Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MARION - The Grace College women's track and field team accomplished something that it had not done since the Mid-Central Conference began running women's track and field in 1992 - finish higher than fifth in the overall standings. Saturday, the women scored 90 points to finish fourth overall.
The team was led by Amy Doron, who set three school records Saturday and finished in the top four in the conference in four events. She set a school record in the 400, finishing third in 59.80 seconds. She also finished fourth in the 200 with a school-record time of 22.42 seconds and anchored the 1600 relay team to a victory with a school-record time of 4:03.81. In the one event Doron did not set a new school record, she placed second in the long jump at 17 feet, 4-3/4 inches.
Doron is a senior who went to school at Lakeland Christian Academy and did not have a track team to run on in high school. She was discovered by the Grace coaching staff during basketball season as a freshman and was encouraged to try out.
"She's getting stronger and stronger," head coach Kirk Heng said. "She'll continue to improve. She's the first woman in school history to run the 400 in under 60 seconds, and she's finally beginning to long jump like she should since she can't compete during the indoor season because of basketball."
In all, the Grace College women set eight school records. Sarah Orem won the triple jump with a leap of 35-3.25, and Tonya Christl set the school record in a new event, the pole vault. She went 8-0.5 in the first-ever women's pole vault championship for the MCC and finished third. Although she did not place in the top six, Kristen Haines set school records in the 1500 and 3000. Finally, the 3200 relay team set the final school record.
Although the men ended seventh overall with 49 points, the team set three school records and finished second in four events. Brian Harshman set a school record in the javelin, and the 3200 relay team ended second with a school-record time of 7:50.11. That is the eighth-best time run in the NAIA this year. Also, Brett Gerhart ran the 200 in 22.42 seconds, breaking a school record held since 1981.
"That has been a goal of Brett's," Heng said. "He wanted that record, and he's been working hard to get it."
When the dust cleared, Andrea Hostetler, Doron and Orem were named all-conference for the women, while Michael Kamami was named all-conference for the men after placing second in the 800 and 1500.
Grace will be competing in the NCCAA National Championships this weekend at Indiana Wesleyan University. The Lancers have 19 runners competing in 41 events at the meet Friday and Saturday. The meet should be extremely tough as some of the top runners in NAIA will be there.
"The competition is very tough," Heng said. "There will be 18 schools there, which is more than has ever been there before. To finish in the top half would be a good accomplishment."
MEN: TAYLOR 208, INDIANA WESLEYAN 109, GOSHEN 72, BETHEL 71, HUNTINGTON 65,
MARIAN 52, GRACE 49, ST. FRANCIS 24
Grace results
200 - 6. Brett Gerhart :22.42 (School record)
400 - 4. Brett Gerhart :49.63
800 - 2. Michael Kamami 1:54.19
1500 - 2. Michael Kamami 3:57.73, 6. Tim Robertson 4:08.23
400 hurdles - 3. Dave Robertson :57.24, 5. Michael Schaadt :58.01
400 relay - 5. Frenchak, Reeves, Hoover, Kamami :43.89
1600 relay - 2. Gerhart, Reeves, Schaadt, Kamami 3:22.48
3200 relay - 2. Gerhart, Belholavek, Paschal, Kamami 7:50.11 (School
record)
Shot put - 5. Brian Harshman 43-11.25
Javelin - 6. Brian Harshman 161-4.75 (School record)
WOMEN: HUNTINGTON 144, BETHEL 131, TAYLOR 109, GRACE 90, INDIANA WESLEYAN 71, GOSHEN 54, MARIAN 31, ST. FRANCIS 20
Grace results
200 - 4. Amy Doron :22.42 (School record)
400 - 3. Amy Doron :59.80 (School record), 5. Tonya Christl 1:01.88
1500 - Kristen Haines 5:15.72 (School record)
3000 - Kristen Haines 11:30.97 (School record)
100 hurdles - 6. Becky Green :16.70
400 hurdles - 1. Andrea Hostetler 1:06.79
400 relay - 3. Hostetler, Wood, Christl, Doron :50.35
1600 relay - 1. Hostetler, Wood, Christl, Doron 4:03.81 (School
record)
3200 relay - Russell, Hudyk, Moyer, Haines 10:34.09 (School
record)
Javelin - 1. Sarah Orem 108-8.75, 2. Andria Parker 104-01
Triple jump - 1. Sarah Orem 35-3.25 (School record), 2. Patricia Wood
34-4
Long jump - 2. Amy Doron 17-4.75, 6. Patricia Wood 16-3
Pole vault - 3. Tonya Christl 8-0.5 (School record)
