Indoor track and field teams have successful opener

WAVERLY – Wartburg College produced 11 women's and 10 men's individual event titles at the season-opening Wartburg Relays Jan. 14.

Coach Marcus Newsom's women's team won five of the six relays with firsts in the 4x200, 4x400, 1600 meter sprint medley, 4x1600 and 4x800. The Orange and Black also gained six non-relay event championships.

The sprint duo of junior Skye Morrison of Chicago, Ill., and freshman Tashina McAllister of Oelwein swept the 60 meter dash (Morrison – 7.9 seconds) and 60 meter hurdles (McAllister – 9.25 seconds), while junior Kendra Kregel of Delhi won the long jump (16 feet, one inch), sophomore Monique Davisson of Cedar Rapids claimed the triple jump (37 feet, five inches), junior Sarah Hoffmann of Farley won the shot put (41 feet, five and three-quarters inches) and senior Rachael Andresen of Hudson took top honors in the weight throw (42 feet, seven inches). Davisson's effort in the triple jump was an NCAA Division III provisional national qualifying mark.

For the men, the story was around freshman Jonas Elsume. The Boynton Beach, Fla., had a collegiate opener that few would forget. He began his evening with a high NCAA Division III provisional mark in the high jump at six feet, eight and three quarters inches and continued on one event later with a winning leap of 23 feet, one and a quarter inches in the long jump, also a national provisional qualifying mark. Junior teammate Wendell Booth of Deer River, Minn., also provisionally qualified in the long jump, placing second at 22 feet, three inches, to go along with his title in the triple jump (43 feet, three and three quarters inches). The underclassman theme in the field events continued for the Knights with sophomore Torrence Harris of LaGrange, Ill., winning the pole vault at 11 feet, five and three quarters inches.

Along running lines, Newsom's squad won the 4x200, 4x400, 4x1600, 1600 meter sprint medley and distance medley relays. Sophomore Larry Johnson of Cedar Rapids picked up the final men's event title in the 60 meter hurdles (8.7 seconds).

Wartburg's 2011 indoor season resumes next weekend (Jan. 21-22) at the Iowa State University Cyclone Open. The Knights return to Hoover Fieldhouse for the Lutheran Triangular meet Friday and Saturday, Jan. 28 and 29.