BROOKINGS, S.D. –  It was a long but beneficial day for the Chadron State College track and field team Saturday at the South Dakota State Indoor Classic, which featured 35 schools and massive fields in most events.

Chadron State's highlight occurred in the last event, when the men's 4x400 meter relay team finished second among 25 entries with a time of 3:14.58 that is the new school record. The quartet was comprised of Christopher Cormier, Ryan Clapper, Kaden Perez and Ayden Hartzell.  

Chadron State's new mark replaces the 3:15.33 that was set 10 years ago by Lane Higgins, Zerek Jones, Austin Fajfer and Martin Moriel, also at South Dakota State's spectacular indoor facility.
 
Prior to running in the relay, Clapper and Cormier had an interesting experience Saturday when they tied for fourth and fifth places in a 400-meter invitational race involving eight select runners. Their shared time of 48.37 seconds is CSC's third fastest ever. Only Joel Duffield's 47.22 in 2006 and Brodie Roden's 47.69 in 2020 are better.

Ayden Hartzell, who ran the anchor leg on Saturday's relay, also had a career-best 49.01 that was good for ninth after all the heats had been run in the open 400 race that involved 84 entries. 

Besides Clapper and Cormier who had the exact same time in their race, two more CSC sprinters, Austin Chiang and Esosa Iyengunmwena, also had the identical mark of 6.93 seconds during the preliminaries of the 60-meter dash early Saturday, sharing 14^th and 15^th places among the 29 contestants.

Head coach Jake Gruver was pleased that still another of his collection of speedsters was able to compete at SDSU. Freshman Josh St. Jean ran the Eagles' fastest time of 6.83 seconds in the 60 meters at the Birds and Bees Meet in early December, but had not competed since because of a hamstring issue. The coach entered St. Jean in the 200 this weekend and his protégé from Jamaica finished 13^th among the 92 entries.

Chadron State also had some good things happen in field events in Brookings. Saturday's highest placer was sophomore Camilla Salvucci, who was third in the triple jump by going 11.85 meters or 38 feet, 11 inches.  

Salvucci, the reigning RMAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week, had won her specialty at the Eagles' previous five meets this season and seems assured of being a national meet qualifier. 

Shelby Ekwall also placed sixth among 45 women in the shot put and Quade Jordan had his season-best marks in both of the men's shot put and weight throw.

On the men's side, Chayton Bynes bypassed the triple jump after he became NCAA Division II's national leader in that event a week ago by leaping 52-6.50. Bynes instead competing in the long jump, where he placed fourth by going 22-7.25 during his only attempt so he'd be qualified to enter it at the RMAC Meet the last weekend of February. 

                Following is a list of these and other CSC bright spots Saturday:     
Men's Results
                60 dash qualifying race—6, Augustin Chiang, 6.97 seconds.  (94 entries).
                60 dash preliminaries—14-15, tie between Augustin Chiang and Esosa Iyengunmwena, 6.93 seconds. (29 entries).
                200 dash—9, Joshua St. Jean, 22.26. Career best. (92 entries). 
                400 invitational—4-5 tie, Ryan Clapper and Christopher Cormier, 48.37. Both career-best times and CSC's third best time all-time. 
                400 open—9, Ayden Hartzell, 49.01. Career best. (84 entries). 
                Mile—25. Wyatt Bly, 4:16.59. Career best by 7.5 seconds. (100 entries.)
                4x400 relay—2, Chadron State (Christopher Cormier, Ryan Clapper, Kaden Perez, Ayden Hartzell). 3:14.58, School Record.  (25 teams).
                Shot put—15, Quade Jordan, 14.67 meters or 48-feet,1.75 inches.  Season best. (42 entries). 
                Weight throw—25, Quade Jordan, 15.07 meters or 49 feet, 6.5 inches. Season best by two feet. (43 entries). 
                Long jump—4, Chayton Bynes, 6.89 meters, 22-feet, 7.25 inches.  Season best. (40 entries).
Women's Results
                60 dash—30, Wongel Molla, 7.93 seconds. Career best. (74 entries).
                Mile—50, Lydia Peters, 5:19.59. Career best.  (100 entries),
                Shot put—6, Shelby Ekwall, 13.07 meters or 42 feet, 10.75 inches. (45 entries). 
                Triple jump—3, Camilla Salvucci, 11.85 meters or 38 feet, 11 inches.