Beautiful weather and great competition set the Chargers up for success this weekend at the University of Cincinnati.
The dynamic pole-vaulting duo of senior Jared Schipper and freshman Ben Raffin had a strong showing as they took first and second, respectively. Schipper cleared 4.99 meters and Raffin was just behind with 4.89.
The Chargers' 4-by-100 meter relay team won its heat by nearly a second to take fifth overall. Freshmen Jacob Schmidt and John Baldwin teamed up with seniors Nathan Pando and Levi Wyse to run 42.30 seconds.
Schmidt, Pando, and Wyse all ran the 100 meter dash as well. Schmidt led the way for Hillsdale to tie for 11th in 11.10 seconds. Pando finished in 11.25 to take 17th and Wyse finished right behind him in 11.31.
In the 110 meter hurdles, three Chargers ran together in the first heat. Baldwin led the way to take fourth in 14.75 seconds. Junior Ian Brown took sixth, finishing in a season-best time of 15.00 seconds. Sophomore Ryan Thomsen finished with a new season-best 15.28 to take sixth.
Hillsdale's 400 meter hurdlers had a great day, as they both finished with a new personal best. Junior David Downey took eighth in 56.55, which eclipses his previous best of 56.64. Freshman Kevin Curby dropped nearly two seconds to earn his new personal best time of 56.58. He took ninth overall.
Pando ran a season-best in the 200 meter dash, finishing in 22.06 seconds, which is only six hundredths off his personal best time. He's on track for a great rest of the season. Schmidt, Wyse, and Brown all ran the 200 meter dash as well. Schmidt saw a personal best of 22.22 seconds en route to a 10th-place finish. Wyse took 17th in 22.66 and Brown earned a personal best as well, finishing 18th in 22.67.
Baldwin, Thomsen, Downey and Curby teamed up for the 4-by-400 meter relay. The Chargers finished seventh overall in 3:28.57.
The Chargers will be home next weekend for the Hillsdale Invitational.
WORDS: Calli Townsend
PHOTO: Zoe Tracey