Eagles notes: Chadron State hammer throwers win again
Chadron State College athletes repeated as the hammer throw winners Friday as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Track and Field Conference Championships got underway in Chadron.
Kyla Sawvell won the women's competition and Shane Collins took the men's title. Both of their winning tosses were season bests, although neither was quite a far as they threw at last year's meet.
It was actually a "three-peat" for Sawvell. Her victories in 2021 and 2022 were while she was attending Black Hills State. She transferred to Chadron State last fall to enter a graduate program in exercise science with emphasis in athletic training.
Sawvell's winning mark Friday measured 57.28 meters, or 187 feet, 11 inches. Her gold medal throw last year was for 60.18 meters (197-5). She won this year's title by 16 feet, 7 inches over Ali Aldrich of Western Colorado. Sawvell's previous best this spring was 182-10
Collins' winning hammer throw Friday measured 60.31 meters, or 197-10. That was 15 feet, 7 inches farther than runner-up Justin Jenks of Colorado State-Pueblo threw.
A year ago, Collins broke the RMAC's hammer throw record with a heave of 61.58 meters (202 feet), but was unable to compete during the 2023 indoor season because of a shoulder problem. After rehabilitating and returning to action, he has continually improved and was pleased that he exceeded 60 meters again Friday.
Jaycie Stubbs of South Dakota Mines also repeated as the conference champion Friday when she sailed the javelin 40.92 meters, or 134 feet, 3 inches. A year ago she won the event at 39.43 meters (129-4).
Both long jumps also were contested Friday. Audrey Bloomquist of Colorado-Colorado Springs won the women's gold medal at 5.77 meters (18-11 ¼) while runner-up Chisom Obioha of New Mexico Highlands hit 5.64 meters (18-6).
In the men's competition, Ismael Dembele of Western Colorado leaped 7.35 meters (24-1 ½) to edge Grant Haskins of Colorado Springs by an inch and a quarter. Both are freshmen.
The meet's longest races, the 10,000 meters, were the first events to be completed. Andrew Kaye of Colorado Mines won the men's race in 32 minutes, 4.04 seconds and Saydi Anderson of Westminster College in Salt Lake City won the women's title in 36:46.41.
Eagles clinch RMAC playoff berth
CHADRON, Neb. -- April 28, 2023 -- Eagles earn playoff berth with 3-1 series win
The Chadron State College softball team earned their first RMAC playoff berth since 2018 Friday after defeating CSU-Pueblo in one game and earning a 3-1 series victory over the Thunderwolves.
After this weekend, CSC improved to 27-24 overall and 25-19 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Fort Lewis, who held the sixth and final playoff spot, dropped two games against Colorado Christian, dropping their conference record to 21-19.
On April 1st, CSC had an overall record of 11-20 and an RMAC record of 9-15. In the month of April, the Eagles finished 16-4 with two complete series sweeps, one being a shutout, helping them earn the playoff berth.
The Eagles opponent Thursday at the conference tournament, held in Lakewood, Colorado, at the regular season champions Colorado Christian, is unknown at this time.
Tori Haug improved to 10-14 on the season after allowing only one hit in the Eagles 8-0 five inning game one victory.
A Brady Laucomer three-run homer to center field started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, scoring J;lyssa Martinez and Sloane Quijas.
Quijas, who set a school record in the series, added two more runs in the bottom of the third on a two RBI single, scoring pinch runners Chloe Brown and Jaelyn Martinez-Lewis.
A senior from Erie, Colorado, Quijas become the first player ever to end a series with a perfect batting average for CSC.
Quijas had 12 hits in 12 at bats while drawing three walks, finishing with an average of 1.000. She also had five RBIs, two doubles and scored seven runs over the weekend.
Her 12 consecutive hits are also a school record.
Chadron State extended their lead to 6-0 in the third inning after a Martinez sacrifice fly scored Mackenzi Kroll.
In the bottom of the fifth and final inning, Micah Stouffer, a senior from Rushville, drew a bases loaded walk that scored Kroll.
The eighth and final run was scored after Laucomer hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Quijas.
Haug, a junior from Commerce City, Colorado, walked one batter and struck out four in the complete game victory.
The Eagles had only five hits with their eight runs, while committing zero errors. The Thunderwolve defense finished with one error.
Game two had 25 combined runs and ended in extra innings with the guests winning, 13-12.
The loss ends CSC softball's program record win streak of 10 games.
CSU-Pueblo built a 6-0 lead after three and a half innings, scoring first in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice bunt.
