CHICAGO, Ill. – The Trine University men's track and field team was victorious on Saturday at the Windy City Rumble, hosted by the University of Chicago. The Thunder paced the field of seven with a team score of 196.5.
Trine brought home five event victories: the 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, shot put, long jump and triple jump.
Josh Davis [Sterling Heights, Mich. / Sterling Heights] was the winner in the 60-meter dash at 7.04 seconds. Greysen Spohn [Peru, Ind. / Peru], Danny Vinson [Berrien Springs, Mich. / Berrien Springs], William Thonn [Rochester, Ind. / Rochester] and Maxwell Harris [Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg] came in spots three through six to score points for the Thunder.
Davis also secured a second-place finish in the 200-meter dash (23.29 seconds). Thonn, Ben Williams [Farmington Hills, Mich. / Harrison] and Jordan Grindle [Syracuse, Ind. / Wawasee] were fifth, sixth and eighth in that event.
In the 60-meter hurdles, Spohn and Jake Gladieux [Oregon, Ohio / Whitmer] tied with the lowest time of 8.42 seconds. Freshmen Evan Selby [Lake Villa, Ill. / Lake Villa] and Clayton Kirkpatrick [Kendallville, Ind. / Central Noble] were fifth and sixth in the event to score points.
Theodore Samra [Lansing, Mich. / DeWitt] was first in the shot put with a score of 14.43 meters (47' 4.25"). Travis Dowling [Swayzee, Ind. / Oak Hill] was also a scoring member for the Thunder in fourth. Samra also placed second in the weight throw at 16.30 meters (53' 5.75") and Jacob Barkey [Waterloo, Ind. / DeKalb] was fourth in that one.
The long jump saw Ethan Spahr [Osseo, Mich. / Pittsford] take home top prize at 6.39 meters (20' 11.75"). Williams, Noah McClellan [Schererville, Ind. / Lake Central], Gage Eicher [Edon, Ohio / Edon] and Andrew Cogswell [Montpelier, Ohio / Bryan] scored as well. McClellan was the top placeholder in the triple jump at 12.61 meters (47' 4.25"). Cogswell and Ben Wengerd [Goshen, Ind. / Goshen] scored in the triple jump.
To wrap up field events, Spohn and Garret Kelley [Fremont, Ind. / Fremont] tied for third in the high jump at 1.85 meters (6' 0.75") with Spahr chipping in by placing fifth. Nathan Leap [Tipton, Ind. / Tipton] was sixth to lead Trine in the pole vault with a score of 3.60 meters (11' 9.75").
The Thunder saw a pair of relay teams place second. Patrick Boulay [Noblesville, Ind. / Kaiserslautern American], Williams, Ryan Smith [Peru, Ind. / Peru] and Gladiuex combined in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:29.16 and the distance medley relay squad consisting of Holden Martin [Indianapolis, Ind. / Scecina Memorial], Blane Johnson [Allegan, Mich. / Allegan Senior], Gehrig Longe [Birmingham, Mich. / Seaholm] and Ashton Still [Sellersburg, Ind. / Silver Creek] were runners-up at 11:09.82.
Distance events were led by Martin and Philip Nemechek [East Jordan, Mich. / East Jordan] with fourth and fifth-place finishes in the 800-meter run at 2:03.47 and 2:03.57. Noah Acker [Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble] was the top Trine finisher in the 3000-meter run at 8:53.84, good for fourth as well. Nikolas Pensyl [Westfield, Ind. / Westfield] topped the charts for the Thunder in the 5000-meter run in fourth (16:38.71) and Seth Knepper [Auburn, Ind. / DeKalb] was sixth.
Next on the schedule for Trine track and field is Big Meet Friday at Grand Valley State University on Friday, February 11 and the University of Indianapolis Team Invitational on Saturday, February 12.
