Going the Distance
5/10/2013 8:57:00 PM | Track & Field
Phillips earns fifth Big Sky title on opening day
The Big Sky Championships will never disappoint and day three was no exception. Montana State Track and Field showed tremendous potential between all-conference performances and lifetime bests after day one. In the scoring, the Montana State men sit in fifth place with 34 points, while the women are in ninth with 12 points. (Big Sky Results)
The field events started off with a bang when David Phillips uncorked a lifetime best distance in the hammer throw with 64.97m (213-02). In his final Big Sky hammer appearance, he certainly took capitalized on the opportunity as his mark set a new program record, his second of the season. He bested his previous height of 211-07 set just two weeks ago at the Cat-Griz Dual meet.
Phillips' ten points for Montana State was a huge boost in the first event and his teammates gave their best efforts, as well. Coming in fifth place was Derek Marsh who also notched a lifetime best with 55.51 (182-01). Sean Ferriter also picked up points for Montana State when he came in eighth with a throw of 54.69 (17905).
MSU had all six hammer throwers finish within the top-15, a very impressive feat. Sean Ferriter closed out a fantastic season of improvement, coming in eighth place with 54.69m (179-05). Calvin Root came in ninth in his first outdoor championship meet and was the third to earned a career best on Friday. Root finished with 53.90m (176-10). Zach Sharp came in 10th (52.56m/172-05) while Eddie Stevenson rounded out the throwers in 12th place overall (51.50m/168-11).
The women's shot put featured another stellar performance when Kristi VandeBergh earned her first all-conference nod, coming in third overall. The sophomore, competing in her hometown of Forest Grove, Ore., measured a throw of 14.57m (47-09.75).
The men's shot yielded another all-conference showing, as well. Trevor Gilreath earned the silver medal behind Zach Coniglio, who won the event at the indoor championships. Gilreath may not have won the event but he did record a lifetime best distance of 17.75m (58-03) which now ties him for fifth in the Bobcat record books.
In the long jump, two Bobcats finished in point-scoring position. James Andrews, in his first and only Big Sky Championship meet placed fifth with a distance of 6.93m (22-09), a best for the senior and former Bobcat Football player. Jake Mushaben placed just two spots behind him in seventh. Mushaben launched himself to a season best 6.87m (22-06.50). Andrews and Mushaben were initially seeded 17th and 18th, respectively and came out ready to compete.
In the first running event of the meet, Heather Demorest crossed the finish line in 10:29.12, marking a huge career best time for the Darby, Mont. native. Her previous best was 10:40.97. Her third place finish also marks her first individual all-conference performance. Demorest placed seventh in the indoor 3,000 back in February.
The women's 100 hurdles produced one qualifier out when Katie Niemeir gabbed the last spot for Saturday's final. She crossed the finish line in 14.32. Chelsea Bourque came in 11th (14.74) while Paige Squire finished in 14th (14.91) but both either improved or matched their best times of their collegiate careers. Sadie McMillan came in 17th (15.35).
In the 400, both entries for MSU advanced out of the preliminary race. Sonia Antar finished in 55.52, a lifetime best for the sophomore. Her time gives her the fourth seed for Saturday's final. Iris Hardarson also qualified with her prelim time of 55.81, also a life best.
Chris Wilson will compete in his third consecutive 100 meter final after finishing third in the preliminary race. The junior crossed the finish line in 10.82 behind two Southern Utah sprinters. Nick Melone was just edged out and came in ninth overall in 10.96, just four one-hundredths behind the eighth finals spot. Wilson also punched his ticket for the 200 finals after finishing first in his heat in 21.63.
Lierin Flanagan will live to run another day as she finished the preliminary of the 800 among the top eight overall. She clocked in with a time of 2:10.53, which is the second fastest time in the field.
In the men's 800, the dynamic duo of Grant Grosvenor and Matt Tex sped their way to Saturday's final. Both won their heat and Tex has the second fastest time with 1:51.56 after the preliminary. Grosvenor's time of 1:52.48 gives him the fourth seed. Grosvenor won both the indoor and outdoor titles in 2012 and placed second at this year's indoor championship in the 800.
Niemeir qualified for her second final on Friday night after blowing away the competition in the first heat of the 400 hurdles. Joining her in Saturday's final will be Madeline Fuchs. Niemeir clocked in at 1:01.59, while Fuchs had a time of 1:02.59. Fuchs was the conference runner-up in 2012.
In the 200, Chantel Jaeger, in her only individual event of the championships, beat the clock to race again in the final on Saturday. She clocked in with a time of 24.49. Chelsea Bourque also competed and came in 14th in 25.45.
Other finishes included Jacob Kirk in ninth place in the steeplechase (9:15.03); Madison Wills was 20th in the hammer throw (43.10m/141-05); Nick Melone in the 400 hurdles and came in 11th place (54.17).
The final day of the Big Sky Championships begins at 11:30 a.m. (MDT) on Saturday with the field events and 1 p.m. with the 4x400 relay.
