USAFA, Colo. -- January 21, 2017 -- Chadron State College track and field athletes continued to earn numerous high placings and turn in strong marks Friday and Saturday while competing at meets at three locations.

As is generally the situation, the leaders included seniors Stachia Reuwsaat and Mel Herl. They were among the Eagles who were at the U.S. Air Force Academy Invitational Meet near Colorado Springs.

Although Reuwsaat did not enter the long jump, which she won at last year's NCAA II National Indoor Meet and was the runner-up outdoors, she won the 60-meter dash in 7.50 seconds to tie the school record she set earlier this season. There were 33 entries in the 60, about half of them from Division I schools.               

Herl captured her specialty, the 20-pound weight throw, with a mark of 69 feet, 6 ¾ inches. That wasn't as far as her nation-leading mark of 71-10 in December, but it was still almost six feet beyond the Division II automatic qualifying standard. 

Two more CSC women also fared well in the weight throw. Ashlyn Hanson placed fourth with a toss of 57-5 ½, a career-best by more than three feet, and Keri Ruff was sixth at 54-9 ¼, a season-best by nearly two feet.  Both throws are provisional qualifiers for the national meet.

In the men's competition at the Air Force Academy, Blake Jacobs was second in the shot put at 54-5 ¼, a career best by nearly nine inches, and Jesse Bleidt was third in the weight throw at 59-1 ¼.  Jacobs also was fifth in the weight throw with his career-best of 56-3 ¼.

Two CSC underclassmen, Kharon Hall and Kahlil James, placed fourth and fifth in the triple jump with marks of 47-7 and 47-4 ¼, respectively. Both jumps are provisional qualifiers.

The Chadron State distance runners also had some strong results at a huge meet at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.

Senior Kyle Dietsch had career-best times while placing third in the 3000 meters in 9:03.80 and fifth in the mile in 4:22.26. In addition, the Eagles' Eric Yager was fourth in the 3000 and Levi Avila was sixth in both races.

There were 45 entries in the men's mile.

Maggie Vinton also had a career-best time of 10:48.40 while placing fifth in the women's 3000. Teammate Taylor Allison was third in the 5000 in 19:09.54, just three seconds slower than her career-best.

Although he is out of indoor eligibility but is running unattached this winter while tuning up for the outdoor season, CSC senior Alejandro Garcia ran the mile in 4:21.47 while winning that event during a meet at Black Hills State in Spearfish on Saturday.

Results at Air Force Academy Invitational Meet:
        Women's Events
                60 meters—1, Stachia Reuwsaat, 7.50.
                200 meters—30, Cassie Johnson, 26.75; 31, Chasidy Horton, 27.04; 33, Tory Snyder, 27.45.
                400 meters—9, Alisha Heelan, 58.48; 23, Cassie Johnson, 1:01.57; 25, Sierra Martinez, 1:02.31; 28, Alyssa Valko, 1:03.42.
                4x440 (mile relay)—7, Chadron State (Alisha Heelan, Cassie Johnson, Sierra Martinez, Alyssa Valko), 4:06.27.
                20-pound weight throw—1, Mel Herl, 69-6 ¾; 4, Ashlyn Hanson, 57-5 ½; 6, Keri Ruff, 54-9 ¼; 15, Ashton Hallsted, 47-10 ¾; 24, Danielle Weyer, 43-5 ¼.
                High jump—15, Haley Gallagher, 4-11.
                Long jump—5, Maddie Brashears, 18-½; 10, Chasidy Horton, 17-5 ¼; 13, Sierra Martinez, 16-8 ½.
                Triple jump—15, Michelle Carbajal, 34-5 ½.
                Pole vault—11, Tory Snyder, 10-11 ¾; 12, Haley Gallagher, 10-6.
                Shot put—14, Mel Herl, 38-5 ¾; 16, Ashton Hallsted, 35-2.
        Men's Events
                60 meters—4, Andre Woodson, 6.83.
                4x440 (mile relay)—7, Chadron State (Justin Leman, Austin Fajfer, Cody Davis, Cory Salitrik), 3:27.10.
                Shot put—2, Blake Jacobs, 54-5 ¼; 5, David Aldridge, 50-2 ¾; 8, Cory Martens, 48-10.
                35-pound weight throw—3, Jesse Bleidt, 59-1 ¼; 5, Blake Jacobson, 56-3 ¼; 7, Cory Martens, 53-11; 8, Frantzlee LaCrete, 50-10 ¾; 12, David Aldridge, 48-7.              
                Long jump—8, Jack Gibbens, 21-2 ½; 9, Justin Leman, 21-1 ¼; 14, Khalil James, 20-7; 17, Isaiah Castellaw, 20-4 ½; 18, Greg Peterson, 20-2 ½.
                Triple jump—4, Kharon Hall, 47-7; 5, Kahlil James, 47-4 ½; 7, Daz Smith, 46-3 ½.

Results at South Dakota State University:
        Women's Events
                3000—5, Maggie Vinton, 10:48.40,
                5000—3, Taylor Allison, 19:09.54.
        Men's Events
                Mile—5, Kyle Dietsch, 4:22.22; 6, Levi Avila, 4:23.50.
                3000—3, Kyle Dietsch, 9:02.80; 4, Eric Yager, 9:04.05; 6, Levi Avila, 9:24.23.

Results at Black Hills State:
        Women's Events
                Mile—5, Dominque Oden, 5:47.3
        Men's Events
                Mile—1, Alejandro Garcia (unattached), 4:21.47.