Two-Time Winner Coates Leads WPU at Winter Series #4
Lamoni–The Statesmen men’s track and field team notched five event victories as William Penn battled at the Graceland Winter Series #4 Friday.
In the final warm-up before the squad squares off against its league counterparts at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships in two weeks, WPU recorded numerous golds, including two by Jackson Coates (So., Aldie, Va.).
The sophomore dominated the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.70 seconds and also beat all other competitors in the long jump with a mark of 23-0. Coates finished second in the triple jump as well at 42-8.
Yasin Mohammed (Fr., Laurel, Md.) bettered his teammate in the triple jump at 43-7.25, while ending up sixth in the long jump (21-0).
Mofiyinfoluwa Alade (Sr., Hoffman Estates, Ill., Exercise Science) ensured a Statesmen sweep of the jumps as he topped the high jump field at 6-7. The senior placed sixth in the 55-meter hurdles as well with a time of 8.14 seconds.
Additionally, the 4×400-meter relay team took home the crown in a time of 3:28.47.
Jasper Stottlemyer (Jr., Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sociology) was WPU’s top thrower, garnering silvers in both the shot put (49-9.75) and the weight throw (47-6.5).
Loubert Dagrin (So., Miami, Fla., Sociology) also tallied a runner-up showing in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.94 seconds.
Justin Moeller (So., Keota, Iowa) gave the navy and gold a 1-2-3 finish in the triple jump at 42-4.25, and Daniel Blanco (Sr., Westbury, N.Y., Wellness and Recreation) earned a bronze as well with an 800-meter run time of 2:13.10.
Axel Arzate-Vazquez (So., Wray, Colo., Sports Management) was William Penn’s best mile runner Friday, taking sixth in 4:46.17, while Jonah Heckenberg (Fr., Stockport, Iowa, Business Management) was eighth (4:48.58) and Ruben Perez-Rodriguez (Fr., San Antonio, Texas, Business Management) was ninth (4:50.78).
Percy Burton (Sr., Baltimore, Md., Sports Management) placed eighth in the 400-meter dash (54.85), while Jaylon Lenord (Fr., Houston, Texas) was 10th in the 55-meter dash (6.96).
“Our goal today was to move up in both the conference as well as the nation and we did that today,” Head Coach Allen Friesen said. “Coach (Danielle) Kurywchak’s crew killed it in the hurdles and jumps today with several personal bests and season bests.”
Next Up: William Penn is off until February 19-20 when it travels to Maryville, Mo. to compete at the Heart Indoor Championships.
