 points. Trailing the Grizzlies are Northern Arizona in fourth with 37 points and Eastern Washington in fifth with 26 points.
The Montana women are tied for fourth with Montana State. Both teams have 27 points. Idaho State is the day-one leader with 44 points. The Bengals are trailed by Eastern Washington in second with 29 points and Northern Arizona in third with 28 points.
Reynolds opened Friday's running events with a regional-qualifying effort in just his fourth career steeplechase, finishing second in a time of 9:06.43. He edged out Northern Arizona sophomore John Killian, who finished six one-hundredths behind Reynolds in 9:06.49.
NAU freshman Ben Ashkettle won the event in a time of 9:05.70.
All three steeplechasers finished under the NCAA regional standard of 9:07.
"Lynn got out in second place early, got into a nice flow and just stayed there throughout the race," Montana coach Tom Raunig said. "He out-kicked the third-place finisher, which resulted in a really fast last lap. That's what allowed him to hit the regional standard."
Reynolds becomes Montana's seventh qualifier for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Region Championships, which will be held in two weeks in Lincoln, Neb.
The Grizzlies' men's shot putters picked up 21 of Montana's team points Friday by placing four in the top seven. Senior Jake Stevens was second with a throw of 54-5.25, a career-best by 17 inches.
Senior James Stanton was third at 53-4.5, senior Even Wilson fourth at 52-7.25 and sophomore Chris Hellekson seventh at 50-9.25. Wilson's mark was a career best by over six inches.
NAU sophomore Javier Villarreal won the shot with a put of 58-11.5.
"Those guys were all pushing and encouraging each other, and it resulted in some good points," Raunig said. "None of them wanted to let the others down.
"But they are still not satisfied. They want to come back tomorrow and finish big in the discus."
Accounting for Montana's other 1.5 points Friday was senior Levi Zell in the pole vault. He tied for seventh with a height of 15-4.25.
After scoring 10 points Wednesday and Thursday with senior Baily Cox's and junior Amber Aikins' second- and seventh-place finishes in the heptathlon, the UM women added 17 points Friday.
Cox placed fourth in the long jump (19-0), junior Abbey Effertz finished fifth in the discus (season-best 144-4), sophomore Kara DeWalt was fifth in the steeplechase (10:58.60), senior Stephanie Bortz placed seventh in the hammer (164-7) and Aikins was seventh in the long jump (18-1).
Friday was the preliminaries for a dozen running events. Montana advanced six athletes in seven events to Saturday's finals.
Senior Loni Perkins-Judisch was a double qualifier, moving on in both the 200 and 400 meters. She placed second in the 200 meters in a time of 24.40 and won the 400 meters in a time of 55.08.
Also advancing on the women's side were Aikins and sophomore Erin Clark. Aikins posted the day's fastest 100-meter hurdle time, a career-best 14.39. Clark was eighth in the 400 meters in 57.40.
Senior Jesse Loether, junior James Brown and sophomore Kane Russell advanced for the men. Loether was third in the 800 meters in a career-best 1:52.24, Brown was eighth in the 200 meters in 21.67 and Russell was eighth in the 400 meters in a career-best 48.87.
While they did not advance beyond the 800-meter preliminaries, three Montana athletes posted career bests in the event. Sophomore Sean Clark was 11th in a time of 1:53.35 in the men's race, while freshman Bridgette Hoenke was ninth (2:15.38) and sophomore Brooke Andrus 11th (2:16.70) in the women's race.
After one day of events (minus the men's and women's 10,000 meters, which were moved back two hours to keep the races out of the heat), the UM men sit in third place with 38.5 points. Sacramento State leads with 61 points, followed by Montana State with 52.5 points. Trailing the Grizzlies are Northern Arizona in fourth with 37 points and Eastern Washington in fifth with 26 points.
The Montana women are tied for fourth with Montana State. Both teams have 27 points. Idaho State is the day-one leader with 44 points. The Bengals are trailed by Eastern Washington in second with 29 points and Northern Arizona in third with 28 points.
Reynolds opened Friday's running events with a regional-qualifying effort in just his fourth career steeplechase, finishing second in a time of 9:06.43. He edged out Northern Arizona sophomore John Killian, who finished six one-hundredths behind Reynolds in 9:06.49.
NAU freshman Ben Ashkettle won the event in a time of 9:05.70.
All three steeplechasers finished under the NCAA regional standard of 9:07.
"Lynn got out in second place early, got into a nice flow and just stayed there throughout the race," Montana coach Tom Raunig said. "He out-kicked the third-place finisher, which resulted in a really fast last lap. That's what allowed him to hit the regional standard."
Reynolds becomes Montana's seventh qualifier for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Region Championships, which will be held in two weeks in Lincoln, Neb.
The Grizzlies' men's shot putters picked up 21 of Montana's team points Friday by placing four in the top seven. Senior Jake Stevens was second with a throw of 54-5.25, a career-best by 17 inches.
Senior James Stanton was third at 53-4.5, senior Even Wilson fourth at 52-7.25 and sophomore Chris Hellekson seventh at 50-9.25. Wilson's mark was a career best by over six inches.
NAU sophomore Javier Villarreal won the shot with a put of 58-11.5.
"Those guys were all pushing and encouraging each other, and it resulted in some good points," Raunig said. "None of them wanted to let the others down.
"But they are still not satisfied. They want to come back tomorrow and finish big in the discus."
Accounting for Montana's other 1.5 points Friday was senior Levi Zell in the pole vault. He tied for seventh with a height of 15-4.25.
After scoring 10 points Wednesday and Thursday with senior Baily Cox's and junior Amber Aikins' second- and seventh-place finishes in the heptathlon, the UM women added 17 points Friday.
Cox placed fourth in the long jump (19-0), junior Abbey Effertz finished fifth in the discus (season-best 144-4), sophomore Kara DeWalt was fifth in the steeplechase (10:58.60), senior Stephanie Bortz placed seventh in the hammer (164-7) and Aikins was seventh in the long jump (18-1).
Friday was the preliminaries for a dozen running events. Montana advanced six athletes in seven events to Saturday's finals.
Senior Loni Perkins-Judisch was a double qualifier, moving on in both the 200 and 400 meters. She placed second in the 200 meters in a time of 24.40 and won the 400 meters in a time of 55.08.
Also advancing on the women's side were Aikins and sophomore Erin Clark. Aikins posted the day's fastest 100-meter hurdle time, a career-best 14.39. Clark was eighth in the 400 meters in 57.40.
Senior Jesse Loether, junior James Brown and sophomore Kane Russell advanced for the men. Loether was third in the 800 meters in a career-best 1:52.24, Brown was eighth in the 200 meters in 21.67 and Russell was eighth in the 400 meters in a career-best 48.87.
While they did not advance beyond the 800-meter preliminaries, three Montana athletes posted career bests in the event. Sophomore Sean Clark was 11th in a time of 1:53.35 in the men's race, while freshman Bridgette Hoenke was ninth (2:15.38) and sophomore Brooke Andrus 11th (2:16.70) in the women's race.
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