Preview: CCC Track & Field Championships presented by U.S. Bank
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
LA GRANDE, Ore. – The 23
rd annual men’s and women’s Cascade Collegiate Conference Track and Field Championships presented by U.S. Bank return to Raider Stadium in Ashland, Ore., this weekend for the fifth time in meet history.
Events begin at 2 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, with final awards slated for 4:45 p.m. on Day 2. Southern Oregon has won three of the last four men’s titles – edging Eastern Oregon by two points last year in Hermiston after the Mountaineers prevailed in Ashland in 2015 – and will attempt to win on its home track for the first time in 17 years. On the women’s side, College of Idaho will go for its fifth consecutive championship.
Below is an event-by-event look at what to watch:
WHAT TO WATCH: MEN’S MEET
100 METERS: On paper, Saturday’s 100 promises to be the most competitive in CCC Championships history. It’ll feature three automatic qualifiers for the NAIA Championships – the CCC previously hadn’t produced an ‘A’ mark this decade – including EOU’s Jebarri Cumberbatch (10.58), the defending champ. SOU owns five of the top six marks: Matt East (10.42) recently broke the conference record, Dwight Shaw (10.64) is another ‘A’ performer, and Cameron Bremner (10.85) was the runner-up last year and champion in 2014. Six different Raiders in the last seven years have won the event.
200 METERS: Nathan Martin (21.87) will go for back-to-back titles and Corban’s third straight in the race, but EOU’s Cumberbatch (21.41) currently owns an NAIA ‘A’ mark and SOU’s East (21.57) is a provisional qualifier. Last season, Cumberbatch was the runner-up to Martin, and SOU’s Bremner (21.92) won the 2014 title.
400 METERS: SOU’s Cedric Quartey (48.81), who placed third last season, is the only returning All-CCC 400 runner and will come into the meet with the top seed. He’ll be pushed by Northwest’s TJ Randle (49.57), along with EOU sophomores Devin Lewis-Allen (49.86) and Josh Wallin (49.94).
800 METERS: EOU freshman Thomas Morrell III (1:52.02) has the CCC’s only NAIA Championship-qualifying time and the top seed by more than three seconds. SOU’s Gary Fanelli (1:55.14) will try to avenge a runner-up finish last season, while another EOU freshman, Dustin Zimmerly (1:55.19), is the No. 3 seed. Last year was the first time since 2002 that an SOU or EOU representative didn’t win the event.
1,500 METERS: NCU junior Garrett Kraal (3:56.99) has the top seed by a second and will run 1,500 at the CCC Championships for the first time after qualifying for the national meet in the 5K last year. He’s followed closely on the list by OIT’s Jack Roberts (3:57.39), Corban record-holder Craig Boekenoogen (3:58.22) and SOU’s Noah Oberriter (3:59.56) and Aidan Paulk (3:59.57). The top-four finishers last year were all seniors, but SOU has won the title four of the last five seasons.
5,000 METERS: The CCC has four provisional qualifiers for the national meet, led by SOU senior Connor Cushman (14:53.81), who is attempting to become the fourth Raider to win in four years. He’s followed by OIT’s Roberts (14:56.51), C of I’s Dylan Walker (14:56.95) and SOU’s Oberriter (14:58.05). Cushman was the only All-American on SOU’s cross country team that won the national title this fall.
10,000 METERS: The CCC’s only national qualifiers thus far – SOU’s Cushman (31:01.84) and Corban’s Boekenoogen (31:27.60) – won’t run Friday’s 10K, leaving SOU’s Ray Schireman (32:03.62), the 2015 CCC cross-country champion, as the top seed. He’ll get a push from OIT’s Ben Schulz (32:14.28) and C of I’s Andrew Sutton (32:35.82). Corban senior Zachary Steele (32:47.54), the No. 4 seed, placed third for All-CCC accolades last year.
