<n a week to go before the MIAC Indoor Championships, the Carleton College men’s track and field team seems to be peaking at the right time. A number of Knights established new personal bests during Friday evening’s competition at the Ole Open Qualifier held at St. Olaf. Among that group was senior C.J. Dale (Fox Island, Wash./Charles Wright Academy), who earned an indoor personal record in the long jump and the 60-meter hurdles.
Dale took second in the long jump with a distance of 6.51 meters and also ranked fourth in the triple jump 12.26
Classmate Bobby Davis (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) also PR’d in the 3000-meter run, placing fifth in 8:50.49. In the mile run, seniors Aaron Hirsh (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights), Matt Harrison (Minnetrista, Minn./Mound Westonka) and Adam Scherling (San Diego, Calif./University City) finished in an impressive wedge, led by Hirsh in 4:36.82 and with PR’s for Harrison (4:37.17) and Scherling (4:37.24). Noah Laack-Veeder (So./Madison, Wis./LaFollette) was Carleton’s top finisher among the event’s 48 racers, placing fifth with a personal-best time of 4:25.59.
The Knights’ younger runners turned in an impressive breakthrough in the 200-meter dash, as Colby Seyferth (So./Banks, Ore./Banks) placed second in 23.18, with Evan McNeil (So./Burnsville, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) just behind in fourth, in a personal-best time of 23.55. Jordan Washam (Jr./Cincinnati, Ohio/Groton), Garo Anguiano-Sainz (So./Chico, Calif./Chico), and Jack Percival (Fy./Newport Coast, Calif./Sage Hill) also PR’d in the event
The Knights tallied another group accomplishment in the 800-meter run. Junior Marcus Huderle (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) and first-years Joe Haase (Fitchburg, Wis./West) and Ben Hiskes (Storrs, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) each established big personal records. Huderle was fourth at 1:57.03, while both rookies won their heats. Haase placed fifth overall at 1:57.30, with Hiskes crossing the line at 2:05.18.
Carleton finished strong in the 4×400-meter relay, as the youthful coalition of Arafat Akinlabi (So./Chicago, Ill./Hubbard), Caleb Flack (Fy./Chicago, Ill./Parker), Haase, and Jack Percival (Fy./Newport Coast, Calif./Sage Hill School) won the event in 3:30.76.
The Knights will not have to travel far for the conference championships, which will be held Feb. 28-March 2 across town at St. Olaf College. Thursday’s action includes the women’s pentathlon and day one of the men’s heptathlon.
Friday sees the conclusion of the heptathlon followed by field events starting at 2:30 p.m. with the first track races beginning at 4:15. The championship concludes Saturday with field events starting at 11:00 a.m. with competition on the track resuming at 1:00 p.m.