COLUMBIA, S.C. – Seniors
Ryan Hastings (Matthews, N.C./Porter Ridge) and
Isaiah Relliford (Winston-Salem, N.C./White Oak) each won events to lead the Appalachian State men's track and field team at the Weems Baskin Invitational, hosted by South Carolina, on Friday and Saturday
Hastings captured the invitational 800-meter run 1:49.85. His time was nearly a second better than the second place finisher.
Relliford took the lead in the open triple jump on his second leap, covering 47-5.25. He would then post a better mark of his next jump, cover 47-6.25. He finished nearly two inches ahead of the second-place finisher.
In the 100-meter dash, sophomore
Jabari Johnson (Yokosuka, Japan/Nile C. Kinnick) finished in a tie for sixth with a time of 10.44 seconds. The time now ranks as the sixth fastest time in the event in program history. It marks the second time in as many meets that he has cracked the top-10 list, after posting the sixth fastest time in program history (21.07 seconds) in the 200-meter dash last weekend at the 49er Classic.
The 3,000-meter steeplechase saw the Mountaineers finish in three of the top-five spots. Sophomore
Lawson Benfield (Apex, N.C./Apex) was second in a PR time of 9:31.71, senior
Evan Georges (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic) was third in 9:32.85 and freshman
Zachary Mercer (Mooresville, N.C./Mooresville Senior) placed fifth in 10:04.14.
In the pole vault invitational, the Apps claimed two of the top-five spots. Junior
Tristian Shaver (Thomasville, N.C./Ledford) was fourth with a PR mark of 16-4.75 and junior
Michael Utecht (New Hill, N.C./Apex) placed fifth, clearing a height of 15-11.00.
Jabari Johnson teamed with sophomore
Jordan Johnson (Winston-Salem, N.C./East Forsyth), sophomore
Elliott Graves (Reidsville, N.C./Rockingham Early College) and freshman
Brenton Ervin (Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek) for a fourth-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay in 41.37 seconds.
In the open hammer throw, junior
Peter Kenn (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth) placed fifth with a toss of 159-7. Kenn also finished sixth in open discus event with a mark of 145-4.
The 3200-meter relay tandem of senior Colin Loy (Burlington, N.C./Southern Almance), sophomore
Sean Doyle (Rutherfordton, N.C./Polk County), sophomore
Ian Foley (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor) and sophomore
John Fravel (Roswell, Ga./Milton) crossed fifth in 8:08.07.
Loy was eighth in the open 1,500-meter run in 4:05.35.
The Mountaineers will compete again on March 30 and March 31 at the Raleigh Relays hosted by N.C. State.
