Saturday, April 21, 2012

A new school record in the 100m dash from sophomore Julian Smith (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice) highlighted the Valparaiso men’s track and field team’s performances this weekend at the Al Owens Classic in Allendale, Mich., hosted by Grand Valley State University.

Smith qualified second-fastest in the preliminary heats of the 100m dash, but put down the hammer in the event final, covering the distance in 10.46 seconds to win the event and set a new Crusader record.  The sophomore broke the previous record of 10.55 seconds held by Sam Ingram, set way back in 1986.  Freshman Nick Kowaleski (Lockbourne, Ohio/Grove City) was right on Smith’s heels, moving into third on Valpo’s all-time chart in the event by crossing the line in 10.56 seconds for the runner-up finish.

Smith also ran to a runner-up finish in the 200m dash, crossing the line in 21.57 seconds, while freshman Kevin Adamik (Elmhurst, Ill./York Community) finished in 12^th position with a time of 22.65 seconds.  But Adamik’s more impressive performance of the day came in the 400m dash, as he placed sixth with an effort of 49.47 seconds, a new PR and the fifth-fastest time in the event in Crusader history.  Junior Wally Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) ran a season-best time of 3:58.62 in the 1,500m run on Saturday, placing seventh.

Valpo also picked up a pair of top-ten finishes in the relays on Saturday.  The 4x100m relay squad, which consisted of Smith, sophomore Joe Holy (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic), Adamik and Kowaleski, finished in fifth place, crossing the line in 42.85 seconds.  The Crusaders’ top 4x400m relay squad, comprised of Adamik, Holy, freshman Tyler Crum and sophomore Mickey Delcambre, posted a time of 3:26.69, good for ninth place.

On the infield, the Crusaders boasted a pair of top-six placements in the javelin throw.  Freshman Jeremy Getz continued his strong outdoor campaign in the event, earning a fourth-place finish with a mark of 167’10”, while junior Andrew Rixon (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) tallied a throw of 160’4”, good for sixth place.  Senior Bill Rixon (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) placed tenth in the discus throw (140’6”) and 13^th in the hammer throw (158’6”).

Senior Chris Hovan (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Christian) leapt to a fifth-place showing in the triple jump, posting a mark of 43’10” with his best leap.  Hovan also finished 13^th in the long jump (20’3 ½”) while freshman Cy Badertscher (Janesville, Wis./Joseph A. Craig) finished inside the top-10 with a jump of 20’10 ½”.

Valparaiso returns to the track next weekend at the Purdue Open in West Lafayette, Ind.  The two-day meet begins Friday afternoon, April 27 at 2 p.m. CDT.