The Anderson men’s and women’s track and field teams hosted their annual indoor invitational Saturday at the Kardatzke Wellness Center fieldhouse. The collegiate teams competing included Anderson, Earlham, Indiana Kokomo, IU Columbus, Oakland City, St. Francis, St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Union.
St. Mary-of-the-Woods took the overall women’s team title, scoring 115 points. They were followed by Anderson (97), Union (77), Earlham (69), Oakland City (47), IU Columbus (45), the Sentry Running Club (10), Indiana Kokomo (8) and St. Francis (5).
On the men’s side, Anderson took the team title, scoring 154.5 points. The Ravens were followed by Union (133), St. Mary-of-the-Woods (121.5), Oakland City (104), IU Columbus (48), Earlham (27) and the Sentry Running Club (14).
Anderson also celebrated their senior student-athletes on the teams: Joaquin Bautista, Jasmyn Benjamin, Ellasyn Bruner, Jenn Eisinger, Kade Hill, Paige McKain, Zaire Prioleau and David Stansbury.
Field Event Highlights
In the women’s shot put, Lai’Lonie Waller-Thomas heaved a sixth round throw of 11.10 meters (36 feet, 5 inches) to win the meet as well as hitting the HCAC Conference qualifying standard of 10.60 meters. In the women’s weight throw, Waller-Thomas picked up her second win of the day, throwing 14.63 meters (48’ 0”) on her fifth attempt to win the meet and eclipse the HCAC standard of 12.80 meters.
In the men’s shot put, three athletes from Anderson threw over the HCAC standard of 13.00 meters: Qi’Yam Simmons (14.22m, 3rd), Connor Etchison (13.59m, 5th), and Isaiah Buchanan (13.26m, 7th). In the men’s Weight Throw, Simmons threw 14.51 meters (47’ 7.25”) to place second and go over the HCAC standard of 14.43 meters. The Ravens also scored Buchanan (13.97m, 4th), Welles Gupton (13.66m, 6th) and Etchison (13.03m, 8th) in the event.
In the men’s pole vault, brothers Hunter and Garrett Isaacs placed second and third with vaults of 3.80 meters (12’ 5.5”) and 3.65 meters (11’ 11.75”) respectively.
In the men’s triple jump, Zaire Prioleau took a runner-up finish with a fifth round jump of 11.51 meters (37’ 9.25”).
Running Event Highlights
Anna Walpole and Paige McKain started the day off for the Ravens on the track, placing third and fourth in the women’s 5000m run. Kyle Corbin ran his way to a second place finish in the men’s 5000m run, while David Lane came in sixth place.
The men’s 4x200m relay of Jaylan Seeko, Elijah Stires, Zaire Prioleau and Dillon Pratt came in second place with a time of 1:39.01.
In the women’s one mile run, Hattie Harlow ran to a second place finish with a time of 6:01.08, and she would later pick up another runner-up finish in the women’s 3000m run with a time of 12:05.66.
Johnnie Behrends picked up the Ravens’ first running event win of the day in the men’s one mile Run, going 4:36.70, which dipped under the HCAC standard of 4:38.34. Behrends also took home a runner-up finish in the 800m Run with a time of 2:06.85.
In the 60m hurdles, Katie Ripberger took third place in the women’s race with a time of 10.57 seconds, while Kaleb Eldridge won the men’s race with a personal record time of 8.82 seconds.
Dillon Pratt picked up a third place finish in the men’s 400m dash with a time of 53.39 seconds, and he later led the Ravens to first place in the men’s 4x400m relay.
David Stansbury won an electric men’s 3000m run race in a time of 9:22.31 in front of the home crowd on his senior night.
The women’s 4x400m relay of Ripberger, Naomi Hoover, Andrea Diaz, and Nora Filler ran their way to a second place finish, while Pratt led the quartet of himself, Seeko, Stires, and Behrends to first place on the men’s side.
The Anderson Ravens will be back in action Saturday, February 14, competing at the DePauw Invitational in Greencastle.