Grace Track Starts League Meet With Bang
By Josh Neuhart
Grace College Sports Information
WINONA LAKE – Grace’s track and field team began the 2021 Crossroads League Championships with a bang on Friday.
Grace set multiple school records and produced several nationally ranked performances at the indoor championships.
The meet is divided with the women competing at Taylor and the men at Indiana Wesleyan. The meet ends on Saturday.
The men’s distance relay team got the meet started on a sharp note by claiming the conference title. The foursome of Logan Rufenacht, Tyler Morrison, Tanner Sallee and Dimitri Margaritidis set a school record time at 10:18.27, a mark which currently ranks No. 4 in the NAIA.
The men’s 4×800-meter relay team also shined. Isaac Beatty, Luke Smith, Kyle Smith and Maurice Macklin finished in 7:48.76, the second-fastest time in the NAIA this season.
The Lady Lancers dominated the 200. Nordia Campbell captured the title with a time of 25.56 seconds, and Gracious O’Connor was second at 25.85. Later, O’Connor grabbed fifth place in the 400.
Heather Plastow was runner-up in the mile (5:10.44), and Isaac Brown was runner-up in the high jump (6-feet-5.5).
Mallory Hiatt recorded a school record in the 3,000 (10:29.47), and Bryan Hernandez-Rios broke his own school record in a very fast 5,000 race (15:05.99, currently ranked No. 20 in the NAIA).
Kaitlyn Mack ended in fifth place during the 600, and Anna Hulstedt (7th) and Ellie Wagoner (8th) placed in the 1,000.
Neal Kathary had a PR in the shot put to finish seventh (46-5.25).
The men’s 4×400 overcame a fall after the lead runner was inadvertently tripped, recovering to place fifth in a time of 3:29.27 (Isaac Findley, Morrison, Beatty, Kyle Smith).
“We had some incredible performances today on both the men’s and women’s side, including school records and some nationally ranked marks,” said Grace head coach Jeff Raymond. “I think we’ll have some strong events on Saturday.”