Storm Open Track Season With Strong Performances At Wartburg
The Simpson men's and women's track and field teams opened the 2009 season at the Wartburg Relays Jan. 16 in Waverly. There were no team scores.
On the women's side; Kayla Knaack (Sr., Correctionville, Iowa, River Valley H.S.) won the weight throw with a 45-1 ¾ performance. Knaack was fourth in the shot put (40-2 ¼). Carissa Coopman (Fr., Davenport, Iowa, North H.S.) won the shot put with a toss of 41-7 1/4). Coopman was 10th in the weight throw (36-9 ¾).
Lauren Bucklin (Jr., Bondurant, Iowa, Bondurant-Farrar H.S.) was second in the 60m hurdles (9.17) while teammate Molly Sabers (So., Iowa City, Iowa, City H.S.) finished fourth in the event (9.44). Kinsey Bak (Fr., Hinton, Iowa, Hinton H.S.) placed second in the pentathlon (2,705). Bak won 3-of-5 events (55m hurdles-9.42, high jump-5-3 ¾, and the long jump-14-9 ¼) during the event.
Corie Peterson (Fr., Lakeville, Minn., North H.S.) came in second in the pole vault (7-2 ¼). Jennie Darrow (Fr., Atlantic, Iowa, Atlantic H.S.) was sixth in the long jump (13-10 ½). Jessica Hamell (So., Carlisle, Iowa, Carlisle H.S.) finished seventh in the 60m dash (8.90).
The relays saw the Simpson 4x200 of Bucklin, Sabers, Nicole Mulder (Fr., Boyden, Iowa, Boyden-Hull H.S.), and Alyssa Hedrick (Jr., Council Bluffs, Iowa, Jefferson H.S.) was second in the race (1:49.26). The 4x400m of Bucklin, Sabers, Mulder, and Brittane Nederhoff (Fr., Grundy Center, Iowa, Grundy Center H.S.) finshed second (4:15.01). The 4x1600m team of Jess Christensen (Jr., Harlan, Iowa, Harlan H.S.), Emily Tripp (Fr., Waukee, Iowa, Boone H.S.), Rachel Smith (Fr., Marion, Iowa, Marion H.S.), and Katie Luzum (Jr., Ft. Atkinson, Iowa, South Winnesheik H.S.) placed second (23:19.78). The distance medley relay of Catie Ellingson (So., Indianola, Iowa, Indianola H.S.), Hedrick, Sarah Hammell (Jr., Dorchester, Iowa, Waukon H.S.), and Christensen came in second (13:02.17). The sprint medley squad of Jessica Hamell (So., Carlisle, Iowa, Carlisle H.S.), Abby Ceynar (So., Cambridge, Iowa, Ballard H.S.), Erin Guzman (Fr., Traer, Iowa, North Tama H.S.), and Smith was fifth (4:52.57).
In men's action, Zach Smith (Sr., St. Louis, Mo., CBC H.S.) won the long jump (22-3 ½) and the triple jump (45-5 ¾). Smith also finished third in the 60m dash (7.12).
Marty Rounds (Jr., Council Bluffs, Iowa, Jefferson H.S.) won the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.76. Kyle Yarksoky (Jr., Albia, Iowa, Albia H.S.) won the pentathlon with a score of 2,304 points. Rory Hennessy (Fr., Dysart, Iowa, Union H.S.) won the shot put by posting a toss of 46-0 ½.
Scott Danielson (Jr., Dayton, Iowa, Southeast Webster-Grand H.S.) finished second in the shot put (45-8) and sixth (37-8 ¾) in the weight throw. Nick Wilson (Jr., Des Moines, Iowa, Saydel H.S.) finished third in the 60m hurdles (9.06). Jarrod Schott (Fr., Pocahontas, Iowa, Pocahontas H.S.) placed third in the long jump (20-10 ¾).
Wardell Watkins (Jr., Olathe, Kan./Northwest H.S.) finished fourth in the triple jump (42-8 ¾). John Wardenburg (Jr., Williamsburg, Iowa, Williamsburg H.S.) was sixth in the shot put (42-3 ¼) and seventh in the weight throw (36-7). Ryan Tierney (Fr., Ames, Iowa, Ames H.S.) was seventh in the 60m dash (7.39). Tyler Bazyn (Fr., Elkader, Iowa, Central Community H.S.) placed eighth in the weight throw (35-8).
In relays action, the 4x200m "A" squad of Rounds, LeGrand Bien-Aime (Jr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Stranahan H.S.), Schott, and Ben Coy (Fr., Jewell, Iowa, Southeast Hamilton H.S.) won the race with a time of 1:35.49. The 4x200m "B" team of Glenn Beenblossom (So., Plainfield, Iowa, Nashua-Plainfield H.S.), Nick Wilson (Jr., Des Moines, Iowa, Saydel H.S.), Travis Strehlow (Fr., Clear Lake, Minn., Becker H.S.), and Brandon Christensen (Fr., Clive, Iowa, West Des Moines Valley H.S.) was second (1:36.93) in the race. The Storm sprint medley of Smith, Watkins, Josh Wardenburg (Fr., Williamsburg, Iowa, Williamsburg H.S.), and Eric Patten (Jr., Webb, Iowa, Sioux Central H.S.) placed second (3:42.47). The 4x400m "A" relay of Rounds, Bien-Aimes, Coy, and Wilson finished fourth (3:34.10). The 4x800m team of Matt Stone (Fr., Boone, Iowa, Boone H.S.), Louis Elbert (So., Indianola, Iowa, Indianola H.S.), Justin Schneider (Sr., Stuart, Iowa, Menlo H.S.), and Thomas Cotter (So., Kansas City, Mo., Rockhurst H.S.) finished third (8:37.37).
"Overall, I was very pleased with our initial team performance of 2009," said Simpson head coach Dave Cleveland. "I think we showed strengths in a lot of different areas from sprints, jumps, throws, and distance. We definitely achieved what we set out to do: Get the uniforms on for the 1st time, get the 1st time competition jitters out of the way, see people compete from a technical and performance standpoint, as well as get a time and or distance on everyone to help us set up training. We had a number of great performances that bordered on Provisional NCAA Marks. Zach Smith had a great night for his 1st time in a Simpson uniform winning the triple jump with the second longest leap in school history and long jump as well as finishing third in the 60m."
"Kinsey Bak just missed a provisional mark in the HJ clearing 5-3 ¾," Cleveland continued. "Freshmen Rory Hennessy and Carissa Coopman both won their respective divisions in the shot put. Kayla Knaack won the weight throw as well as finished fourth in the shot. Lauren Bucklin just missed a provisional mark in the 60H. Marty Rounds and Nick Wilson looked solid in the 60H as well. I was impressed with our upperclassmen compared to where they were a year ago and our freshman look to be a very good group. It should be a fun year."