TRACK & FIELD

Competing in the third annual Crossroads League Indoor Track & Field Championships, the Foresters claimed eight conference champ badges over the course of the two-day event at Indiana Wesleyan’s Troyer Fieldhouse.

Junior Hannah Stoffel was not only a conference champion four times over, but also set three individual meet records. On Friday, the Huntington standout won the 600 meters by clocking in with a PR and NAIA-leading time of 1:31.56. She followed up that individual performance by running away from her competition in the 800 meters (2:15.07) and 1000 meters (2:44.81) on Saturday. Her 1K time currently stands as the fastest time in the NAIA.

Stoffel’s fourth conference champion honor came in the distance medley relay where she teamed up with Aspen Dirr, Jordan Adam and Mara McFarland to set a new meet record in 11:48.16 which also proves the fastest time in the NAIA.

Dirr also earned her fair share of league champ titles. In addition to the DMR, she also ran a leg of the winning 4×800 meter relay team that took first in 9:45.29. Other members of the foursome included Olivia Von Gunten, Jessica Chojnacki and McFarland.

Individually, Dirr was the conference champ in the mile. Her winning time of 4:49.13 proved a new meet record. She also claimed a conference title and meet record in the 3000 meters by posting a time of 10:07.18. Saige Norris also had a stellar 3K race to earn All-Conference honors by finishing 3rd in 10:23.84 which even more importantly earned her a guaranteed spot at nationals.

McFarland capped off her standout performance over the weekend by landing an A standard in the 1000 meters with her fourth-place finish of 3:00.49.

Other point-getters for Huntington included Chojnacki in the 600 meters (7th, 1:42.41*PR), Emily Wellsand in weight throw (8th, 13.00 meters*PR) and the 4×400 meter relay (4th, 4:03.35).

Huntington claimed fourth as a team with 93 points.

On the men’s side, the distance medley and 4×800 relay teams both hit A standards and proved new school records. The conference championship DMR team featured Elijah Chesterman, Peyton Depriest, Josiah Sovine and Adrien Gentie. The foursome posted a winning time of 10:19.58.

In the 4×800 relay, the Foresters took second in 9:45.29. The HU team included Chesterman, Aaron Hendryx, Sovine and Haile Stutzman.

Gentie wrapped up his weekend by setting a new school record in the mile with his time of 4:19.78 which also earned him a B standard and All-Conference accolades.

Chesterman also had a solid finish to the meet by taking second in the 1000 meters to for an All-Conference badge. His time of 2:31.86 automatically qualifies him for nationals and places him second in the HU record books. He also earned four points in the 3000 meters by finishing 5th in 8:54.20.

Noah Bise was named All-Conference by taking 3rd in triple jump with his PR leap of 13.22 meters. Rounding out HU’s All-Conference honors were Bradey Gerke and Heath Atkins who finished 2nd (4410 points) and 3rd (4345 points) respectively in the heptathlon.

Kent Yoder ran a PR in the 5000 meters to hit the B standard with his time of 15:19.27 good for 5th place at the meet. He also ran the 3000 meters where he claimed 8th in 8:57.37. After breaking his own school record in the prelims of the 60 meter hurdles (6.42), Cam Worsham finished 5th in the finals with a time of 6.45.

Other point-getters for HU included Noah Bise in long jump (6th, 6.62 meters), Kyler Bourne in pole vault (8th, 4.20 meters*PR), Aaron Hendryx in the 1000 meters (4th, 2:33.80), Haile Stutzman in the 3000 meters (4th, 8:49.74) and the 4×400 meter relay (7th, 3:31.63).

As a team, HU finished sixth with 82.5 points.