PITTSBURG, Kan. — To open the 2022-2023 Track and Field season, Southern Nazarene competed at the annual Crimson and Gold Invitational hosted by Pittsburg State under new head coach Martha Brennan.
The women kicked off the season strong, putting up a few top-10 and top-20 finishes in a few different races. The highlight of the meet was Abriel Thrash's incredible pentathlon performance as she provisionally qualified for NCAA Division II Nationals while setting the SNU Pentathlon record. She placed 9th in the 60 meter hurdles (9.12), 9th in high jump (1.56m), 3rd in shotput (11.17m),16th in long jump (5.06m), and 16th in the 800 meter run (2:34.43). Thrash's events combined for an overall 10th place finish.
The women's 60-meter dash featured multiple Storm competitors including Katelynn Tizzio (8.12), Lyric Henry (8.20), and Harlie Leap (8.49).
Leap was also in the 300-meter race, finishing with a time of 46.67. Chloe Brummage and Kelsey Knox ran as well, finishing with times of 48.31 and 49.13 respectively.
Tizzy also competed in the 200-meter dash, finishing 36th with a time of 26.66.
Madalyn Harper led the way in the 800-meter race, with an impressive 10th-place finish with a time of 2:21.37. Sabbatha Taylor finished just inside the top 20 at 17th with a time of 2:31.02. Elora Jones also broke inside the top 20 at 19th with a time of 2:33.34. Afeni Rubio, Naomi Pearse, and Lauryn Downs all raced as well, finishing with times of 2:48.16, 2:48.48, and 2:49.72, respectively.
Harper also had a standout race in the mile run, placing 10th once more with an impressive time of 5:12.39. Taylor also laced up for the event, finishing 20th with a time of 5:27.08. Jones competed to finish 33rd with a time of 5:40.97 while Rubio, Pearse, and Lauryn Downs put up times of 6:04.78, 6:07.85, and 6:20.00, respectively.
The men also had a notable first meet, achieving great placements against the competition.
Darrius Blackshire competed in the 60-meter hurdle race, finishing 23rd with a time of 8.73.
In the 60-meter dash, a collection of SNU members raced: Trevon Baysinger (7.10), Calee Williams (7.21), D'Angelo Cartwright (7.39), Ryan Audette (7.43), and Maximus Washington (7.44).
Scott Lynch led SNU in the 200-meter dash, finishing 41st with a time of 22.84. Baysinger and Malachi Allen finished shortly after at 46th (23.00) and 47th (23.04) respectively. Other runners featured were Washington (23.34), Williams (23.81), and Audette (23.89).
The men had a few runners appear in the 300-meter dash, starting with Washington who came in 39th with a time of 36.68. Josh Lewis was after him, posting a time of 38.93 and Dennis Green finished with a time of 39.22.
Darrius Blackshire had an excellent showing in the 400-meter dash, finishing 13th with a time of 50.36, outrunning 33 other runners. Lynch and Allen were the next finishers for SNU, placing 25th (51.15) and 26th (51.17) respectively.
Matthew Kletke was the lone representative for the 600-yard run, finishing 18th with a time of 1:21.54.
In the 800-meter run, Joel Haynes placed 26th with a time of 2:05.80. William Ramirez was behind him in 29th, notching a time of 2:06.31. Green, Lewis, Jacob Humphrey, Zachary Woods, and David Gammas also competed, putting up times of 2:11.00, 2:11.18, 2:11.91, 2:14.37, and 2:15.90, in that order.
Ramirez led SNU in the mile with a 38th-place finish and a time of 4:38.61. Haynes, Woods, Gamas, and Humphrey also raced and notched times of 4:40.08, 4:50.32, 4:50.94, and 4:57.78, respectively.
SNU will pick the races back up after the holiday break, heading to Norman on January 1st to compete in the J.D. Martin Invitational.
