MARION, IND. -- The Trine University men's track and field team placed fourth at the two-day Indiana Little State Championships hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.
The Thunder totaled 77 points to finish fourth of 14 teams. The University of Indianapolis took the team title with 141.25 points and was followed by host school Indiana Wesleyan with 134.5 points. Rounding out the top three teams was Bethel (Ind.) College with 100.75 points.
In the running events, senior Patrick Richardville (Leo, Ind./Leo) won the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.87 seconds. Junior Jeffery Barnett (Fremont, Ohio/Fremont-Ross) also competed in the event and placed sixth with a mark of 11.23 seconds
The duo went on to compete in the 200-meter dash and Richardville crossed the finish line in second place after clipping the tape in a time of 22.21 seconds. Barnett placed sixth overall with a time of 22.93 seconds.
Junior Jasper Bassett (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) placed third overall in the 400-meter dash after completing the event in a time of 49.55 seconds.
Sophomore Vilis Vuskalns (Indianapolis, Ind./Beech Grove) placed fifth in the 5000-meter run in a time of 15:47.03 and freshman Jack Beakas (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) also posted a fifth-place finish in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 32:51.05. In addition to Beakas in the 10,000m, senior Robert Duke (Greentown, Ind./Eastern) finished in sixth place (32:55.07), senior Collin Elek (Osceola, Ind./Penn) was ninth (33:43.90) and freshman Harrison Korkos (Rochester, Ind./Rochester) was 12th (34:45.12).
In the 1,500-meter run, freshman Derek Miller (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview) had the best overall time for Trine at 4:07.55 which was the sixth fastest mark. Teammate and freshman, Levi Neuzerling (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) also competed in the event and placed 11th in a time of 4:10.17.
Junior Kody Snyder (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lake) placed seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:01.77 and was followed by freshman Neil O'Brien (Whiteland, Ind./Roncalli) in 11th place in a time of 10:18.97.
Rounding out the top finishes in the running events was senior Paul Baker who placed ninth in the 800-meter run in a time of 1:59.59.
The top overall finish in the field events was turned in by the duo of juniors Ryan Haarer (Goshen, Ind./Northridge) and Jacob Payne (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) who tied for third after clearing the bar at a height of 14' 1.25" (4.30 meters).
The Thunder had three individuals place in the top-15 in the javelin with freshman Chance Wilson (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) finishing fifth after a best toss of 146' 0.00" (44.52 meters). Senior David Schaaf (Kokomo, Ind./Northwestern) placed 10th with a distance of 133' 2.00" (40.59 meters) and freshman Matt Klenke (Alexandria, Ind./Alexandria) was 13th following a throw of 128' 9.00" (39.26 meters).
In the hammer, junior Nicholas Gerber (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) recorded a distance of 177' 6.00" (54.11 meters) to place fifth and junior Mitchell Martin (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) also competed in the event and was seventh with a throw of 164' 7.00" (50.18 meters).
Sophomore Skyler Dunckley (Cedar, Mich./Traverse City West) led Trine in the shot put with a 10th-place finish following a toss of 44' 4.75" (13.53 meters) and was followed by Gerber in 11th place and a throw of 43' 11.75" (13.40 meters). Freshman Nicolas Kane (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) also competed in the event and was 15th overall following a best effort of 42' 2.00" (12.85 meters).
Trine is scheduled to compete in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Outdoor Championships on Thursday-Friday, May 3-4 hosted by Adrian College in Adrian, Mich. The first day's events are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.