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Aches and pains create another hurdle
as track team prepares to host multi event
The Advocate
Instead of having to fight through the gusting winds faced a week earlier, the MHCC track and field team had to battle through physical issues Saturday in the Shotwell Classic at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma.
In addition to losing several male athletes due to academic ineligibility, Hart said the team's athletic trainer has been working hard to help manage the injuries the team has endured.
"We have quite a few aches and pains on both the men's and women's side," Hart said. "We are really putting a lot of energy on getting healthy. Emily Faulk (our athletic trainer) has been very busy and doing a great job trying to get our athletes ready to go."
The difficulties weren't enough to put a damper on the women's sprinters and throwers, who once again competed strong at the meet. Noteworthy performances included sophomore Terra Zodrow's second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles (15.27) and the third- place finish by freshman Molly Scoles in the 200-meter (26.35). Scoles was followed closely by sophomore Laura Knudson, who placed fourth (26.44).
Both women's relay teams also managed to place in the top three, with the 4x100-meter team, consisting of Scoles and sophomores Mariah Crumpler, Knudson and Zodrow, placing second (49.69) and the 4x400-meter team, consisting of the same members, placing third (4:11).
In the women's throws, freshman Kaitlin Doyle placed first in the shot put (11.58 meters) followed by freshman Tori Dixson, who placed third (10.45 meters).
Doyle also placed second in the discus (39.21 meters) and Dixson finished fourth (33.44 meters).
On the men's side, freshman Jacob Troupe placed fourth in the high jump (1.81 meters) as well fifth in the long jump (6.44 meters) and freshman Chris Un placed fifth in the triple jump (13.20 meters).
At the beginning of the season, Hart felt the team was on par with the best in the region, but with the loss of nine athletes due to academic ineligibility, his expectations have changed.
"We went from being a Southern Region Championship caliber team to being pretty much out of the championship hunt. We are hoping that all of our eligible men continue to compete well and improve so we can have a lot of positive energy going into next year," he said.
This weekend will be a busy one for MHCC track and field. The teams head to Monmouth today for the John Knight Twilight Invite today, and then Sunday and Monday will host the annual Mt. Hood Multi Meet, a meet for heptathlon and decathlon athletes only.
Last year Hart had numerous athletes experiment for the first time in the multi-event competition, and he said several placed well.
"Terra Zodrow will be competing for the women and we may have a guy or two competing in the (multi-meet)," he said.
In addition to Zodrow, Hart said he is confident in the women's team's ability to perform at a high level.
"Our women's team has a lot of talent and if we come together as a team and try to pick up points, we may have a shot at challenging the Southern Region teams at the championship," he said. "I am hoping we can get one or two more women to participate in the Heptathlon."
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