Central Michigan University Athletics
Men's Track Ready For Indoor MAC Championships
2/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | MTF
Feb. 25, 2003
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THE TEAM - The Central Michigan University men's track team travels to Kent, Ohio for the two-day Mid-American Conference Championship on Friday, February 28, and Saturday, March 1.
"We know that Eastern Michigan was a preseason favorite, and is still the favorite," coach Jim Knapp said. "It's amazing that Eastern and us are probably as good as we have ever been.
"This is the best indoor track team we have ever had and we might not even be the top team in the MAC."
JACK SKOOG RECAP - The Chippewas had eight first-place finishers at the non-scoring Jack Skoog Open.
Pat Walderzak (Frankenmuth/Sr.) won the shot put with a provisionally qualifying throw of 58-3 3/4.
Other CMU winners were: Johnie Drake (Detroit/So.) won the 60m dash with a time of 6.76; Soji Jibowu (Saginaw/So.) 200m dash (22.0); Ian Searcy (Canton/Sr.) 800m run (1:53.16); Ron Miller (Stanton/Jr.) mile (4:08.23); Aaron Gebauer (Bad Axe/Sr.) pole vault (16-0 3/4); Steve Wolf (Sterling Heights/Jr.) long jump (23-6); and Mike Sidlauskas (Sparta/So.) weight throw (58-5 3/4).
STILL IMPROVING - "It was an exciting meet as far as winning eight events," Knapp said. "Throughout the season we have been getting better every meet. It showed with all the first-place finishes we took."
SWEEPING EVENTS - The Chippewas finished one-two in the 60m dash Drake and Pierre Vinson (Detroit/Fr.) 6.94, 200m dash Jibowu and Derold Sligh (Saginaw/Jr.) 22.15, and the weight throw Sidlauskas and Walderzak (57-2 1/4).
Yet the most impressive CMU event was the mile where the Chippewas swept the first four spots. Miller won the event with a CMU season best 4:08.23. It was the first time the Chippewas broke the 4:10 barrier this season. Jacob Crowe (Grand Ledge/Jr.) was second (4:09.0), Jake Flynn (Benzonia/So.) third 4:10.09, and Luke Humphrey (Sidney/Sr.) fourth with a (4:10.82) for the Chippewas.
"Our mile runners did a spectacular job," Knapp said. "They are a great group of runners and proved that with two runners coming under 4:10. It really showed that we have a lot of depth in our distance runners."
COSTLY EFFECTS - In the final tune up before the conference meet (Jack Skoog Open), CMU had two men pull out with injuries Drake and Dana Thomas (East Lansing/Sr.).
Drake went down with a pulled hamstring in the 200m dash while Thomas ended up with a sprained ankle in the pole vault. Both will be last minute decisions for the MAC championship.
"Until that meet we have had a very blessed season with nobody injured," Knapp said. "It's unfortunate, but the rest of the team will have to step up now."
