Efforts put in by the Ohio track and field team produced positive results in the Ohio Invitational, the first of three season appearances at home.
Battling their way through the rain and snow, 11 competitors ended the weekend with wins in their events.
Overall, the men tied for first place with Kent State with 151 points. The women finished in fourth place behind Buffalo, Kent State and Toledo.
Friday marked the beginning of the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon. Both events continued onto the second day of competition.
Susan Plungis and Melissa Gedeon both earned points for Ohio, placing fourth and second, respectively. Each won an event in the heptathlon: Plungis taking the javelin throw with a mark of 117 feet and Gedeon winning the 800-meter run.
The men also found success in the decathlon. Luke High landed in the fifth spot and Chad Lutz finished third. High took the top spot in the pole vault and Lutz won the high jump.
The team performed especially well in the distance running events. Austin Schiele won in the 5000-meter race while Bob Wayner came in seventh and Brian List took the fifth spot.
Schiele said that the weather played a factor, but its effects were felt across the board.
Everybody had to run in (the rain)
Schiele said. I was surprised (by the win). All of our guys in the race came in the top ten so that was awesome.
Coach Mitch Bentley said that he was happy with the results on the distance team and he is looking forward to upcoming meets.
We have high goals in the distance future and we want to work toward those goals Bentley said In the 400-meter dash, sprinter Dan Bailey won the event with John Willis placing third and Ben Pollock taking eighth.
Sprinter Chip Cox took the top spot the 100-meter dash. Bailey came in third in the event and Brian Miller landed the seventh spot.
In the field, the men earned a win from pole-vaulter Boone Troyer, who was absent most of the indoor season. Four Ohio men came out with points for the team in the event. Kyle Burns took second, Mike Goodrich fourth and Eric Vandenberg fifth.
On the women's side, distance runner Carime Reinhart won the 5k and set a new stadium record with a time of 17:29.15. Andrea Maas landed sixth in the same event.
It was an awesome opener for me
Reinhart said. It was great because it was at home and there were fans and my family was there. I thought I ran well. I am excited for the rest of the season.
Jumper Tamara Fennell continued her successful outdoor season by taking first in the triple jump. She also took eighth in the long jump.
Hurdler Jericka Duncan took the top spot in the 100-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles. Fellow Bobcat Jessica Kestler came in fourth.
Next up on the schedule for the Bobcats is the Miami Invitational in Oxford, Ohio this coming weekend.
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Michelle Mu-oz
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Senior hurdler Jericka Duncan competes in the 100-meter hurdles at the Ohio Invitational on Saturday, April 2.
