Tiger track and field athletes give strong showing at WSU

The Cowley College men's and women's indoor track and field teams had strong representation at the Herm Wilson Invite held Friday and Saturday at Wichita State University. With close to 40 Tiger athletes competing on the weekend, the squads put together some solid performances.

"It was a good meet for us," Cowley head coach Cameron Rieth said. "It was good for our younger athletes to gain experience competing indoors."

In the men's shot put, Cowley had two athletes finish in the top 10, Abner Johnson (fifth) and Lance Blubaugh (10^th). The Tigers also had two athletes punch their tickets to indoor nationals in the weight throw as Treavor Green placed second with a mark of 55-3, and Abner Johnson finished third with a throw of 54-0.

On the women's side of the weight throws, Cowley had McKenna Markle qualify for nationals with a throw of 48-10 as she finished third overall.

For the multi-event athletes, the Tigers had a good showing from the heptathletes and the pentathletes.

The Tiger pole vaulters also shined as sophomore Arantxa Cortez won the women's pole vault by clearing 11-11 ¼ in the event, and Luke Faulkner qualified for nationals in the men's pole vault by placing ninth with a vault of 14-1 ¾. Cortez placed first by defeating Wichita State's Margaux Thompson in a jump-off.

On the track, Cowley had Keorapetse Nkopane finish fourth overall in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.91. And on the women's side of the track, the Lady Tigers had Isabella Kupka finish with a time of 59.06 in the 400-meter dash as she finished second overall in a field of 35 competitors.

The Cowley indoor track and field teams will now prepare to participate in the Washburn University Open Friday and Saturday in Topeka.

"This will be a big meet," Rieth said. "We will hope to get some additional national qualfiers."

Cowley Results:

WOMEN

*400-meter dash – Isabella Kupka, 59.84, second; Alyssa Bridges, 1:04.63, 14^th; Esther Vazquez, 1:09.04, 24^th.

*Pole vault – Arantxa Cortez, 11-11 ¼, first place, national qualifier; Carla Santos, 9-9 ¾, 16^th.

*Shot put – Chloe Grusing, 32-6 ¼, 23^rd; McKenna Markle, 31-5 ¾, 25^th; Kennedy Bulger, 29-8 ¾, 33^rd.

*Weight throw – McKenna Markle, 48-10, third, national qualifier; Kayla McClellan, 46-0 ½, ninth; Sarah Robinson, 35-7 ¼, 24^th.

*Pentathlon -LaShae Smith, 2,680 points, 10^th; Gracie Shire, 2,366 points, 14^th; Mercedes Glover, 2,090 points, 16^th.

MEN

*60-meter dash – Keopekske Nkopone, 6.91, fourth; Devonte Pruitt, 7.01, 12^th; Arnau Sagrera-Barnet, 7.24, 27^th; Nicolas Tornay, 7.28, 33^rd.

*400-meter dash – Nkopane, 52.56, sixth; Pruitt, 54.54, 28^th.

*800-meter run – Jeremy Garcia, 2:09.09, 11^th.

*Mile run – Edgar Reyes, 4:42.07, 13^th; Jordi Dommerholt, 4:45.67, 19^th.

*1,000-meter run – Randy Rojas-Mendez, 2:38.44, eighth.

*3,000-meter run – Aaron Medrano, 9:59.70, 19^th; Elio Rivera, 10:05.67, 20^th.

*Pole vault – Luke Faulkner, 14-1 ¾, ninth, national qualifer; Riley Hunter, 13-7 ¾, 12^th.

*Shot put – Abner Johnson, 48-5 ¼, fifth; Lance Blubaugh, 44-6, 10^th; Mario Arroyo-Garcia, 39-6 ½, 18^th.

*Weight throw – Treavor Green, 55-3, second, national qualifier; Abner Johnson, 54-0, third, national qualifier; Julian Washington, 43-9, 12^th.

*Heptathlon – Garrah Bauer, 3,509 points, fifth; Felipe Mentz, 2,374 points, 10^th.