HILLSBORO, Kan. – The Southwestern College men's and women's outdoor track & field squads competed on Saturday at the Tabor College Invite. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) counterpart hosted their annual event, as the Builders posted top-shelf performances in several events on both the men's and women's sides.

In the men's 100m Dash, Philip Jones notched a time of 10.89 to earn fourth place in the event. Keyshawn Jones finished just behind him in fifth with a time of 10.92. Nick Jones also posted a top-10 finish, crossing the line in ninth place with a 11.09 second clip. Tutu Nyamakope finished 16^th with a time of 11.33, while Isaiah Spears rounded out the Moundbuilders with a 26^th-place finish at 12.11 seconds.

Women's 100m Hurdles were run by Kentayshija Pruitt, who clocked in at 17.24 and ended up placing second in the race. The men's version of the event, the 110m Hurdles, had both Hayden Boydston (3^rd, 15.83) and Isai Aguilar (5^th, 18.78) compete for SC on Saturday.

The women's 200m Dash was dominated by Kyah Hill, who earned the triumph in the event with a time of 25.86 seconds. She was followed by Meliah Hanna, who finished third with a clip of 26.21. Lily Blankenship was the remaining Builder to run the race, ending the run in eighth place with a time of 27.79 seconds. The men's 200m competition was loaded with talent, as P. Jones managed to come in eighth place with a time of 22.20. He was the top SC finisher, as Kiare Worthy clocked in at 22.77 in 10^th. Then, Kyle Richardson placed 19^th with a time of 23.50, and Antwone Crawford was at his heels with a 23.56 clip. Andrez Ramirez ended the race in 24.67 in 27^th place. Spears finished 31^st in 25.14 seconds to round out the roster of Builders.

Southwestern's list of three women in the 400m Run included Hill (1^st, 58.07), Hanna (4^th, 1:02.21) and Blankenship (6^th, 1:07.77). They each finished with great times, but Hill posted her career-best mark in the event, as did Blankenship. The men's side of the event had Crawford (7^th, 54.32), Aguilar (8^th, 54.49) and Ramirez (11^th, 56.96) compete for SC.

Another winner was tallied by the Moundbuilders in the men's 800m Run. Austin Schaeffer nabbed the victory with a clip of 1:59.17. Andrew Mitchell placed eighth, finishing the run in 2:04.41. Luis Bellor-Gardner (10^th, 2:05.82), Gabe Vannucchi (11^th, 2:06.79) and Tyshawn Brownfield (12^th, 2:07.09) finished back-to-back-to-back. Then, Mason Blochowiak's 15^th-place finish with a time of 2:08.43 came before Maliki Pope (22^nd, 2:15.55) and Jacob Baer (2:16.13).

Kirstin Hackney had an impressive run in the women's 1500m. She clocked in at 5:12.81 in the event, placing fifth in the process. The men's 1500m roster was a bit more extensive, as Schaeffer nabbed a second-place finish with a time of 4:07.53. Then, Blochowiak finished 10^th at 4:26.25, and Bellor-Gardner came in three spots later with a time of 4:30.35. Pope's 15^th-place ending at 4:31.52, in addition to Baer's 4:48.89 run in 19^th place, came in front of Jamell Sanchez's 5:02.17 race in 21^st place.

Sanchez competed in the men's 3000m Steeple, as well, clocking in at 12:24.52. That performance nabbed him third place.

Kacie Lancaster's breakout senior season continued with a triumph in the women's 5000m. She clocked a 19:50. 29 clip, winning the event as the only Southwestern entry. Meseret Elgin came in second place on the men's side of the 5000m, finishing in 16:34.19.

Vanessa Mendoza began the field events with a 14^th-place finish in women's Discus Throw, tossing 87'7" on her best attempt. Trevor Peterson's seventh-place finish in the men's Discus Throw came on a toss of 124'10".

Hammer Throw brought five total athletes to compete, with three on the women's side and two for the men. Ketura Earl paced the SC women with a 136'0" throw of the hammer to finish fifth. Alejandra Handie managed to come in eighth with a distance of 112'9". Mendoza then ended the women's squads' participation with a 14^th-place finish. She tossed the hammer 96'0". Peterson came in 11^th for the men, heaving the weight 110'0", while Jaylen Spencer managed to toss 98'3" to place 13^th.

Hanna did not just run track events with speed, but also finished fifth in the High Jump for Southwestern. She leapt 4'10.5" as the lone Builder participant.

Gabby Murchison's Javelin performances of late have been impressive, and she continued to show that prowess with a toss of 96'1". She placed third in the event, overall. Peterson's 10^th-place showing in men's Javelin was earned by a 138'7" launch.

Competing for Southwestern in women's Pole Vault was Kloie Simons, who was able to reach the 2.74m mark, placing her in fourth place in the competition.

Finally, in Shot Put, SC sent forth three women to compete, along with one man. Paiden Bell paced the Moundbuilder women with an 11^th-place showing. She launched 31'10.75" to lead the team. Earl came in 14^th with a distance of 29'11.25", while Murchison rounded out the list with a 28'0" throw to place 15^th. Spencer's performance in the men's side of the event placed him 13^th. He ended up reaching a mark of 37'4.5".

Two relay squads raced for Southwestern, as well, as both the men's 4x100m Relay and men's 4x400m Relay squads were in action. P. Jones, Worthy, N. Jones and K. Jones made up the 4x100m team and finished in second place with a time of 41.94, just two tenths off of the national qualifying 'B' standard. Then, Crawford, Richardson, Worthy and Brownfield came in third in the 4x400m Relay, posting a time of 3:30.02.

Overall, the Moundbuilders continue to show improvement over the course of the season, and will have one more meet preceding the KCAC Championships in Hillsboro. That event is the Mike Kirkland SC Relays, hosted by Southwestern College, which will be held on Saturday, Apr. 29 inside Richard L. Jantz Stadium.

--buildersports.com--