3/1/2008 - LINFIELD ICEBREAKER: Bruins Earn Three Firsts as Track Season Gets Under Way
Linfield Invitational Results (M) / Linfield Invitational Results (W)
McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Melissa Leighty captured the women's 100 meter hurdles, Dakari Kongela won the men's triple jump, and the men's 4x400 meter relay team took top honors as the outdoor track and field season got under way for the George Fox University Bruins in the Linfield College Icebreaker Saturday here at Maxwell Field.
Leighty ran the hurdles in 15.95 and also placed second in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.72. The speedy freshman was a Second Team All-Northwest Conference performer for the Bruin women's soccer team in the fall.
The Bruins also posted a strong showing in the women's long jump as both Elisha Kampfe and Cindy Walsh jumped the same distance of 17-02.75 (5.25m). The 4x400 meter relay team of Kelly Bladorn, Naomi Harder, Mollie Honan, and Irene Johnson got 2nd with a time of 4:13.52, only 14/100ths of a second off the winning mark of 4:13.38 by the Vixmix Track Club.
Other top five finishes for the George Fox women included Rachel Giffey-Brohaugh with a 4th in the 5,000 meter run (18:26.55), Irene Johnson with a 4th in the 100 meter dash (13.07), and Honan with a 5th in the 200 meter dash (27.01).
Kongela took the men's triple jump with a distance of 43-07.75 (13.30m), over a foot longer than his nearest competitor. The Bruins' 4x400 champions, who ran a 3:23.37, included Ryan Forbes, Nate Dillow, John Zaganiacz, and Ben Dillow.
George Fox had a strong duo in the men's 10,000 meter run as Grant Finney placed 2nd in 33:22.58 and David Delmore was 4th in 33:44.24. Fourths were posted by Sam McKenzie in the triple jump (40-10.25/12.45m) and Ben Burgess in the hammer throw (150-03/45.81m). Bruin head coach John Smith came in 3rd in the discus (136-00/41.46).
The next competition for the Bruins is the Northwest Conference South Meet at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., on Friday, March 7, with events slated to begin at 10:00 a.m.