Indoor track and field has great showing at CMU

Archived Photos // Leilani Casteele

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Back on the track for the first time in 2024, the Albion College indoor track and field team had a solid showing at the Jack Skoogs Invitational.

Eddie Hines won the weight throw with a mark of 14.59m. Just behind him was Derrelle Murray, recording a toss of 14.18m. The duo went on to go 1-2 as well in the shot put, with Hines winning (15.16m). Murray was just behind with a throw of 15.00m.

Ronnie Puczkowski's jump of 13.31m won him the men's triple jump.

Tess Anthony was the runner-up in the weight throw and the highest placing DIII athlete with a toss of 14.88m. Later in the day, the junior was fifth in the shot put with a throw of 11.88m. Sophomore Leilani Casteele was tenth with a mark of 13.03m – a career-best.

In the high jump, freshman Carly Frank was tied for first with a 1.55m. Tori Geirach placed fourth with a jump of 1.37m. On the men's side, Henry Wehrly (1.47m) was sixth and Larry Reed Jr. (1.71m) placed seventh.

Wehrly and Omar Gordon Jr. were second and third in the men's long jump. Wehrly recorded a 6.24m jump, as Gordon Jr,'s was a 6.19m. Junior Brayden Stavros turned in a jump of 3.95m to take third in the pole vault.

KingDavid Adedapo ran an 8.74 to win the 60m hurdles and record a new career-best.

With a time of 9.70, Nayaisha Alexander Edmond took second in the 60m hurdles. She also claimed eighth in the 60m dash with a time of 8.59. Freshman Alexis Ames took tenth in the event with a race of 8.68 before finishing ninth in the 200m dash (28.81).

In the 800m run, Olivia DeGraaf (2:38.11) and Fatima Cruz (2:38.61) were 13th and 14th for the Brits. Veronica Paniccia and Melanie Symons were ninth and tenth, respectively, in the 600m run.

The team of Alexander Hammond, Josiah Graddick, Logan Vining and Ruark Wicka placed fourth in the men's DMR (11:25.68). Albion's B team was fifth with a time of 12:09.52, composed of Heath LaPointe, David Chafty, Juan Lopez and Connor Clark. Vining, a freshman, was third in the 800m run, clocking in a 2:02.89.

Senior Houston Bowen Jr. ran a 4:53.01 to finish tenth in the mile.

Albion had three runners finish in the top five in the 60m dash. Will Davis placed second (7.08), while Puczkowski was fourth (7.18) and DaMario Chapman placed fifth (7.21). In the 200m dash, Davis and Chapman were 2-3, with races of 23.11 and 23.24.

Josiah Graddick claimed second in the 600m run, finishing in 1:26.68.

Albion had a pair of men's teams compete in the 4x4, as Chafty, Juan Lopez, Vining and Graddick were sixth. The B team of Wicka, Adan Rojas, Hammond and Clark placed eighth.

Next Saturday, the Britons will compete at the Steemer Invitational, hosted by Wittenberg University.

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Players Mentioned

Houston Bowen Jr.: Mid-Distance; Freshman

DaMario Chapman: Sprints, Jumps; Freshman

Omar Gordon Jr: Sprints, Jumps; Freshman

Derrelle Murray: Throws; Freshman

Ronnie Puczkowski: Sprints; Freshman

Nayaisha Alexander Edmond: Hurdles; Freshman

Tess Anthony: Throws; Junior

Olivia DeGraaf: Distance; Junior

Leilani Casteele: Throws; Sophomore

Fatima Cruz: Distance; Junior

Melanie Symons: Distance; Sophomore

Alexis Ames: Sprints; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Houston Bowen Jr.
: Freshman
: Mid-Distance

DaMario Chapman
: Freshman
: Sprints, Jumps

Omar Gordon Jr
: Freshman
: Sprints, Jumps

Derrelle Murray
: Freshman
: Throws

Ronnie Puczkowski
: Freshman
: Sprints

Nayaisha Alexander Edmond
: Freshman
: Hurdles

Tess Anthony
: Junior
: Throws

Olivia DeGraaf
: Junior
: Distance

Leilani Casteele
: Sophomore
: Throws

Fatima Cruz
: Junior
: Distance

Melanie Symons
: Sophomore
: Distance

Alexis Ames
: Freshman
: Sprints