SPEARFISH, S.D. -- January 13, 2017 -- After not competing for more than a month because of the holiday break, the Chadron State College throwers and distance runners returned to action Friday at the Myrle Hanson Memorial Indoor Meet at Black Hills State in Spearfish.

Athletes from a half dozen schools competed.

To no one's surprise, most of the Eagles' marks weren't quite as good as they were in early December, but neither was there a huge decline.

Chadron State throwers dominated those events.

Senior Mel Herl, who threw the 20-pound weight 71-feet-10 inches in December to lead all NCAA contestants, hit 70-1 Friday. She also had a career-best mark of 47- ¼ in the shot put while winning both events. 

CSC entries took the top five places in the weight throw. Ashlyn Hanson was the runner-up at 50-11 ¼, followed by freshman Ashton Hallsted at 50-4 ½.  Hallsted also was third in the shot at 36-9 ¾.

In the men's throws, the Eagles' Blake Jacobs won the shot put at 53-6 ¼ and Jesse Bleidt was the 35-pound weight throw winner at 55-3 ½. Jacobs also was second in the weight throw at 53-9. 
Another Chadron State entry, Cory Martens, was third in the shot and fourth in the weight throw.    

On the track, two prominent Eagles who are redshirting during the indoor season, but will be on the official roster outdoors, Nicky Banzhaf and Alejandro Garcia, ran well.

Banzhaf was second in the mile and fourth in the 3000 among the women and Garcia won the men's 3000.

Senior Maggie Vinton was just a stride or so behind Banzhaf in both of the women's races while Kyle Dietsche was second in the men's 800 in 2:00.83 and fourth in the mile in 4:29.46.

The only CSC field events athletes to compete aside from the throwers were pole vaulters Tory Snyder and Haley Gallagher.  They finished one-two with career-best marks of 10-11 ½ and 10-0, respectively.

Nearly all the Chadron State track and field athletes will enter a meet at the U.S. Air Force Academy this coming weekend.

               The Eagles' placings follow:

Women's Results
               Mile—2, Nicky Banzhaf (unattached), 5:29.51; 3, Maggie Vinton, 5:31.91; 5, Kiya Passero, 5:34.52.
               3000—4, Nicky Banzhaf (unattached), 11:13.90; 5. Maggie Vinton, 11:14.12.
               Shot put—1, Mel Herl, 47- ¼; 3, Ashton Hallsted, 36-9 ¾.
               Weight throw—1, Mel Herl, 70-1; 2, Ashlyn Hanson, 50-11 ½; 3, Ashton Hallsted, 50-4 ½; 4, Kerri Ruff, 48-7 ½; 5, Danielle Weyers, 47-5 ½.
               Pole vault—1, Tory Snyder, 10-11 ½; 2, Haley Gallagher, 10-0.

Men's Results
               800—2, Kyle Dietsche, 2:00.83.
               Mile—2, Alejandro Garcia (unattached), 4:32.81; 4, Kyle Dietsche, 4:29.46.
               3000—1, Alejandro Garcia (unattached), 8:56.85; 6, Eric Yager, 9:21.73.
               Shot put—1, Blake Jacobs, 53-6 ¼; 3, Cory Martens, 46-5 ½.
               Weight throw—1, Jesse Bleidt, 55-3 ½; 2, Blake Jacobs, 53-9; 4, Cory Martens, 51-0; 6, Frantzlee LaCrete. 50-4 ½.