By: Jenia Freewalt, sports information assistant

CEDARVILLE, Ohio - On Saturday, March 27, the Beavers headed to Cedarville University to compete in their first outdoor track meet since the 2019 season at the Yellow Jacket Collegiate Outdoor Open. Bluffton showed up prepared to battle some tough NCAA Division II competition on Saturday.

The meet kicked off with field events, including the men's and women's hammer throw.  In the men's competition, sophomore Wyatt Walker (Farmland, Ind./Monroe Central Jr./Sr.) placed 28th with a throw of 38.52m. For the women, senior Stephanie Fox (Pickerington/Central) took 16th with a throw of 37.90m, followed by sophomore Emma Payne (Hicksville) who placed 17th with a throw of 37.82m, and freshman Maggie Hartzler (Rittman/Norwayne) who finished 25th with a throw of 36.12m.

The distance athletes were challenged by being put in events that were out of their comfort zone, and a couple of runners competed in events that they had never competed in before. Freshman Ethan Ly (Celina) competed in his first 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:31.28. Freshman Jenia Freewalt (Delphos/St. John's) came in at a time of 45:10.22 and sophomore Max Chandler (Liberty Township/Lakota East) finished with a time of 35:35.45 in their inaugural 10k races. 

"I went into this race very excited to run the 10k," Chandler stated. "Once I started warming up it seemed surreal that this was about to happen. I got to the line and started freaking out and told myself it's just a race. All of a sudden, bang the gun goes off and the world disappears, and I run. I felt great during the whole race and felt I can do so much more after I finished. I Can't wait to run it again!"

Distance Coach Brendon Moody said, "The distance squad had several good opening performances for the outdoor season. One performance of note is freshman Miranda Billman (Castalia/Margaretta) running a 40-second lifetime best in the 5000 meters." Billman finished the 5000m race with at time of 20:19.

In the women's 200-meter dash, sophomore Madalynn Schifer (Bucyrus) finished with a time of 28.58.

In the men's triple jump, junior Brandon James (Waynesfield/Waynesfield-Goshen) placed 6th against some tough competition with a leap of 12.84m.

Freshman Desmond Gist (Detroit, Mich./Trenton) tore up the track in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.50, placing him 1st in the conference and 26th in the country!

Program Director Kaylea Jachno had this to say about meet number 1. "It was a solid opener for the first meet of the year! We didn't have many expectations coming in but we were blown out of the water at the potential we saw. Now we are excited to train for the next few weeks in preparration for Manchester."

-BEAVERS-