110-METER HURDLES: OIT’s Seth Gretz (15.07), now a two-time CCC decathlon champion, will attempt to score more points as the top seed and win his second 110 hurdles title in three years. Northwest standout TJ Randle (15.22) is No. 2 and Corban’s Nathan Martin (15.31) No. 3 after taking fifth last year, while C of I’s Brooks Ney (15.41) placed third in 2016.
400-METER HURDLES: Northwest’s TJ Randle (52.92) is the clear favorite and capped the regular season with three straight wins against NCAA fields, including a performance that broke a 19-year-old school record and put him at No. 2 on the NAIA list. Corban’s Christian Bohuslavizki (54.02), however, was last year’s runner-up and is a provisional qualifier for the national meet at No. 9 on the NAIA list.
3K STEEPLECHASE: Undoubtedly the most loaded of any men’s event, the steeple will feature five of the top-12 times in the NAIA this season and three returning All-Americans. Leading that group is NCU’s TJ Wright (9:05.86), the defending champ and currently No. 2 on the NAIA list. His company includes SOU’s Kevin Poteracke (9:13.98), Corban’s Boekenoogen (9:19.80), C of I’s Billy Godfrey (9:22.27) and EOU’s Nic Maszk (9:25.97). Wright, Godfrey and Poteracke went 1-2-3 at the CCC meet and 3-5-8 at the NAIA meet in 2016.
4x100-METER RELAY: Last year, SOU won for the sixth time in seven seasons with a meet and school record time of 41.31 seconds, later placing fourth at the NAIA Championships. This year, the Raiders set school and conference records with a mark of 40.96 that currently ranks fifth in the NAIA. They’ll be challenged by EOU (41.82), which ranks 23rd nationally, and third-seeded NCU (42.09).
4x400-METER RELAY: SOU (3:17.10) also has the top time in the CCC and the 15th-fastest nationally in the 4x4 but hasn’t won the conference title since 2005. EOU (3:19.65), the No. 2 seed, is the defending champion, while Corban (3:22.82), which won the 2015 title at Raider Stadium, is No. 3.
HIGH JUMP: C of I’s Kristopher Kostelecky (6-4 ¾) and Corban’s Jason Bracken (6-4 ¾) are tied for the top seed, and neither individual’s team has ever won the high jump. EOU’s Max Fahlgren (6-0 ¾), the No. 4 seed, was All-CCC in third place last year.
POLE VAULT: OIT’s Seth Gretz (16-0 ¾) is coming off an NAIA Indoor pole-vault title and is currently fourth on the outdoor list, vying for the Owls’ first conference win since 2001. C of I’s Tyler Amrhein (14-2) was the runner-up last year but NAIA ‘B’ qualifiers Lucas Hidalgo (15-1) of EOU and Kyle Anderson (15-1) of SOU tied for the No. 2 spot during the regular season.
LONG JUMP: SOU’s Zach Beltz (24-2 ¼) is another defending CCC champ, delivering the Raiders’ first long jump title in 13 years last season and etching a new PR this year to rank seventh in the NAIA. His teammate, Dwight Shaw (22-9 ¾), is No. 2 by a wide margin.
TRIPLE JUMP: SOU’s Beltz (47-2 ¼) also tops this list by over four feet with a ‘B’ mark after not entering the event last year. EOU has won the last three triple jumps, but Corban has the Nos. 2-4 seeds and WPC’s Kenny Helmes (40-4) is the only top-eight returner.
SHOT PUT: Five Yotes are among the top eight seeds, but OIT’s Duke York (48-7 ½) ranks first after placing eighth last year as a freshman. C of I’s Andrew Galloway (45-10 ½) was All-CCC last year but three teammates are ahead of him, notably josh Brown (47-1 ½).
DISCUS: C of I’s Juston Lindsley (158-2) has the top seed by six feet, good for the CCC’s only ‘B’ mark. Jason Bracken (152-2) is the returning runner-up and the No. 2 seed for Corban, which won its first title last year.
HAMMER: Evergreen senior Zebuliah Hoffman (194-5) is not only the defending CCC champion after setting a meet record (212-9), but also a defending national champion after capturing the Geoducks’ first NAIA title. He’s the clear favorite to repeat, but C of I’s Lindsley (168-1) also owns a ‘B’ mark.
