An All-American Start To 2022
MOORHEAD, Minn. (01/22/22)---Senior All-Americans don't need time to warm up at the beginning of a new season; they just start winning right away.
Concordia All-Americans Jesse Middendorf and Munir Isahak both claimed event wins in the season-opening Cobber Open. Middendorf claimed the victories in both the 600 and 1000 meters, while Isahak cruised to a 14-second win in the indoor mile.
The senior duo helped Concordia claim the overall team title at the Cobber Open. CC finished with 71 team points which was 31 ahead of a partial team from MSU-Moorhead.
Middendorf, who earned All-American honors in the 800 meters at last spring's national meet, kicked off his 2022 indoor campaign by winning the 600 meters in a time of 1:21.40. That time is the fastest in the conference for the opening weekend of meets, and beat teammate Justin Kringler – who finished second in the race – by 8 seconds.
Isahak, who earned All-American honors at last fall's cross country national meet, got the jump on Middendorf by winning the mile – three races earlier than Middendorf's victory in the 600. Isahak coasted to a time of 4:23.91 which is No.5 in the MIAC this season.
Freshman Joey Lee was second in the mile with a time of 4:37.55 and Cole Nowacki was third at 4:40.47.
The most dramatic event of the meet came when the two All-Americans squared off in the 1000 meters. Middendorf, the middle distance expert, got the best of the distance dominator by nudging Isahak at the line. Middendorf clocked a 2:38.29 and Isahak was shoulder-to-shoulder at 2:38.52.
Nolan Valdez, Colin Conteh and Anthony Marsh led the Cobber sprint crew. Conteh was fourth in the 60 meters with a time of 7.19 which was .01 of a second ahead of Marsh who clocked a 7.20. Marsh's time pushes him into the No.3 spot in the conference this year. Conteh is currently No.2 in the MIAC.
Marsh was also second in the long jump with a distance of 21-08.25. That is just shy of his best mark which is No.1 in the MIAC. That distance was posted in December at the NDSU meet.
Valdez had a runner-up finish in the 200 meters. He opened his indoor collegiate career with a time of 23.58 which is eighth fastest in the MIAC.
Senior Solomon Johnson had the only other runner-up finish in a track event for CC. He was second in the 800 meters at 2:06.80. Johnson was also fourth in the mile at 4:48.48.
Freshman Peyton Johnsrud had the only event win in the field events for the Cobbers. He recorded a height of 6-0.00 in the high jump, which tied for the top mark but he earned the win by virtue of fewer misses at lower heights.
Concordia had two other runner-up finishes in field events. Senior Wade Rhonemus was second in the pole vault and Cooper Folkestad was second in the shot put. Rhonemus cleared 12-06.75, while Folkestad's toss of 46-03.24 was runner-up in the shot put.
The Cobbers nearly broke a school record in the opening relay of the year. The team of Tommy Kern, Trevor Tiongson, Cal Wright and Colin Schuller won the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:31.25. That is the top time in the MIAC this year and only .28 of a second off the school record set in 2020. The finishing time is made even more remarkable by the fact that the first two CC runners had to maneuver around a stack of hurdles during their leg of the relay.
UP NEXT: Concordia will look to post more Top 10 conference marks when they compete in the second event of the 2022 indoor season. CC will head to Grand Forks to compete in the UND Open on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 12 p.m.