The guests added five more runs in the top of the fourth inning, A double to left field brought in the first run.
The next batter singled to center field while advancing to second on the throw. The single advanced one batter to third and scored another, giving Pueblo a 3-0 lead.
Caitlyn Cole added the other three runs to the Thunderwolve lead with a three-run homer to center field.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Laucomer, a freshman from Scottsbluff, added three RBIs with a three-run home run, scoring Quijas and Kroll.
Three batters later, Lauren Zimmerman followed up Laucomer with a three-run homer of her own, scoring Aliyah Rothstein and Bailey Steinke and tying the game at six.
Chadron State took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kroll hit her fourth homerun of the series to center field.
The Eagles lead was extended to 8-6 when a bases loaded walk scored Quijas.
Steinke, a senior from Longmont, Colorado, brought home the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly, scoring Martinez.
The Thunderwolves added one run in the sixth inning on an RBI single.
CSC was one out away from winning in the top of the seventh before the Thunderwolves tied the game 9-9 on a two-rbi single.
The visitors extended their lead to 12-9 in the inning after Cole hit her second three-run homer of the game.
Needing to score to keep the game alive, Steinke zapped a ball down the left field line that rolled behind the Thunderwolve outfielder. Quijas scored from third and Jessie Henchenski reached home from second, while Laucomer used her speed to score all the way from first and tie the game at 12.
The inning ended with Steinke stranded on second base, thus causing extra innings.
The second error by the Chadron State defense occurred in the top of the eighth inning. An errant throw allowed Jill Bishop to reach first base and Ashley Tosh to score for the Thunderwolves.
Trailing by one and needing one run to push the game to the ninth inning, Quijas drew a two out walk but was unable to advance past first, ending the game as the Thunderwolves lone victory of the series.
Three pitchers appeared in the game for CSC. The starting pitcher, Delaney Farnsworth, received the loss, falling to 15-10 on the season.
The Eagles had 13 hits with 12 runs and two errors in the loss. CSU-Pueblo had 13 runs on 10 hits with one error.
Four CSC seniors and three CSU-Pueblo seniors were honored between games.
Rhoades named RMAC Summit Award Recipient
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – April 28, 2023 – Chadron State College senior Harley Rhoades was announced on Friday as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's outdoor track Summit Award Winner.
This award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average, participating at the final's sites for each of the RMAC Championships.
To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must be a sophomore or above, who participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must also be an active member of the team, traveling and competing at the championship.
Rhoades has a 4.00 GPA, majoring in English Language Arts 7-12. The Douglas, Wyoming native has been a four-time RMAC Academic Honor Roll selection while participating in track at CSC.
This season in the decathlon, he scored a career-best 6,030 points and had the best marks in three of the 10 events at the Wichita State Shocker Invitation Meet in March. He finished in second place.
Rhoades isn't the first member of the family to receive awards while at CSC. His dad, Jay, is a CSC Athletics Hall of Fame wide receive in football, while his mother, Angle, is in the Hall of Fame for Volleyball.
Sunday during the final day of the Outdoor Championships held in Chadron, Rhoades will receive the award.
RMAC award now named after President Rhine
CHADRON, Neb -- April 27, 2023 -- The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced "that going forward, including this year, the Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Meet Awards will be named the "Randy Rhine Athlete of the Meet awards"' on Friday.
The award will be handed out for the first time this Sunday in Chadron when Chadron State hosts the conference outdoor track meet.
"This is an exciting and fitting announcement for Dr. Rhine," Chadron State Athletic Director Joel Smith said. "He has been an exceptional supporter of RMAC track."
Rhine, who has served as CSC's President for the last 10 years, will retire June 30. During his tenure at CSC, Rhine has been an ardent supporter of the athletics program and was instrumental in the construction of the track and field stadium as part of the Sports Complex.
"I am incredibly honored and grateful to have my name associated with the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and its wonderful student-athletes," Rhine said. "The RMAC is a premier conference, particularly in track and field and cross country, which makes this distinction even more humbling. I have loved track and field for many years and for the RMAC to recognize me in this way is special."
Eagles score 25 runs in two games Thursday
CHADRON, Neb. -- April 27, 2023 -- The Chadron State College softball team extended their program record win streak to nine games and got closer to an RMAC playoff berth Thursday, after going 2-0 against CSU-Pueblo.
The wins improve CSC to 26-23 overall and 24-18 in conference play. The Thunderwolves drop to 20-29 overall and 15-25 in conference play.
