BROOKINGS, S. D. -- Chadron State College's first-year Head Track and Field Coach Jake Gruver was well pleased with the Eagles' performances at the South Dakota State University's Indoor Classic on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9-10. He called it "an amazing meet," then added: "It was littered with personal bests, season bests, conference improvements and national qualifying marks," while discussing his team's showing.
             
The meet was huge.  Attracted by SDSU's $32 million Sanford-Jackrabbit facility that includes as an eight-lane, 300-meter track, at least 25 schools, ranging from community colleges to Division I, sent their thinclads to the meet. 
             
There were at least 75 contestants in many of the events and more than 100 in some, such as the men's mile run that had 120.  
             
Both the Chadron State men's and women's squads posted at least 17 season-best marks.  Not many of the marks were placewinners (top 8 in the event), but a plethora of them showed that the Eagles are making progress as they zero in on the RMAC Championships that will be at Black Hills State on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24.
             
The highest placing again belonged to Christopher Jennings, the junior pre-med student from O'Neill.  He matched his career-best of 59-feet, 7 ½ inches (18.17 meters) while placing second in the 35-pound weight throw.
             
Senior Parker Gonser also improved his weight throw by more than a foot, reaching 55-7, which puts him among the top eight in the RMAC list, Gruver said. 
             
Two CSC sophomore sprinters placed in the 200 meters on Friday. Quincy Efeturi was fifth in 22.07 seconds and Cole Perkins was seventh in 22.20.
             
Redshirt freshman Chayton Bynes of Chadron placed in both of his jumps.  He was sixth in the long jump at 22-1 ¾ and eighth in the triple jump at 44-9 ½. Neither is his season-best. He's gone a foot farther in the first event and two feet farther in the triple. 
             
Gruver was pleased that two of his men, senior Greg Logsdon of Veteran, Wyo., and freshman Franklin Johns of Gordon, dipped below the marks that theoretically separate the men from the boys in their races. Logsdon ran the 400 meters in 49.90 seconds to eclipse 50 seconds for the first time indoors, and Johns finished the 800 in 1:59.82 for his first subpar 2-minute mark this winter.
             
Junior Cale Schafer of LaSalle, Colo., had personal-bests in two races in Brookings--the mile (4:26.74) and the 5000 (15:13.25).  The latter time is eighth on CSC's all-time list.
             
Gruver also pointed out that three more of his distance runners also ran their best times last weekend. They are Blaine Johnson of Sheridan, Wyo., in the 800 (2:01.70) and 3000 (8:51.41), and Kyle Shirley of Queen Creek, Ariz., in the mile (4:32). 
             
Not everything was perfect for the CSC men at the classic.

For instance, Morgan Fawver of McCook is striving to regain the momentum he had in 2022 when he long jumped 24-4 ½ to qualify for the national meet but could not co

That's not the end of the world for Fawver, because he also went 24-4 ½ at the Air Force Classic on Jan. 19, meaning he'll likely qualify for nationals again this year. He's currently among the top 12 on the lists.
               
And, senior Creighton Trembly of Longmont, Colo., made the finals in the 60-meter hurdles, but hit the first barrier, ending his race. He already owns a provisional national qualifying time.
               
In the women's competition, Caydince Groth of Cheyenne had season-bests in both the 200 (26.13) and 400 (59.94) as did Jamaica native Shantae Morgan (26.29) and Danae Rader (26.81) of Hanson, Neb., both in the 200.  
             
Junior Alissa Wieman of Box Elder, S.D. also ran well.  She had her career bests in both mile (5:16.60) and 3000 (10:23.94). The latter time is a 10-second improvement.  Freshman Misti Schlabach of Rapid City also knocked off 10 seconds while running the 800 (2:19.44).  
             
Another Rapid City product, sophomore Megan Baloun, had her career-best triple jump (36-5).
             
Also in the field events, grad student Madyson Schliep of Grand Island Northwest threw the 20-pound weight more than 16 meters (52-6) for the second week in a row and Taylor Wessely of Parkersburg, Iowa, was close behind at 51-10 ½.  
             
A couple of the shotputters, Trinity Chrisawn of Rock Springs, Wyo., and Kailey Fobare of Keensburg, Colo., also gained several inches in that event.
              
This Saturday, several of the Eagles will strive to improve their chances of qualifying for the RMAC showdown by entering the Stinger Open at Black State.