24 Top-Eight Finishes Cap Off Final Day of Action for Cloud County Track Athletes at Friends University
Looking to finish out their week on a high note, the Cloud County Community College track and field teams combined for 24 top-eight finishes on the final day of the 2024 Friends University Spring Invitational held at Adair-Austin Stadium in Wichita, Kansas on Saturday, April 6th.
Included in the 24 top-eight finishes were 18 top-five finishes with the T-Bird women accounting for 13 of the top-eight finishes with the CCCC men recording 11 top-eight finishes by nine different athletes.
Field events highlighted the day for both the women and men to close out the three-day meet as Shackala Henry won the high jump with a mark of 1.65 meters (5 ft. – 5 in.) before going on to take fifth in the triple jump (11.40 meters, 37 ft. – 4.75 in.) to finish as one of seven T-Birds to record multiple top-eight finishes. Also finishing with multiple top marks for the Cloud County women were Tamara Thompson with a win in the discus (44.98 meters, 147 ft. – 7 in.) to go along with a fifth-place finish in the shot put (12.21 meters, 40 ft. – 0.75 in.) while Adrienne Locke-Garcia earned a third-place finish in the shot put (12.57 meters, 41 ft. – 3 in.) and fourth-place finish in the discus (39.89 meters, 130 ft. – 10 in.). Also recording a pair of top-eight finishes for the CCCC women was Chenessa Davis with a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles (14.11 seconds) to go along with a fifth-place finish in the high jump (1.55 meters, 5 ft. – 1 in.) while seeing Rafiatu Nuhu take second in the 200 meters (24.41 seconds) and third in the 100 meters (11.95 seconds). Two of the remaining three top-eight finishes for the T-Bird women came in the 400-meter hurdles with Jaelyn Rumback taking fifth (1:08.85) alongside an eighth-place finish from Jasmine Sakaguchi (1:12.11) with the final top finish coming in the 4x400 relay with Lela Singleton, Rumback, Joella Mathilda, and Sakaguchi combining for a time of 4:27.77 to take third.
Leading the Cloud County men on Saturday was Andre Smikle and Bradley Nkosi with a pair of top-eight finishes each as Smikle won the shot put (14.52 meters, 47 ft. – 7.75 in.) to go along with a second-place finish in the discus (46.74 meters, 153 ft. – 4 in.) while seeing Nkosi take fifth in the 110-meter hurdles (14.79 seconds) before going on to take sixth in the 400 meter hurdles (56.80 seconds). The next highest finish by a CCCC men's athlete came in the 400-meter hurdles with Ifeanyichukwu Aninze running a national qualifying time of 54.26 seconds to take third with his time currently ranking eighth in the NJCAA. Only one other top mark was recorded on the track with Kamogelo Thipe taking fourth in the 1,500 meters (4:09.82) as the final five top-eight finishes for the T-Birds came in field events which included a pair of top-eight finishes in both the high jump and pole vault. In the high jump, Arne Roehl took fifth with a mark of 1.93 meters (6 ft. – 4 in.) to beat out teammate Trey Collins who took eighth (1.83 meters, 6 ft. – 0 in.) while the pole vault saw Mohamed Belhassen take fifth (4.40 meters, 14 ft. – 5.25 in.) and Skylar McFarling take seventh (4.25 meters, 13 ft. – 11.25 in.). The final top-eight mark by CCCC came in the shot put with Josh Deiter placing seventh after a throw of 13.67 meters (44 ft. – 10.25 in.) among a field of 25 competitors.
What's Next?
Another trip back to Wichita will see Cloud County go back to Cessna Stadium and Wichita State University for the KT Woodman Classic which is set to take place April 12-13. Limited college events will take place on Friday the 12th beginning at 6 PM following the conclusion of the high school portion of the meet with the distance carnival highlighting day one action before seeing the meet resume on the 13th at 11 AM and running throughout the day.