First place finishes from freshman Jared Jackson (Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) and the Wabash 4 X 200-meter relay team helped the Little Giant track and field team to a second place finish in the team standings at the 2004 Wabash Alumni Indoor Track and Field Invitational.
The Little Giants finished with 127 team points, trailing only Bellermine University’s total of 169. Vincennes University (100), Manchester College (75), Marian College (72.5), and Grace College (29.5) rounded out the team scoring.
Jackson thrilled the home crowd at the Knowling Fieldhouse by clearing 13-6 in the finals of the pole vault to take the top spot while setting a new Alumni meet record. The 4 X 200 relay team of Chris Morris (SR/Zionsville, IN/Zionsville), Nathan Bates (FR/Ossian, IN/Norwell), Josh Jones (FR/North Richland Hills, TX/Nolan Catholic), and Zach Smith (FR/Newburgh, IN/Castle) ran a 1:35.18 for their first place finish.
Senior Dan Ruge (Chesterton, IN/Chesterton) ran a 4:02.41 in the 1500-meter run, finish second overall while breaking the meet and Knowling Fieldhouse mark set by former Wabash runner Mark Sherer '03 by five seconds. Junior Sean Gerold (Crawfordsville, IN/Crawfordsville) was second in the shot put with a throw of 12.94. Bates added a second place finish in the 400 meters (51.70), as did jones in the high jump (16-2) and the long jump (6.45 meters). Sophomore Ethan Paul (Evansville, IN/Reitz Memorial) took second in the 5000 meters (17:34.5). Junior John Taggart (Carmel, IN/Hampton Roads Academy) was second in the triple jump (11.86m).
The Little Giants will host the North Coast Athletic Conference Relays on Saturday, January 31 at noon in the Knowling Fieldhouse.