Track team to compete in Colorado
The Utah State track team brought home 10 top three finishes, including a first- and third-place finish from sophomore Justin Wickard, Saturday at the Snake River Invitational.
“It was a good first meet as far as first meets go,” said assistant coach Greg Croft. “Some people do well and some don’t, but just going to a first meet and having everyone learn is good.”
Led by Wickard, the Aggies finished the meet with seven top-three finishes from the men’s team and two from the women’s team. For the second straight year, Wickard came in first at the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02 seconds. In the 400-meter dash, Wickard finished third with a time of 49.15 seconds.
Along with Wickard, the USU men’s 4×400 relay team placed second with a time of 3:20.91, only .67 seconds behind the first-place finisher. Other second-place finishers were weight thrower Ryan Bruhn, who threw 58-07, high jumper Demario Franklin, with a jump of 6-04 and Josh Sides with a shot put of 57 1/2.
In the 3000-meter run, Steve Prescott finished third with a time of 8:47.12. Mark Burton finished right behind Sides in the shot put with a throw of 54-02.50.
On the women’s team, weight thrower Ashlee Keemer placed second with a 53-03 throw, and Carrie Bitton finished second in the high jump, clearing 5-06.
It’s likely USU would have had more athletes finish in the top three, pole vault captain Debra Barker said, but the few of the athletes, like the pole vaulters, were at different clinics and summits.
“Pocatello was just kind of a practice against other people,” Croft said. “The freshmen always struggle a little. Some realize that it’s not just high school anymore.”
The Aggies will compete in their first real meet of the season at the Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Friday and Saturday, and they are expecting the competition to be good, Croft said.
Among others, the Air Force Invitational will include Alabama State University, Colorado State University, the University of Colorado, Oral Roberts University and the Air Force Academy.
“We should have all the jitters out of the way, our training should be faster, it’s a good track, and good competition,” Croft said. “This weekend should give us a good idea of times and what [the] outdoor [season] is going to look like.”
–csmo@cc.usu.edu