The Missouri Southern State University men’s and women’s track teams logged numerous first-place finishes Friday and Saturday on the new surface inside Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
It was the first time MSSU hosted an indoor meet since February 2022.
Bryan Schiding, MSSU director of cross-country/track and field, said it is an advantage to host meets again.
“It’s fun. You get to compete in front of your home crowd and friends and your teammates and classmates. We’re just happy to be back inside,” he said.
“The surface is great,” he added. “It’s a big improvement that will help our kids train better and keep them healthier.”
Lion throwers
The two-day Missouri Southern Lion Open included another dominant performance from Lion throwers.
The Lions claimed the top three spots in the men’s shot put. Jamale Williams won the event with a personal best of 18.79 meters. Cedric Pearson was runner-up with 18.51 meters, and Trace Wooldridge finished third with a personal record of 17.79 meters.
Dailynn VanDeren won the women’s weight throw with a 19.52-meter toss. Briar Gillum (19.18 meters) was runner-up, and freshman A’Mya Criglar (16.36 meters) was fourth. Van Deren also placed first in the shot put Saturday with a 16.71-meter effort.
Lion throwers claimed spots 2-6 in the men’s weight throw. Former Lion Peyton Barton (unattached) won the event with a 21.45-meter heave. Drake Willenborg (19.83 meters) was runner-up, and Tyson Williams (18.8 meters) earned third. Isaiah Waller (18.77 meters) finished fourth, Lucas Trotter (17.67 meters) was fifth, and Erick Marchan (16.6 meters) was sixth.
Jumpers excel
The Lions also saw numerous athletes excel in the jumps, including a 1-2 finish in the women’s pole vault. Emma Hobbs took first place with a 3.68-meter vault, and Ayla Bishop (3.53 meters) was runner-up. Eva Engel was fourth with a 3.53-meter vault.
Travis Greenfield won the men’s pole vault with a 4.88-meter vault. Maddux Nesmith (4.58 meters) was third, and Logan Tacker was for fifth with a 4.28-meter vault.
Kadence Barnett won the women’s long jump with a personal best leap of 5.6 meters.
Chase Querry won the men’s long jump with a personal record of 7.36 meters. Teammate Ayden Walton was third with a jump of 7.19 meters.
Joshua Amoah-Owusu took first in the men’s triple jump, 14.23 meters, and Walton (14.08 meters) was third.
Kadence Barnett won the women’s long jump with a personal best leap of 5.6 meters, and Lillian Hart (10.81 meters) was third in the triple jump.
Avery Lawhorn (1.58 meters) was third in the women’s high jump. Marcy Miller (1.58 meters) finished fourth, and Ava Koster was fifth (1.53 meters).
In the men’s high jump, MSSU’s Carter Zbaren (1.96 meters) was fourth.
Running events
The MSSU women swept the top three spots and all set new personal best marks in the 60-meter dash. Ella Fosse finished in 7.76 seconds to place first. Keilee Johnson (7.79) was second, and Kadence Barnett (7.89) was third.
Rylan Wilson won the men’s 60-meter event with a time of 6.9 seconds — a personal record. Cameron Cleveland ran a personal best (6.97 seconds) and finished second, and Ian Nguigi PR’ed (7.08 seconds) for fifth place. Wilson also placed first in the 200-meter dash (22.39), and Nguigi (22.94) was fourth.
The Lions logged a 1-2 finish in the men’s mile. Kelton Sorrell won with a time of 4:23.05, and Caleb Leach was second (4:23.77).
Aryah Moore won the women’s 60-meter hurdles with personal best time of 8.6 seconds. Ella Fosse was runner-up (9.01), and Claire Cole (9:40) was fifth.
Tomas Foreman took first in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.35 seconds. Forman ran a personal best 8.17 seconds in the prelims. Ryan Jackson was third with a personal best of 8.47.
Miguel Solano set a personal record (1:14.66) and placed first in the 600-yard run.
Hadley Goins ran a personal best 10:43.82 to win the women’s 3,000-meter run, and Jayna Gunter was second (10:59.74).
Chase Sorrel was first in the men’s 800-meter run (1:55.84).
Anna Cantrell also set a new personal best to finish second in the women’s 800-meter run with a time of 2:26.51.
The Lions return to action next weekend when they travel to Pittsburg State University for the 11th annual Russ Jewett Indoor Gorilla Classic.
