Early Bird sees Mside get 2021-22 strong start

MITCHELL, S.D. – Morningside pieced together a combined nine men's and women's event championships Saturday, Dec. 11.

Head coach Dave Nash's Mustangs received victories across the circuit of events at Dakota Wesleyan University's Early Bird meet.

Junior men's sprinter and jumps specialist Jake Knott (Elkhorn, Neb.) made an immediate impression in his first Mustang opportunity. He soared 20 feet, six and a quarter inches, to capture the top spot and then came back to clock a blazing 7.11 seconds for runner-up honors in the 60-meter dash. Freshman Levi Son (Shenandoah, Iowa) also had a solid first meet in a Mside uniform, winning the 3000 meters (10:21.67) by better than 35 seconds. The remaining two victories on the men's side went to senior Ro Paschal (Mancos, Colo.) (1000 meters – 2:34.09) and the 4x400 meter relay quartet of junior Jaden Anderson (Hinton, Iowa), sophomore Austin Freiberg (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa), freshman Issa Aman (Sioux City, Iowa) and freshman Tom Moss (North Platte, Neb.) (3:40.41). Two more underclassmen were added to first meet headlines: freshman Ashton Verdoorn (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) and freshman Kadyn Cline (Spencer, Iowa), who were runners-up in the 400 and 600, respectively.

Morningside's women raced to five event wins. Freshman Taylor Sporrer (Logan, Iowa) (mile run – 6:13.07); junior Hope Morken (Ames, Iowa) (60-meter hurdles – 9.8 seconds); senior Morgan Roberts (Spencer, Iowa) (600 meters – 1:50.12); sophomore Michelle Sanchez (Sioux City, Iowa) (800 meters – 2:31.54); and the 4x400 meter relay unit of Sanchez, senior Tenna Beel (Stanton, Neb.), sophomore Emily Chicoine (Graettinger, Iowa) and senior Jenna Dirkx (Spencer, Iowa) (4:25.21) took podium top spots. Junior Rachel Kenny (Schaller, Iowa) (mile run), sophomore Monica Olson (Sioux City, Iowa) (600-meter run), and freshman Sarah Perez (Larchwood, Iowa) (80-meter run) added their names to the Mustangs' tote board with runner-up marks.

The Mustangs break from competition due to winter break and training until Jan. 15, when they are part of the field at the Dordt University Invitational. The Sioux Center trip begins six successive weekends when the teams will be in action.