Nation Leading Efforts Lead Titans to First in Home Meet

OSHKOSH, Wis.- The No. 3 nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh men's track and field team took first in the Titan Challenge at Kolf Sports Center on Saturday. They scored 226 points followed in the top-five by UW-Eau Claire (123.5), UW-Stout (98), Carroll University (Wis.) (31) and UW-Stevens Point (25.5).

Track Events

Freshman John Thill won the 5,000-meter run in a season-best 15:40.90. Sophomore Joe Hertel followed in second with a time of 16:13.83.

In the mile run, junior Jason Ford finished fastest for Oshkosh, with a time of 4:32.22. Freshman Owen Bostwick finished closely behind with a 4:32.27 time. 

All Titans in the top-eight set personal season bests in the 400-meter dash, led by senior John Ford, taking second in 50.13 seconds. Freshman Fenyx Morningdove ran in 50.58 seconds, finishing in third place. Junior Rashaad Henderson finished in fifth in a time of 50.64 seconds and sophomore Weston Lerdal took seventh with a 50.92 second finish. 

With the fastest time in program history, junior Elijah Pena won the 60-meter hurdles in 8.21 seconds. He moved up from fourth on the leaderboard. Sophomore Aden Sears took fourth with an 8.39 second run, setting a personal season best. 7.94 seconds. 

Finishing second in the 60-meter dash, sophomore Keegan Cullison ran a personal season best of 6.84 seconds. Freshman Ja'siah Williams also ran a personal season-best with a 6.89 second finish. Senior Jaylen Grant (6.91), junior Jaylin Boatman (6.93, season best), Joey Kean (6.96, season best) and Brett Clavijo (6.99) and senior Denzel Thomas (7.27) took fourth through eighth.

Sophomore Nick Vey took fourth in the 800-meter run, finishing in 1:57.08, which set him a new season best.

Boatman led Oshkosh with a third place finish in the 200-meter dash, running a 22.39 second time. Clavijo followed in fourth with a 22.51 second finish. Freshman Charlie Nolan and Cullison grabbed fifth and sixth with 22.58 and 22.63 second times, respectively. Senior Aaron Richardson and Henderson finished with times of 22.65 seconds. Richardson took eighth and Henderson took ninth. 

Freshman Paul Proteau finished best for the Titans with an 8:40.48 finish in the 3,000-meter run. Freshman Cameron Cullen as placed with a fifth place, 8:43.57 time. Both set personal season highs.

Setting a new team season best in the 4x400-meter relay by more than five seconds, the Titans won the event with a time of 3:16.79.

Field Events

Sophomore Caleb Cornelius won the high jump crown with a mark of 2.06 meters, a season high for the Titans and sitting sixth in the nation. Nolan took second with a 1.96-meter finish.

Senior Eli Tranel set the program record and now leads the nation in the pole vault with a 5.07-meter mark. The previous program record of 5.05 meters was set by Zach Johnson on February 17, 2007. Sophomore Zach Zirgibel took second, vaulting 4.77 meters.

In the long jump, sophomore AK Toheeb-Lawal took the crown with a best jump of 7.16 meters for a team season best mark and sixth in program history. Sophomore Sebastian Jefferson took second, freshman Caleb Wright took third and junior RJ Bosshart took fourth with jumps of 6.95, 6.90 and 6.82 meters, respectively. 

Senior Jonathan Wilburn bested his own nation leading effort in the triple jump for the second time this season with a 15.38-meter mark. His two previous bests were 15.15 and 15.20 meters. He currently sits second in program history. Wright took second, jumping 13.66 meters for a personal season best and freshman Elijah McCauley jumped 12.35 meters.

Junior Max Schoening took eighth in the 35-lb. weight throw with a team season best mark of 16.07 meters. 
Freshmen Isaiah Isom and Kieran Maude took fourth and sixth in the shot put, throwing 15.28 and 15.14 meters, respectively. 

Looking Forward

The Titans return to action for the WIAC Championships in Menomonie on Friday and Saturday, February 24 and 25.