Pittsburg State displayed full speed ahead on Sunday while successfully defending its team championship in the MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship at the Russ Jewett Outdoor Track and Field Complex.
The Gorillas scored more than 160 points during the final day and finished with 213.25 points, followed by Missouri Southern with 129.75 and Northwest Missouri with 116.
It’s the sixth consecutive conference outdoor title for the Gorillas and 12th straight MIAA crown between the outdoor and indoor seasons.
PSU trailed Missouri Southern by 17 points after the first two days.
“The kids showed up,” Rutledge said. “It was a rough start early on. We had to find a rhythm and get our confidence where it needed to be. I think (Sunday) showed what type of team we’re capable of being. I’d like to see a little bit better start, especially when we get to the national meet. We have to get things rolling. We can’t just have big upsets or letdowns or any major mistakes. There are things we have to learn early on to get ourselves in better position.”
Sprinter Braylon Thompson provided one of the early sparks on the final day by winning the 100 meters (10.30 seconds). He also won the 200 (20.43) and ran a leg on the winning 4x100 relay team, earning him the high-point award with 22.5 points.
“We knew at any championship, somebody has to get it going,” Rutledge said. “The javelin did really well. The guys (Trace Hanchett, Maddox Johnson and Gannon Marquardt) did a great job of getting 10 points when we were only slated for four, but there wasn’t a lot of people here to notice that.
“We needed something on the track to get going, and the 100 kicked off. Braylon Thompson did a great job of taking that leadership role and saying hey, we got to get going. That helped out with Dylan Sprecker in the 1500, the 4x100 and the 200. One person can make a difference, and it’s who’s going to step up and make that difference.”
Kemarri Stewart, Logan Davis and Ilias Garcia ran the other three legs on the 4x100 relay (39.61). Also helping the Gorillas grab full control was a 1-2 finish by Grayson Smith (17-3.50) and Britton Gage in the pole vault and 2-3-5 finish by 110 hurdles by Tyrone Jackson, Na’Koriyon James and Albert House.
Plus, 28 points came from the 400 meters as Caden William won with a meet-record 45.61 seconds, followed by Davis in second, Woyn Chatman in fourth, Nate Watson in sixth and Amar Williams in seventh.
And the 4x400 relay of Chatman, Watson, Davis and Caden Williams provided the finishing touch with a time of 3:04.56, four seconds faster than the MIAA record and the fastest in Division II this season.
Other first-place finishers for the Gorillas were Xavier Byers in the high jump (6-11.75), Jack Haukap in the hammer throw (215-3) and Matthew Malmstrom in the decathlon (7,054 points).
Drake Stapleton placed second in the shot put and discus, and Eli Gilmore (800) and Antwan Dawson (triple jump) also were second.
