The Southern Utah University track and field teams took the weekend by storm at the University of Las Vegas Rebels Elite Invitational. The men’s team took first place with 216 points, narrowly beating Northern Arizona University, who put up 208. The women’s team also had a great performance, taking third place with 139 points.
Men’s team
Lanse Larsen did fantastic in the 1,500-meter, securing first place with a time of four minutes.
The Thunderbirds dominated the 400. Jaedyn Carpenter, Dylan Gibson, Nelson Douglas and Nick Pembroke were the top four finishers with times of 45.94, 46.28, 48.01 and 48.33 seconds respectively. Gibson and Douglas continued to show out in the 200. Gibson took first with a time of 21.20 seconds, and Douglas was right behind him in second, finishing in 21.35 seconds.
Southern Utah took the top spot in the 4×400 relay with Pembroke, Jace Rogers, Ashton Miller and Jared Sharp completing the race in 3:15.06.
Bronis MacDougall secured first place in the javelin throw, launching it 208-1. Cedar English placed third in the event with a throw going 191-1, and Carson Veazie took fifth with a distance of 167-4.
English and Easton Levi Smith placed top five in the long jump. English got second by clearing 24-10, and Smith jumped 22-11 1/4, earning him fourth.
Women’s team
Savannah Nielson took second in the 100 hurdles, finishing in 14.07 seconds.
In the 800, three runners finished in the top eight. Kimberly Winward placed fourth with an impressive time of 2:16.36. Gentry Perkins and Makayla Pitcher ran neck and neck to take sixth and seventh, completing the race in 2:17.20 and 2:17.33 seconds, respectively.
Emelia Thurston took first in the long jump with a distance of 18-10. Melissa Crane placed third, clearing 18-3.
The Thunderbirds grabbed the top three spots in the pole vault. Makenna Skoczylas and Ariana Baker got the unlikely tie for first with a distance of 11-6 1/2, and Shelyse Ellingford cleared 10-6 3/4, placing her in third.
SUU’s score continued growing with three athletes finishing top five in the hammer throw. Rebecca Hazelet took first with a strong throw of 192-3, Jessica Jericoff achieved third with a distance of 167-3 and Morgan Blackburn earned fifth with a 147-3 throw.
Next for SUU
The Thunderbirds will be back on the road next weekend to participate in the Bryan Clay Invite in California April 11-13.
Author: Jacob McQueary
Photographer: Noah Hales for SUU Athletics
Editor: Anden Garfield
sports@suunews.net
