Double Meets Produce Spring Success

ABERDEEN, S.D. (4/24/21)---In one of the signs that the spring is slowly starting to resemble past seasons, Concordia sent athletes to the annual Drake Relays. The meet in Iowa was a part of a 2-meet weekend for the Cobbers.

Concordia had five athletes compete in the Drake Relays while the majority of the team headed to Aberdeen to participate in the Northern State Open.

The Drake Relays crew came away with four all-time Top 20 Cobber marks while the athletes in Aberdeen recorded 12 personal best results.

Junior Cal Wright had the top performance of the weekend for the Cobbers. He clocked a 22.11 in the 200 meters at the Drake Relays which is the second fastest in school history. It was also good for eighth place in the college division at the meet and the second fastest in the MIAC this year.

Wright also ran the 400 meters at Drake and finished with a time of 49.74.

The top finish for the Cobbers in Iowa was turned in by Jesse Middendorf. He placed fifth in the 800 meters with a finishing time of 1:52.55.

The other Top 20 program marks at Drake were turned in by senior Munir Isahak, freshman Cole Nowacki and the 4x400-meter relay team of Isahak, Wright, Middendorf and Colin Schuller.

Isahak ran a personal best time of 4:02.38 in the 1500 meters which is No.16 all time for the Cobbers. Nowacki continues to improve in his first season competing in the 3000-meter steeplechase. He took another step forward by recording a PR time of 9:56.47 which is the 12th fastest in school history. It is also No.5 in the MIAC this year.

The 4x4 squad raced around the track and finished in a time of 3:22.30 which is the second fastest in the conference in 2021 and No.17 in program history.

Colin Conteh and Hans Frank-Holzner posted the highest finishes in track events at the Northern State Open while Cooper Folkestad had the same honor for the field athletes.

Conteh was sixth, with a PR time of 11.27, in the 100 meters. That mark is seventh best in the MIAC this year. Frank-Holzner also recorded a 6th-place finish. He ran a 16:15.94 in the 5000 meters.

Folkestad's Top 5 finish came in the shot put. He put up a distance of 50-09.25 and was fifth in a 38-athlete field. Folkestad recorded a PR in the hammer throw with a distance of 125-06.

A pair of Jake's had PRs in field events. Jacob Kerzman launched the hammer 156-07 which is good for No.10 in the conference. Jake LePard had a PR in the javelin with a distance of 130-11.                          

UP NEXT: Concordia will consolidate their forces when they compete in the MSU Moorhead Ron Masanz Classic on Saturday, May 1 at 10 a.m.