Men's Track and Field Monday, April 3, 2023

Men's 4x100 Relay Hits NAIA Qualifying Mark in Season Opener

Kalvelage continues to hit the auto mark in the long jump

KEARNEY, Neb. – A late bus and a long drive did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Raiders as they headed south for the NCAA meet. It would prove worth it as PRs abounded and national marks were hit, as well as many sun-burned faces from the athletes and coaching staff. The heat and the sun would be a benefit as the Men's 4x100m relay would hit the automatic qualifying mark and run 41.39m, on the first race of the season.

The first event at the meet for the Raiders would be the Men's Hammer Throw. Senior Throws Captain William Minnick would make the season debut in the event and throw a lifetime PR of 47.15m or 154'8". This would be a nearly 2 meter PR from his previous PR last year of 45.54m. Shortly after in the discus, Garrick Davis threw 29.66m, nearly 3 meters farther than last weeks mark. Bryan Zylstra would place 5^th in the shot put, his strongest of the throwing events, with a throw of 13.99m or 45' 10.75". He would heave the 16lb ball that distance on his first throw, but with the added effort on every subsequent throw was just barely unable to stay in the ring to make the throws count. The final throwing event, the men's javelin, had Joshua Henkenius throw a massive PR of 43.46m on his very first attempt, to achieve 6^th place, still from a short approach like he did the week before. Feeling content and gutsy, he tried lengthening the approach to no avail, before settling down into a mid-sized throw to find a rhythm and throw 40.48m on his final attempt, to replicate the feeling of his first attempt.

After the throws began as soon as the bus rolled into the parking lot, the sun began moving over head, heating up the track, realistically and figuratively. The first event on the track for the men would be the 4x100m relay. Braden Kavelage would start for the men's team. He would be in the middle of the long jump competition where he would ultimately get 2^nd place from his first jump of 7.37m or 24' 2.25". Immediately after the first couple attempts he would run over to the starting mark and set his blocks to begin the relay. With no one outside of the Raiders, they were running blind the entire time. Kalvelage would hand off to Reece Wynne running second leg for the Raiders, neck and neck with the team on the lane inside of them. Wynne wouldn't let up on the gas as he ran through to the 2^nd exchange on the curve where Braden Jahn was waiting. A slight delay in the hand-off would prove insignificant as Jahn would ever so slowly begin to pull away from the team inside. Finally Jahn would hand off to Ashton Sandbulte for the anchor run. The team inside of the Raiders would fail their baton exchange, leaving Sandbulte to run by himself. All of that leading the men to run 41.39, winning the event, and hitting the NAIA auto qualifying mark.

The fast times wouldn't stop there. The same men would run the 100m dash, the 200m dash, and 400m dash later that day. Wynne would lead the Raiders through the 100 in a time of 10.96, to achieve 10^th place. Sandbulte would better his mark from last week, running 10.97, and Grant Palmer would run a lifetime best in 11.05, impressive coming off of an adductor injury. Second would be the 400m dash where Jahn would run a lifetime best in 49.63. Coming through a little fast in his first 200m, the headwind of the homestretch is where he would pay the price, but still achieve his well earned sub-50 run. Lastly the 200m would see Jahn and Wynne come back to both run lifetime PRs in the event. Jahn, fatigued but still in it, would run a lifetime and wind-legal PR of 21.74 to get 4^th overall. Wynne would come back to run a 22.94, a collegiate PR.

Through the longer distances, performances continued to improve. Jacob Kalkwarf would run an 800m PR in 2:11.79, followed closely by Gunner Vargas running a PR in the 400m hurdles with 1:01.75. Reese Van Zee would also run a PR in the same hurdle race with a 1:02.83. Senior Distance Captain Joseph Kunert would race after in the 3000m Steeplechase and run a lifetime PR of 9:41.69, a mere handful of seconds off the provisional mark. Kunert's 4^th place finish was followed by Daniel Norquist making his debut in the event as well, funning 10:53.10.

Raider Top-10:
100m Dash

Reece Wynne 10.96 – 10^th

200m Dash

Braden Jahn 21.74 – 4^th

400m Dash

Braden Jahn 49.63 – 5^th

3000m Steeplechase

Joseph Kunert 9:41.69 – 4^th

4x100m Relay

Braden Kalvelage, Tyreece Wynne, Braden Jahn, Ashton Sandbulte 41.39 – 1^st NAIA AUTO Mark

Long Jump

Braden Kalvelage 7.37 – 2^nd NAIA AUTO Mark

Shot Put

Bryan Zylstra 13.99 – 5^th

Javelin

Josh Henkenius 43.46 – 6^th

Raider Rankings in the NAIA:
Braden Kavelage

Long Jump: 2^nd

4x100m Relay

14^th

Up Next: The Men's and Women's track and field teams will be competing at USD in Vermillion, South Dakota next week. It is a two-day meet, with most of the distance events being contested on Friday the 7^th, with the remainder of the events begin tested on Saturday the 8^th.

Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut

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Players Mentioned

Garrick Davis: Throws; Junior

Josh Henkenius: Sprints; Junior

Braden Jahn: Sprints; Senior

Joseph Kunert: Distance; Senior

William Minnick: Throws; Senior

Grant Palmer: Sprints; Sophomore

Gunner Vargas: Hurdles; Sophomore

Tyreece Wynne: Sprints; Junior

Braden Kalvelage: Jumps; Sophomore

Reese Van Zee: Mid-Distance; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Garrick Davis
: Junior
: Throws

Josh Henkenius
: Junior
: Sprints

Braden Jahn
: Senior
: Sprints

Joseph Kunert
: Senior
: Distance

William Minnick
: Senior
: Throws

Grant Palmer
: Sophomore
: Sprints

Gunner Vargas
: Sophomore
: Hurdles

Tyreece Wynne
: Junior
: Sprints

Braden Kalvelage
: Sophomore
: Jumps

Reese Van Zee
: Freshman
: Mid-Distance