March 21, 2008
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University track and field teams opened the 2008 outdoor season at the Dick Small Invitational on the campus of Heartland Conference rival Defiance College. The men placed second out of eight squads while the women finished fifth on Good Friday, March 21.
Sophomore thrower JASON FISHER (Rockford/Parkway) had an outstanding day for the Beavers, racking up 29 points to lead the Bluffton men. He was victorious in the shot put with a winning toss of 43-07.00 feet for 10 points. Fisher picked up a second place finish in the discus (138-01) and placed third in the hammer with a throw of 130-07. Fisher's fourth place showing in the javelin (142-07) rounded out his scoring with five more points.
Bluffton sophomore COLLIN WAGNER (Pettisville/Pettisville) claimed the 800 meter title with a time of 2:06.50. The Beavers other first place finish came in the 4X100 meter relay (47.81). Members of the top 4X100 meter squad were STEVE HAVENS (Fremont/Lakota), REX BROWN (Wauseon/Pettisville), MIKE TIMPE (Swanton/Swanton), and ROB JOHNSON(Columbus/Marion Franklin). The 4x400 team of Brown, BEN ALTHAUS (Delhi, NY/Delhi), TYLER FAIRCHILD (Toledo/Whitmer) and Wagner earned eight points with their second place finish.
Mike Timpe picked up eight points in the triple jump (31-11.25) while Rex Brown added 12 points of his own in field events. Brown just missed first place in the javelin with a throw of 154-04, less than one foot behind the champion. He also finished fifth in the discus with a toss of 123-03. Timpe and Althaus combined for 10 points in the 400 meter dash as Althaus finished third (56.17) while Timpe crossed the line fifth (1:00.00).
Sophomore Rob Johnson captured a pair of third place finishes for 12 points. He had a time of 24.65 in the 200 meter dash and time of 12.03 in the 100 meters for six points in each event. Coming in just behind Johnson in the 200 meters for fourth place was freshman Steve Havens (26.01). PETE HUSTED (Carrollton/Carrolton) took third in the steeplechase (12:37.18) and Fairchild added three points with his sixth place finish in the 800 meter run (2:12.03).
Pacing the women's team was junior KARYN DAVIS (Liberty Center/Liberty Center) who captured two second place finishes. She was only two inches off the mark in the shot put (33-11.50) and she also picked up eight points with her hammer throw of 112-11.
Junior ASHLEY SMITH (Delta/Delta) placed third in the long jump (14-02.25) and fourth in the 200 meter dash (28.30) for a total of 11 points. Right on Smith's heels in the 200 meters was freshman MEGAN KOCH (Elida/Elida) who crossed the line in 28.95 seconds for fifth place. Koch added a fourth place showing in the 100 meter dash with a time of 14.00 seconds. Senior SARAH HUMPHREY (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) picked up four points with her fifth place finish in the 5,000 meter run (19:49.61).
Also performing well in the field events were freshmen PAIGE CORRESSEL(Wauseon/Wauseon) and AMY COOK (Arcanum/Arcanum). Corressel claimed fourth place in the javelin with a toss of 70-08, while Cook added three points with her discus throw of 93-07 feet. The 4x100 meter team of MEGHAN FORQUER (North Canton/Green), SARAH BINKLEY(Bluffton/Cory-Rawson), Ashley Smith and Megan Koch placed third with a time of 54.21 seconds.
The track and field teams return to action when Bluffton hosts the Beaver Invitational on Saturday, March 29, 2008. The meet is scheduled to start with the field events at 11 a.m.
-BEAVERS-