The BG women’s track team won this weekend’s Bluffton Invitational, scoring 337 points to defeat Ferris State (136). Albion (58.5), Bluffton (51.5)and Tiffin (48.5) rounded out the top five. The Falcons had 14 first place finishes, with 32 athletes placing in the top eight to score points towards the win.
“Overall, I was happy we made it out of the weekend healthy. We had some quality efforts. Everybody got done what we asked of them and we were able to perform without worrying about outside factors,” head coach Scott Sehmann said.
The sprint squad opened the meet with several first place finishes. In the 100 meter dash, Alicia Taylor, Valerie Holland and Jessica White finished claiming the top three places. Danielle Zumfelde came in sixth place.
Holland and White took first and second in the 200 meters, followed by teammates Amber Walker and Betsy Grove in fourth and seventh place respectively. In the 400 meter dash, Walker, Ashley Tukes and Grove placed first, second and fourth.
The distance runners also enjoyed the taste of success as well. Melissa Krueger and Amber Culp took first and second in the 1500 meter run ahead of teammates Nicole Suitor, Elise Gould and Caroline Kipchaba in fourth, sixth and seventh place. Kim Settle won the 800 meters, followed by Culp in third and Suitor in sixth.
In the 5000 meter run, Leslie Carden and Leighann Kramer finished fifth and seventh respectively to score six points.
Six Falcon hurdlers scored in the meet for BG. Taylor and Nicole Standback took the top two places in the 100 meter hurdles, with Jenny Ziegler, Lyndi Springer and Melja Seibert in fifth, sixth and seventh place. In the 400 meter hurdles, Springer and Heather Gustin placed second and third. Emily Jackson placed second in the 3000 meter steeplechase for BG.
BG’s ‘A’ relay teams won both the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400 meter relays. The ‘A’ team was pushed by the ‘B’ and ‘C’ team which took third in the 4 x 100 and second and third in the 4 x 400.
“There was more comraderie [in this meet]. The relay [teams] got to compete against each other and when you have 40 athletes traveling together, that’s bound to happen. We’re going to continue striving to keep building bonds,” Sehmann said.
The Falcon throwers and jumpers took control of the field events, winning six. Veronica Vance, Standback and Sharonda Alexander took the first three places in the triple jump. In the high jump, Erica Wilson tied for first place. Wilson also won the long jump with teammates Vance, Alexander and Standback in second, fourth and fifth place. In the shot put, Kerri McClung, Liz Honegger and Bussey took the top three places, followed by Carol Anderson in seventh. McClung and Bussey took second and fourth in the hammer throw. Andi Bunko won the javelin throw, with teammate Alyson Lee in fourth place. In the pole vault, Jennifer Peck took third and Jenny Ziegler placed seventh for BG. Standout freshman basketball player Liz Honegger won the discus throw in her first meet as a Falcon. Sarah Favata, Paris Bussey and Darcy Drewes took fifth, sixth and seventh in the same event.
“[Liz Honegger] brings quality credentials from her senior year in high school. Track has not been her primary focus until now. It’s exciting to have someone as athletic as she is in the group of throwers,” Sehmann said.
