Track dominates Cherry Blossom Competition

Senior+Donovan+Tolbert+competes+in+the+high+jump+during+the+MAC+Indoor+Track+and+Field+Championship+at+Stile+Athletic+Field+House+on+Saturday%2C+Feb.+27%2C+2016.

Senior Donovan Tolbert competes in the high jump during the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championship at Stile Athletic Field House on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016.

Samantha Lough

Kent State swept three events at the Cherry Blossom track meet on Saturday.

The men swept the 1500-meter race and shot put, while the women swept the 5000-meter race.

In the men’s 1500-meter race freshman Brandon Avers took first, freshman Zane Kahkonen-Keppler took second and redshirt freshman Nick Schank placed third. Sophomore Reggie Jagers dominated the field events, taking first in the discus and the hammer throw. Also placing in the discuss was junior Douglass Moorer, who came in second, junior Micheal King, who placed fifth, and redshirt sophomore David Paliscak, who took sixth. King placed first in the shot put and Paliscak took second. The men controlled the majority of the field events.

The women dominated the 1500-meter race: sophomore Morgan Bing placed second, senior Jesse Slingluff placed third, freshman Madison Spreitzer placed fourth, and in the fifth spot was redshirt sophomore Robin Foster. Freshman Katie Schmidt took eighth place in this race.

On the track, redshirt freshman Morgan Manuel also placed second in the steeplechase.

The women’s team controlled the field. Senior Jackie Leppelmeier placed first in the hammer throw and sophomore Gabrielle Figueroa placed second, while junior Rebecca Leppelmeier took the fourth spot. In the discus, Leppelmeier placed first, redshirt freshman Jai’Lyn Moseley placed second and junior Ada Nicholson-Burley placed fifth and fourth in the shot put. 

“We have a good group of throwers,” said Assistant Coach Olimpia Nowak. “Most of them qualified for regionals.”

Samantha Lough is the track and field reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected]