Loftus Earns 9:27.85 in Men's Steeplechase on Final Day of Dual Meet with Corban

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Patrick Loftus (Jr., Santa Rosa, CA/Sonoma Academy) registered a time of 9:27.85 while taking second place in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase during the third and final day of the Willamette versus Corban Dual on Thursday, March 16 at the Charles Bowles Track. Loftus now ranks second on the early season NCAA Division III performance list in the steeplechase.

In Thursday's race, Loftus trailed only Craig Boekenoogen of Corban University, who won the men's steeplechase in 9:19.80. Corban competes in the NAIA. Keith Carlson (So., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) from Willamette placed third with a personal record time of 9:57.29. Carlson's previous top time was 9:59.37 last season.

Ami Boucher (Sr., Concord, CA/Northgate HS) won the women's steeplechase for Willamette by finishing in 11:27.41. Hannah Clarizio of Corban crossed the finish line in second at 11:59.21, as she edged out Willamette's Emily Evans (So., Anchorage, AK/South Anchorage HS), who set a personal record in 12:00.07.

Willamette took first place in the men's 800-meter run and the women's 800-meter run. In the men's 800, Jack Kobylka (Jr., Napa, CA/Vintage HS) won the race in 1:57.93. He edged out Zane West of Corban, who took second in 1:58.57. Robbie Melhorn (So., Bangkok, Thailand/International School Bangkok) of WU was third at 1:59.37.

In the women's 800, Hannah Swanson (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) placed first and moved into sixth place in NCAA Division III so far this season with a time of 2:19.64. Hazel Carr (So., Seattle, WA/The Northwest School), also from Willamette, was second in a personal record time of 2:24.45.

Jewell Sparks (Jr., San Francisco, CA/Lick Wilmerding HS) of Willamette won the women's 400-meter dash. She earned a time of 59.50 seconds. Bridgette Peirce (Jr., Reno, NV/Earl Wooster HS) of WU was second at 1:02.69.

Willamette attained a 1-2 finish in the women's discuss throw. Hope Duenas (Fr., Covina, CA/Covina HS) won the event with a top toss of 128' 11". Angie Turpen (Sr., Alsea, OR/Alsea HS) was second at 117' 6.50".

Most of the Willamette versus Corban events were held on Thursday. The decathlon was held on Tuesday and Wednesday. The men's and women's hammer throw and the men's and women's shot put were contested on Wednesday.

Other Top Results for the Bearcats on Thursday

Connor Giannini (Fr., Veradale, WA/Gonzaga Prep.) placed second and D'Angelo Guiton (Jr., Alameda, CA/Bishop O'Dowd HS) was third in the men's 200-meter dash. Nathan Swanson, running unattached, won the event in 22.78 seconds. Giannini was second at 22.9 seconds and Guiton was third in 23.37 seconds.

WU distance runners Schafer Wilson (Fr., Shanghai, China/Concordia International School), Ricardo Castillo-Flores (So./Jr., Hood River, OR/Hood River Valley HS) amd Kellen Bulger (Fr., Spokane, WA/Ferris HS) finished a close 1-2-3 in the men's 10,000-meter run. Wilson was timed at 34:44.13. Castillo-Flores was clocked at 34:44.17 and Bulger crossed the finish line in 34:44.19.

RoShaan Rogers (Jr., Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS) was second in the men's 110-meter hurdles as well as the men's 400-meter hurdles. He earned a time of 16.14 seconds in the 110-meter race and concluded the 400-meter race in 58.30 seconds. In the 110-meter hurdles, Michael Schmidt of Corban won the race in 15.93 seconds, 0.21 in front of Rogers.

The Willamette men's 4 x 400-meter relay team took first place in 3:31.77. Corban was second at 3:34.27.

Elijah Hall-Crockett (Fr., Phoenix, AZ/Cesar Chavez HS) prevailed in the men's high jump. He cleared 5' 11.50" to win on jumps over Asa Flanagan from Corban, who also cleared 5' 11.50". Hall-Crockett was successful at 5' 11.50" on his first attempt, while Flanagan did not succeed until his third attempt.

Willamette's Paul Schot (Sr., Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove HS) won the men's long jump with a top distance of 19' 7". Zachary Matteson of Corban led after three of four jumps, but Schot moved past him on the final attempt. Matteson was second at 18' 11.75".

In the men's discus, Saige Swan (Fr., Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS) was second and Josh Martin (Fr., Medford, OR/St. Mary's School) placed third. Swan's top mark was 133' 11", while Martin achieved a top distance of 121' 10". Jason Bracken of Corban won at 139' 5".

Maura Forbush (Sr., Hollister, CA/San Benito HS) and Teneah Rushen (Jr., Portland, OR/Franklin HS) placed second and third, respectively, for the Bearcats in the women's 200-meter dash. Forbush earned a time of 26.71 seconds. Rushen completed the race in 26.81 seconds. Corban's Kristi Childers won the event in 26.36 seconds.

Willamette won the women's 4 x 100-meter relay in 49.95 seconds, while the Warriors placed second in 51.82 seconds. Corban won the women's 4 x 400-meter relay in 4:09.40, and Willamette took second at 4:10.93.

Melissa Scott (Fr., Tustin, CA/Beckman HS) placed third in the women's high jump. She was successful at 5' 0.50". Scott also placed second in the pole vault. Scott and Lindsay Asplund each cleared 10' 2", but Asplund won on fewer jumps.

In the women's long jump, Alex Stacy (So., Loomis, CA/Del Oro HS) took second place with a leap of 14' 5.75". Adrianna Curteman won for Corban at 15' 0".

Stacy also placed second in a very close battle in the women's triple jump. Shelby Jenkins won for the Warriors at 32' 11". Stacy's top distance was 32' 10.50".

Racyne Parker (Sr./Jr., Klamath Falls, OR/Henley HS) placed third for the Bearcats in the women's javelin throw. Her top distance of the afternoon was 101' 5.25".

Up Next for Willamette

The Bearcats will host the Willamette Invitational on Saturday, March 25 at Charles Bowles Track. Each year, the Willamette Invitational is one of the top meets on the West Coast.