Nauman, Relay Teams Both Score on Day 2 As Juniata Claims Sixth in Landmark Championships
HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Landmark Track & Field Championships concluded on Sunday, with Juniata athletes competing in a number of events throughout the day and the final results being determined for the meet. Juniata also served as host for this year's meet, welcoming the rest of the Landmark schools to Huntingdon.
The day began with Brenden Nauman (Myerstown, Pa. / ELCO) and Barrett Walters (Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata) competing in the Hammer Throw. Nauman produced a personal best, putting up a distance of 39.91m and earning a sixth-place finish. Walters fell just short of the points-paying positions, finishing ninth with his best distance of 38.52m.
Ellis Kline (Corvallis, Ore. / Corvallis) was the first Eagle to run on Day 2, putting up a new personal best in the 3,000 Meter Steeplechase with his time of 11:42.96, which placed him 17th in the event.
Runners Thomas Cope (Fogelsville, Pa. / Allentown Central Catholic), Andrew Donlan (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area), Zion Gomez (Chesapeake, Va. / Grassfield), and Ari Tendo (Ottawa, Canada / Beaconsfield (Quebec)) then teamed up to compete in the 4x100 Meter Relay, with the group earning fourth place and putting up their season best time of 45.26 seconds. Donlan and Cope then both competed in the 400 Meter Dash, with Donlan placing 14th and clocking in at 54.32 seconds, while Cope finished 17th at 59.26 seconds, which was also a personal best. The four then regrouped to compete in the 4x400 Meter Relay. They earned sixth place with their time of 3:42.43, which was also a season best for the group.
The combined results between the two days' events were good for 23 points and a sixth-place overall finish for the Eagles. Walters' gold medal in Saturday's Hammer Throw, along with his points finish in the Discus, Nauman's points finish in the Hammer Throw, and the relay team's double season-best times served as big highlights and were key in driving the Eagles up the standings. With Cope being the team's sole senior, the roster will remain largely intact for the upcoming 2022-23 season and they'll look to continue building their momentum and push further up the standings.