The Eagles had their largest victory since February 2018 in game one, defeating the visitors 13-0 in five innings. In game two, CSC won 12-9.
On and off rain and high winds made for a chilly afternoon at the CSC softball field.
Chadron State scored at least two runs in all four innings they batted in during game one.
Scoring started in the bottom of the first on an Ashland Baca single to left field, scoring Bailey Steinke, a senior from Lakewood, Colorado.
Two batters later, Sloane Quijas, a senior from Erie, Colorado, doubled down the right field line, scoring two pinch runners, Chloe Brown and Jaelyn Martinez-Lewis.
With a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, the Eagles added five more runs.
Steinke started the scoring with a single to center field, scoring J'lyssa Martinez.
An error by the Thunderwolves shortstop allowed Lauren Zimmerman to reach first, Steinke to reach third and Brady Laucomer to score.
Baca, a freshman from Pueblo West, Colorado, added her second RBI of the contest with a single that once again scored Steinke.
Like Baca, Quijas added more RBIs to her stat sheet in the inning. This time, a Quijas single to right field scored Zimmerman.
Leading 7-0, another error by the CSU-Pueblo defense added another run for CSC. Jessie Henchenski reached first on an error by the shortstop, advancing Quijas to third and scoring Baca.
Mackenzi Kroll, a junior from Brighton, Colorado, hit her first of three homeruns on the day in the bottom of the third inning.
Kroll's first home run was for three RBIs, scoring herself, Baca and Zimmerman, giving CSC a 11-0 lead.
The final two runs for the Eagles were scored on another error by the Thunderwolves shortstop. A Zimmerman grounder was fielded by the shortstop but an errant throw allowed Laucomer and Aliyah Rothstein to score.
The Thunderwolves started the fifth inning with two consecutive singles. After two fielder's choices resulted in the first two outs, Tori Cordova was the third out after being picked off by the Eagle defense.
Tori Haug, a junior from Commerce City, Colorado, continued her spectacular play in the pitching circle.
Haug improved to 9-14 on the season in the complete game victory. The junior allowed four hits without allowing a walk and struck out four batters.
Kroll and Quijas led the Eagles offensively in the victory, each having three RBIs.
The Eagles had 13 hits with zero errors in game one, while CSU-Pueblo finished with four hits and four errors.
The Thunderwolves took an early lead in game two when Caitlyn Cole hit a solo homer to left field in the top of the first inning.
It didn't take long for Kroll to answer with her second homerun fof the day, this one being a grand slam.
With Steinke on third base, Martinez-Lewis on second and Brown on first, Kroll jacked a ball into center field, giving CSC a 4-1 lead.
Four more runs were added by Chadron State in the bottom of the second inning.
An error by the visitor's defense allowed Baca to score, giving CSC a 5-1 lead.
Chadron State would extend their lead to 8-1 in the inning when Jessie Henchenski hit a three-run homer to left field, scoring Quijas and Kroll.
Zimmerman would add a solo homer in the bottom of the third to extend the Eagle lead to eight.
A two-run homerun was hit by Marissa Robertson in the top of the fourth inning, lowering the Thunderwolves' deficit to 9-3.
Quijas added another run for CSC after a sacrifice fly by Laucomer.
Jill Bishop added a two-RBI single for the visitors in the top of the fifth inning, lowering their deficit to five.
Kroll added her third and final homerun in the bottom of the inning, this one being a two-RBI scoring Zimmerman and giving CSC a 12-5 lead. Kroll was a solo homerun short of hitting for a homerun cycle on the day.
The Thunderwolves added three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and one more in the top of the seventh but were unable to complete the comeback against the Chadron State defense.
Kenzi Garner, a sophomore from Broomfield, Colorado, received her second win of the season in her 12th appearance. In 4.1 innings, she allowed ten hits and five runs with one walk.
Game one started Tori Haug entered the game in relief of Garner, pitching 2.2 innings. Haug allowed five hits and four runs, while having two walks and two strikeouts.
CSC had 14 hits and zero errors in the victory. CSU-Pueblo finished with 15 hits and two errors.
Quijas continued her strong play in game two. The senior finished the day batting 1.000, with six hits in six at bats. She drew one walk and had three RBIs and two runs in the victory.
Chadron State will look to continue their win streak and keep pushing for a playoff berth tomorrow on senior day. Games are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Four CSC seniors and the CSU-Pueblo seniors will be recognized between games.
