SJU JOHNNIES Track and Field Blog
We knew this year’s MIAC Conference Championship was going to be close between the Johnnies and Bethel. Both teams have been ranked in the top-ten nationally during the outdoor season. Coaches Maxwell and Tim crunched the numbers before the meet and thought there would be 1-2 points separating us.
It is hard to believe that it was even closer! Bethel scored 207 points to our 206.5. It was the first time a team scored over 200 points and lost! The bus ride home was a constant discussion of all the ways we could have scored another point. Many of the guys estimated they could have done more, but it is difficult to believe when we had a tremendous amount of personal records set throughout the weekend. Eventually, the discussion evolved into the clear collusion by the other teams to prevent us from winning (sarcasm). The #1 shot putter in the country clearly fouled all three throws in order to sabotage the Johnnies. Bethel picked up three points in that mishap. Similarly, the Ole’s had the top two 5k runners. Their pr’s were over one minute faster than the Bethel runner ranked 19th in the MIAC. Somehow he slithered in front of the Ole runners for a third place finish.
Here is a few of the standout performances: Eight conference champions
In his final MIAC Conference Championship, Kevin Arthur (SR, Champlin Park) won the 100 and 200 for the 4th consecutive year. He broke the school record in the 100 with a ridiculous time of 10.19. The previous record 0f 10.22 was set in 2019 by Ryan Miller (‘21).
Kevin teamed up with Matt Hanson (SO, Longmont CO), Aidan Morey (JR, Omaha NE) and Max Reis (FY Spectrum) to win the 4x100 in a MIAC Championship record of 40.29.
Max Reis wanted his own school record and broke the long jump record in dramatic fashion. He fouled his first two jumps. Rather than be safe, he jumped 24-0.75 to win the meet and break the school record held by Erik Diley in 2008. In a confident power-move, Max walked away and passed his remaining jumps. He went to focus on the 100.
High jumper Jackson McDowell (SO, Arapahoe CO) continued his win streak with a jump of 6-9.
Junior Mitchell Degen became our second javelin conference champion from Brainerd. His throw of 191-9 edged out teammate Jackson McDowell by nine inches.
Our pole vaulters had a great meet as well. Kole Guth (JR, St. Peter) led the vaulters with an upset win over the nationally ranked Hamline vaulter. The vault squad finished first, third, sixth, and seventh.
Finally, senior Max Lelwica (Brainerd) started the entire championship season with a big win in the decathlon the week before.
Thankfully we have little time to be haunted by the score. We are currently in full Last Chance mode. We are hosting a last chance decathlon with one of our guys (Anthony Thurk, SR Waconia) taking a crack at qualifying for Nationals and a freshman going for the SJU freshman record which he just missed by a few points at the conference championship. The rest of the team will drive down to La Crosse to compete.
I’m hoping we still have a little last chance magic to qualify a few more athletes to the national championship!
Jeremy