JAVELIN: The most loaded event in the field, with four NAIA auto qualifiers, is the javelin, and it’s highlighted by EOU’s defending champion Pancho Saldana (207-6) – also the national runner-up last year and currently No. 1 in the NAIA. NCU’s Christian Hackney (190-9) is the No. 2 seed, and EOU’s Kolton Cobb (189-6) and Austin Kilcup (188-5) are right behind him. Kilcup was third last year, and the Mounties are aiming for their third straight title.
WHAT TO WATCH: WOMEN’S MEET
100 METERS: C of I has claimed four straight titles, but top-seeded Rakayla Tyler (12.13) will try to win SOU’s first since 2007 after clocking the CCC’s fastest time since 2013 this year. The Raiders will be represented by four of the top-seven runners – freshman Arianna Daniel (12.32) is the No. 2 seed – while EOU’s Kendall Current (12.41) will go for her fourth career All-CCC performance in the event.
200 METERS: After setting a school record earlier this season, OIT sophomore Amber Von Essen (25.45) has the top seed and is vying for the team’s first 200 title in 17 years. EOU’s Kendall (25.84) was the runner-up in 2016, but SOU’s Daniel (25.60) and Tyler (25.66) have the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds.
400 METERS: While last year’s top five finishers were seniors, 10 of this year’s top 11 seeds are underclassmen. SOU’s Daniel (57.20) owns an NAIA ‘B’ mark and had the top regular-season time by 1.3 ticks, while EOU freshman Elizabeth Herbes (58.49) leads three Mounties in the top eight.
800 METERS: Three runners will attempt to become repeat All-CCC performers in the event: C of I’s Mishal Cotugno (2:17.74) was the runner-up in 2016, SOU’s top-seeded Aspen Abbott (2:15.01) placed third (and broke her own school record this year), and OIT’s Susie Garza (2:17.02) was third in 2015. Directly behind Abbott on the list, Northwest’s Lily Engelbrekt (2:15.48) is also a provisional qualifier for the NAIA Championships. C of I has won the race four years in a row.
1,500 METERS: Packed with seven individuals who have been indoor, outdoor and/or cross-country All-Americans and four of last year’s top-five finishers, the 1,500 has been claimed by C of I six years in a row. SOU’s top-seeded Jessa Perkinson (4:30.11), a seven-time All-American and the 2016 CCC runner-up, headlines a group that also includes NCU’s Sierra Brown (4:40.41), last year’s third-place finisher in the conference and seventh-place finisher in the NAIA; OIT sophomore record-holder Danielle De Castro (4:35.10), who was fourth as a freshman; Northwest auto-qualifier Lily Engelbrekt (4:35.54); and C of I seven-time All-American Lila Klopfenstein (4:39.55).
5,000 METERS: The long-distance battles – which will be more loaded than at any other conference meet in the NAIA – peak with the 5K, which is slated to feature four of the top-nine times in the country. SOU’s Perkinson (16:46.09) – last year’s NAIA 10K champ who also won the CCC 5K and took third at nationals – tops the list ahead of C of I freshman Molly Vitale-Sullivan (17:05.91), who placed third in the 3K at the NAIA Indoor Championships and was a cross-country All-American. NCU’s Sierra Brown (17:07.81), a two-time CCC XC champ, will go for the Beacons’ fourth win since 2012 after placing second in the conference and fifth in the NAIA last year. SOU’s Kayle Blackmore (17:20.66), another XC and indoor All-American, is the No. 4 seed.
10,000 METERS: Defending champion Rosa Schmidt of NCU is out with an injury, but the Beacons, aiming for their sixth 10K title in seven years, feature top-seeded and 2015 champ Shea Vallaire (36:14.50), who owns the No. 2 time in the NAIA and was fourth nationally two years ago. C of I has the Nos. 2 and 4 seeds in Ashtyn Ellis (37:39.70) and Emily Hawgood (39:30.10), who placed third in 2016.
