Track team heads to Pocatello again
The USU indoor track team scored well at Idaho State University Saturday and will be there for the third time this season today and tomorrow to compete in the Mountain States Games.
The Aggies first traveled to the Holt Arena Jan. 13 for their season-opener. They were also there Saturday for the Idaho State Meet, where they had seven individual first-place finishes.
On the women’s side, Rebekah Thornley won the mile with a time of 5-minutes, 86 seconds, and Candice Workman took the shot put with a mark of 14.26 meters.
The men had five athletes take first, with Anthony Stewart winning the 60-meter dash in 6.92 seconds, Justin Alian winning the 200 in 22.60, Brett Guymon the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.31, and James Parker winning the shot put with a mark of 17.65 meters and the weight throw with a toss of 20.46 meters.
The team also had eight Aggies place second or third individually. The women were Kathleen Hobbs in the 60, Sandra Reategui in the 200, Kristy Guymon in the 800, Beka Leffler in the 3,000 and Jessica Drake-Owens in the weight throw.
On the men’s side, David Hoffman took second in the high jump, Maurice Jenkins placed third in the pole vault and Brad Bair finished third in the long jump.
The Aggies will return to action at ISU today and tomorrow against Utah Valley State College, Brigham Young University, Weber State University, Montana State University, Ricks College, Boise State University and the Greater Boise Running Club.
Head Coach Gregg Gensel said he’s looking forward to a more competitive meet than the Aggies have had previously this season.
“It’s a two-day meet, so we’ll have bigger competition,” he said. “We’re going to continue aiming toward the conference championships at the end of the month. People are getting healthier, and we’re getting more out of them.”
Some athletes expected to do well individually are Parker in the shot put and weight throw, sprinters Stewart and Dwayne Foster, Thornley in the mile and Guymon in the 400-meter dash. The men’s 4×400-meter relay is also projected to place well.
For the first time this season, some Aggies will compete in the pentathlon. They are Katie Farner, Jessica Benson, Jake and Joel Johnson, Bair, and Dwight Thomas.
Gensel said many athletes are close to qualifying for the NCAA national championship meet, but great performances before the regional meet are just a bonus.
“I’m just looking forward to the competition and seeing everyone else compete,” he said.