The men’s and women’s track team combined for six first-place finishes in as many events during this weekend’s Northeast Ohio Quad at the University of Akron.

Freshman Christian Champen’s managed a personal-record 5.25-meter score in the pole vault event Saturday and tied for a top finish. Just a year ago, he earned All-America honors in the pole vault category while with his team at Northmont High School. On Saturday, he also finished fourth in the long jump category, though the Flashes’ freshman T.J. Lawson was runner-up in that category with a 7.14-meter jump. Junior David Paliscak finished second in shot put with a 17.10-meter throw.

Though Champen’s win was the men’s only overall victory, the women’s team clinched five categories behind the efforts of eight athletes.

Three long-distance runners — senior Hannah Fleck in the 800-meter, senior Caroline Sauers in the 1,600-meter run and freshman Morgan Arena in the 3,000-meter runs — finished in first place. Fleck had a 2:12.55 time, Sauers managed a 4.42.25 mark and Arena ran a 10:14.58.

The 4×100-meter relay team and sophomore Jai’Lyn Mosley in the discus throw added top honors of their own. Mosley had a 49.39-meter toss and the relay team finished with a 45.87 time. That squad is composed of sophomore Kayla Seymour, senior Jorian Ordway, freshman Mi’Angel Daniels and junior Bennisha Nunn, all of whom also won the relay event at the Crimson Tide Invitational in Alabama last weekend.

Akron, Ashland and Youngstown State all participated in the invitational. The Flashes’ women’s team defeated both Ashland and Youngstown State but fell to Akron in scoring, while the men’s team only earned more points than Ashland. Both squads will participate in the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State next weekend.

Jimmy Miller is the editor-in-chief of The Kent Stater, contact him at [email protected].