100-METER HURDLES: OIT senior Kara Wood (15.24), the top seed, will look to improve on a runner-up finish a year ago. The next six seeds are underclassmen, led by EOU’s Haley White (15.47) and OIT’s Von Essen (15.55), both sophomores. Von Essen was fifth a year ago.
400-METER HURDLES: Following a common theme in the sprints and hurdles, the top seven times in the CCC this year were produced by sophomores. C of I’s Kami Hawkins (1:02.90), attempting to follow in the footsteps of the Yotes’ 2016 national champ Tiana Thomas, is an NAIA auto-qualifiers along with EOU’s Katie Emerson (1:03.13). Emerson was fourth and Hawkins fifth last year.
3K STEEPLECHASE: NCU’s Michelle Fletcher (10:51.64), who owns the No. 4 time nationally, hasn’t run since getting a win in Ashland at the Raider Invitational on April 14 but will attempt to defend her title after capturing the Beacons’ first in the steeple last year and placing fourth at the NAIA Championships. C of I’s Tamika Russell (11:11.21), the No. 2 seed, placed third for All-CCC honors last year.
4x100-METER RELAY: EOU (48.35) is the defending champion and has the No. 2 seed, but SOU (47.74) clocked an NAIA ‘A’ time and school record during the regular season. The Raiders are the favorite to win their first title since 2006.
4x400-METER RELAY: SOU (3:54.34) hasn’t won a 4x4 title since 2006 either but owns an NAIA ‘A’ time along with second-seeded EOU (3:54.52). C of I claimed the last two titles.
HIGH JUMP: EOU’s Harley McBride (5-5) will attempt to become the first four-time high jump champion in CCC history. A five-time All-American (3X indoor, 2X outdoor), she took eighth at the NAIA Outdoor Championships in 2016. On her tail is teammate Paige Dodd (5-3 ¼), who is coming off a CCC heptathlon title.
POLE VAULT: Top-seeded Allison Cossins (10-6) will go for C of I’s first pole vault title, but returning runner-up Lindsay Asplund (10-2) of Corban is back as the No. 2 seed. OIT will be represented by three of the top five.
LONG JUMP: Last year’s runner-up, EOU’s Morgan Reddington (17-11 ½), and last-year’s third-place finisher, is back as a sophomore. But so is top-seeded Lauren McGowne (18-3 ¾) of SOU, an NAIA volleyball All-American who won the 2014 title but did not compete on the track in 2016.
TRIPLE JUMP: OIT freshman Jasmine James (35-3) will take the top seed into the weekend with Northwest’s CarrieAnna Steele (35-4 ½) gone on a trip to China with the school’s business program.
SHOT PUT: C of I’s expected dominance in the throws starts in the shot put, where the Yotes have six top-seven marks. That includes defending champ Hayley Morse (43-7 ¾), who earned C of I’s first title in 2016. Also looking to repeat as All-CCC, Corban’s Crystal Lynch (38-10 ¼) placed third last year.
DISCUS: The Yotes also have four of the top-five marks in the discus, highlighted by top-seeded Brooklyn Daylong (144-3) and defending champion Claire Otero (141-6). Corban’s Lynch (134-10) and SOU’s Hannah Lambert (125-6) took second and third in 2016.
HAMMER: C of I’s Morse (157-1) – attempting to improve on last year’s runner-up showing – has another top mark here, and teammates Otero (149-7) and Daylong (146-3) are the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds behind WPC’s Jordan Hunter (156-6).
JAVELIN: Slated to be the cream of the field’s crop, the javelin features four automatic qualifiers for the NAIA Championships. The headliner is NCU’s defending champ, Bailey Dell (162-6) – a two-time National Field Athlete of the Week, a third-place finisher at the NAIA Championships in 2016, and a Big East champion at DePaul University as a freshman. Her teammate, Madeleine Nelson (136-10), is the No. 2 seed after placing second last year, while Northwest’s Anna Miller (136-8) hit the ‘A’ mark three times this year and broke a 14-year-old school record.