Pioneers Enjoy Success on Day One of WIAC Track and Field Championships
On the first day of the WIAC Championships at the UW-Platteville Track and Field Complex, there was plenty of excitement for the competitors with near ideal conditions.
UW-Platteville junior Nathan Petesch raced a tactical race and worked his way to the front en route to winning the 10,000-meter run in 30:41.65 to improve on his NCAA provisional performance and set a facility record in the process. Senior teammate Jason Garvens was fourth in a time of 31:17.31.
The Pioneers picked up 2.5 points in the pole vault with the seventh-place effort by Chas Spangenberg with a season-best clearance of 15-3 3/4 and Jared Bradfish was eighth with a clearance of 14-10.
Sophomore Aaron Hrubes emerged in the 200-meter dash with the fourth-best qualifying mark in the 100-meter dash (10.79) and in the 200-meter dash (21.73). Both performances are NCAA-provisional qualifying marks. Plus, sophomores Ben Farrell and Matthew Ziegler qualified second (48.58) and third (48.76), respectively in the 400-meter dash.
Sophomore hurdler Aaron Loferski qualified for Saturday's finals in the 110-meter hurdles (14.88) and 400-meter hurdles (55.72). Joining Loferski in the finals of the 110-meter hurdles is freshman Patrick Kessenich, who crossed the line in a season-best time of 15.25. Brandon Harms qualified for Saturday's final in the 800-meter run in a season-best time of 1:54.75.
Junior decathlete Ian Yenter is in sixth with
3,073 points with five events to go on Saturday. One of his top
performances was a third-place finish for 756 points in the
400-meter dash and he also picked up 769 points with a fourth-place
finish in the 100-meter dash.
The UW-Platteville 4x800-meter relay team of Reese
Mersberger, Damon Trainor, Chris
Saleh and Scott Clark was sixth in a time
of 7:49.96.
Through seven events, the men are fourth place with 26.50 points. Ahead of the Pioneers are UW-La Crosse is in first with 82, followed by UW-Oshkosh with 57, UW-Whitewater is third with 34.