Track & Field Finishes Final Preparation For OAC Meet

In preparation for the 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships the Heidelberg College men’s and women’s track and field team took part in the Capital Invitational on Saturday.

Leading the way for the men’s team was freshman Julius Higginbotham (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria) with a first in the 55-meter dash (6.61) and a first in the 200-meter dash (23.43). Not to be outdone, Higginbotham also jumped to a second place finish in the long jump behind champion Greg Tyson, Jr. (Lima, Ohio / Senior). Higginbotham jumped 22'3" compared to Tyson, Jr.’s winning jump of 22'10". Tyson, Jr. rounded out his day with a second in the 300-meter dash (35.78) and a third in the triple jump at 42'5.25". Backing Higginbotham in the sprints was Paris Hilliard (Lorain, Ohio / Admiral King). Hilliard stood second in the 200-meter dash in a time of 23.73 and third in the 55-meter dash in a time of 6.75.

Adding more depth in the sprints was sophomore Cory Beebe (Medina, Ohio / Cloverleaf) with the 300-meter dash championship in a time of 35.47. Beebe also took third in the 55-meter hurdles (8.03). Mark Childs (New Albany, Ohio / New Albany) made it a one-two-three sweep in the 300-dash with a third place time of 36.80. Childs also led the middle-distance crew with a 500-meter dash championship in a time of 1:06.50, followed by Reed Wolverton (Van Wert, Ohio / Van Wert) in second (1:08.45) and Brandon Zuchowski (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) in third (1:09.21). Finally, the 4x400-meter relay team of Brandon Zuchowski, Michael Pollard (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton), Julius Salgado (Fremont, Ohio / Fremont Ross) and Steven Malone (Shaker Heights, Ohio / Shaker Heights) finished first in 3:32.60, while the 4x200-meter relay team of Salgado, Brandon Zuchowski, Malone and Tyler Oda (Bellefontaine, Ohio / Indian Lake) stood second (1:35.12). Rounding out the top-five placers in the sprint and middle-distance events was Justin Zuchowski (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) with a second in the 400-meter dash (51.96).

The distance core was led by four top-five placers in the mile run. Senior Dan Simpson (Leetonia, Ohio / Leetonia) took first (4:29.97) followed by Thomas Landis (New London, Ohio / New London) in third (4:48.68), Jacob Lemon (Oak Harbor, Ohio / Oak Harbor) in fourth (4:52.77) and Jeff Tracy (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) in fifth (4:58.20). Scott Lasch (Huron, Ohio / Huron) won the 1,000-meter run (2:32.59) and Jeremy Wysocki (Toledo, Ohio / Central Catholic) topped the field in the 3,000-meter run (8:54.68).

On the women’s side senior Nikki Jones (Fremont, Ohio / Hopewell Loudon) finished first in the high jump (5’0.25”) and stood second in the 500-meter dash (1:20.30). Tabitha Grim (Sullivan, Ohio / Black River) was third in the mile run in a time of 5:40.56 and fifth in the 1,000-meter run (3:23.61). Also earning third-place finishes was Kelsey Elliott (Ottawa, Ohio / Ottawa-Glandorf) in the 500-meter dash (1:25.18) and Erica Tenwalde (Ada, Ohio / Lima Shawnee) in the 1,000-meter run (3:20.87).

Morgan Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort) was fourth in the 1,000-meter run (3:23.36), while Kristen Keaton (Plymouth, Ohio / Plymouth) and Jessica Smith (Lorain, Ohio / Admiral King) were fifth in the 300-meter dash (45.83) and the long jump (15'7.5"), respectively.

Heidelberg returns to action at the OA Championships March 2-3 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio.