Vikings have solid start to indoor season
Alden Mcdonald set a new school record in the pole vault and Jahari Jones got off to a blazing start to the indoor season as Berry’s track and field teams had a strong beginning to the 2023 campaign at the Emory Crossplex Showdown in Birmingham, Ala., Sunday afternoon.
Mcdonald cleared 4.75 meters on his second attempt at the height to win the event at the meet. The mark is the ninthhighest in the country so far in the 2022-23 indoor season. It also tops his personal-best mark from last season when the sophomore cleared 4.57 meters in the same building.
In the 200 meter, Jones crossed the finish line in a time of 21.83, giving him the sixthfastest time in the D-III indoor season so far. Jones also had a 6.86 in the 60 meter sprint preliminary round, giving him the 11th-fastest time to this point.
In other men’s events, Marcus Wilson got his season started with an 8.66 in the 60 meter hurdles finals for a third-place finish in the meet, setting a personal-best in the process. In the shot put, Mason Robinson’s first throw of the season went 14.68 meters and was good enough to win the event. Robinson topped his throw from last year’s event on the same day by more than two meters.
On the women’s side, Emily Kate Thompson and Josie Loggins each broke the school record in the 60 meter hurdles, with a 9.60 for Thompson setting the new mark over the 9.61 of Loggins.
In her first collegiate meet, Malysha Winston won her event with a throw of 11.43 meters, with Avery Jones throwing for an 11.09-meter mark. Lula Haley reached the finals and finished seventh in the weight throw with an 11.71 meters.
“We had a really good first meet overall,” said Berry head coach Luke Syverson. “The first meet is always a learning experience, and while we were only competing with half of our team, I consider our performances a win. We’re looking forward to next weekend when we have our whole team and seeing what we can accomplish this season.”
Berry will be back at the Crossplex this coming weekend for a meet hosted by Samford.
In other Berry Athletics news recently:
SWIMMING Berry men round into form at Viking Classic
After a period of time away from the competitive arena due to the winter holiday, Berry’s men began to get ready for the remainder of the season as it hosted the Viking Classic Saturday at the Cage Center Natatorium.
Berry started the men’s portion of the meet with Noah Brand, Ryan Mackinnon, Sam Tate and Ethan Whiting finishing in first in the 400 Yard Medley Relay with a 3:40.78.
Ross Valdez then took the 500 Yard Freestyle with a 4:48.20. Brand, Whiting and Andrew Horn were the top three in the 200 Yard Individual Medley, with Brand’s 2:01.85 taking first.
Berry had three of the top four finishers in the 50 Yard Freestyle, with Tate’s 21.85 good for first. Mac Shefchunas was third in 23.15, with Bear Breeze in fourth at 23.41. Tate would then take the 50 Yard Breaststroke in 27.45.
Billy Blood took second place in the 50 Yard Backstroke in 25.97, with Valdez getting a podium spot in third with a 26.67. Brand led the charge in the 50 Yard Butterfly with a 23.25 for first place, with Alex Baritek in second with a 25.36 and Breeze in third just behind at 25.39.
Wrapping up the morning session, Berry’s A team of Whiting, Valdez, Blood and Shefchunas won the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay in 3:21.92.
In 1 Meter Diving, Josh Tolson posted a score of 405.05, with Kevin Fuentes-bonilla earning a score of 323.10.
The afternoon got going with Berry placing second in the 200 Yard Medley Relay, with Breeze, Brand, Valdez and Harrison Mcneil clocking in with 1:42.54. Brand would win the 100 Yard Freestyle in 49.38, with Mcneil second in 49.78.
The day closed with Brand, Tate, Whiting and Blood taking the title in the 800 Yard Freestyle Relay with a 7:29.99.
Berry will be back in action Jan. 28 at a quad meet hosted by Birmingham-southern in Birmingham, Ala.
Berry women close home portion of season
A good day in the pool saw Berry’s women have an outstanding performance at the Viking Classic Saturday at the Cage Center Natatorium.
The Vikings started the day with a win in the 400 Yard Meter Relay with Haley Pietras, Julia Oliver, Hannah Smith and Grace Pleasant combining for a 4:20.97. Pleasant then earned the top podium finish in the 500 Yard Freestyle with a 5:58.07. Smith would touch first in the 200 Yard Individual Medley in 2:22.45, with Oliver in second with a 2:22.91.
Isabella Decker and Sarabeth Brown finished in the top two spots in the 50 Yard Freestyle, with Decker finishing in 25.29 and Brown touching in 25.36. Ashley Young was Berry’s high finisher in the 50 Yard Breaststroke, finishing in second with a 34.51. Decker and Pietras were the top two in the 50 Yard Backstroke, with Decker finishing in 29.50.
The Vikings took the top four spots in the 50 Yard Butterfly, with Smith’s 26.82 setting the pace. Brown was next in 27.26, with Pleasant in third at 28.86 and Kimberly Lila in fourth at 29.06.
Emma Stewart, Smith, Pleasant and Viola Hasko took the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay in 4:00.94.
In 1 Meter Diving, Jess Thomas posted a score of 277.05.
The afternoon portion of the meet began in earnest with Berry’s 200 Yard Medley Relay A squad of Molly Heath, Lila, Lexie Crosby and Brown finishing in first with a 2:00.08.
Heath, Crosby and Stewart took the top three places in the 200 Yard Breaststroke, with Heath’s 2:43.06 the best time. Lila then topped the time chart in the 100 Yard Freestyle with a 1:00.14. Brown finished first in the 200 Yard Butterfly with a 2:21.20.
Pleasant’s time of 1:03.05 led the way in the 100 Yard Individual Medley, with Young second in 1:04.06, and Brown third with 1:04.99.
The Vikings will be back in action Jan. 28 with a quad meet hosted by Birmingham-southern in Birmingham, Ala.