FINAL RESULTS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Kayla Mescher led the charge with a two event wins while Runa Falch and Travis Beniak earned distance victories, Jason Greenway took home the 400-meter hurdles title, and the Vikings tallied 23 top-five finishes at the Vance Butler Invitational.
Mescher coasted to an 800-meter run win early in the day and then erased a 40-meter gap on the last leg of the women's 4x400 meter to lead the Vikings to another event win.
Falch turned in the most dominating Augustana performance with a 20-second win over second place in the women's 5.000-meter run. Falch won by 1:08 over the next closest attached runner.
Beniak continued the Viking victories with a win in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Adam Braun placed third, second among attached runners, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Greenway recorded a win in the 400-meter hurdles as the fifth Viking to earn a first-place finish. Aaron Jung earned second in the shot put, his first loss of the year in the event, but still posted a provisional qualifying mark. CJ Ham placed fourth in the shot put as well.
Henrik Holmberg turned in an impressive performance with a 49.76-second in the 400-meter dash to earn second place and also finished in fourth in the men's javelin throw and fifth in the 110 meter hurdles. Ryan Heuer placed third in the 110-meter hurdles to lead the Vikings in the event.
Glen Ellingson finished passed a couple runners on his final lap of the men's 5,000-meter run and finished third, narrowly missing second place. Also on the distance circuit, John Klecker turned in a fourth-place finish in th e1,500-meter run and Molly Kokesh finished fourth in the women's 1,500-meter run.
Zach Feil hit a collegiate high in the high jump, clearing 1.95 meters to earn fourth, and also placed fourth in the triple jump. Colleen Everson finished fourth in the long jump representing the Viking women on the field side.
Calliann Brunswig finished fourth in the 100 meter hurdles while Charissa Wertheim turned in the best Augustana finish in the 400-meter run with a fifth place mark. Katie Tonner placed fifth in the 400 meter hurdles.
For the relay teams, the Viking men followed the women's 4x400 meter championship with a third place finish. Both men's and women's 4x100 meter teams finished fourth to round out Augustana's top-five finishes.
Other notables for the Vikings were Cameron McCaffrey making his collegiate debut in the long jump and finished eighth after making the finals and Brett Anderson won his heat in the 400-meter dash and finished 10th overall.
The Vikings return to the oval next weekend at the Sioux City Relays on April 12 and 13.
