Field event athletes shine in opener of outdoor season

Taking a small group of field event athletes to compete at the Coffeyville Early Bird Invitational on Thursday, the Cowley College men and women's track and field teams had a successful start to the outdoor season.

Cowley had a pair of national qualifiers on both the men and women's side. The Tigers were led by Luke Faulkner (pole vault) and Connor Kaplinger (javelin) placing first and hitting national qualifying marks in their respective events.

The Lady Tigers' Arantxa Cortez, the indoor national champion in the pole vault, placed first in the event with a national qualifying mark of 10-10 ¼. Fellow freshman Bernesha Knowles placed second in the hammer throw with a national qualifying throw of 141-6.

"It was good for them to get the weight off their back on hitting national qualifying marks," Cowley head coach Cameron Rieth said. "It was a good start to the outdoor season."

Cowley will be back in action Friday at 9 a.m. when they take part in the Emporia State Spring Invitational. With it being Spring Break, the Tigers will once again have a limited number of athletes compete.

"We want to keep the race rust off and hope to get some additional national qualifiers," Rieth said.

Results:

MEN

*Pole vault – Luke Faulkner, 13-9 ¾, first, national qualifier; Slade Roberts, 10-10 ¼, second; Felipe Mentz, 8-10 ¾, third.

*Discus – Mario Garcia-Arrayo, 142-10, first; Abner Johnson, 133-10, fourth; Trevor Green, 124-5, fifth.

*Shot put – Ahmed Brown, 46-10, fourth.

*Hammer – Trevor Green, 143-9, third; Simeon Faagai, 139-4, fourth; Jaden Schneeberger, 128-5, fifth; Brown, 125-0, sixth; Johnson, 120-11, seventh; Garcia-Arrayo, 111-10, eighth.

*Javelin – Connor Kaplinger, 171-1, first, national qualifier.

WOMEN

*Pole vault – Arantxa Cortez, 10-10 ¼, first, national qualifier; Channa Hines, 10-2 ½, second.

*Shot put – Rashanna Thorne, 39-7, first; Alejandra Handie, 37-9 ½, second; Kyra Choice, 35-11 ¼, fourth; Dajian Salmon, 35-9 ¼, fifth; Shardenai Davis, 33-11 ¼, sixth.

*Discus – Bernesha Knowles, 113-8, second; Kayla McClellan, 111-0, third.

*Hammer – Knowles, 141-6, second, national qualifier; McClellan, 136-3, third; Sarah Robinson, 131-3, fourth; Handie, 117-5, fifth.

*Javelin – Davis, 104-8, first.