A less-than-healthy Little Giant track and field team opened the outdoor portion of the 2008 season with a second-place finish at the Wabash Relays. (View photos from the meet here.)
Sophomore Emmanuel Aouad swept the top spot in both hurdle races and was part of the Little Giants' winning sprint medley relay team. He took first place in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.47, then followed with a first place run in the 400-meter hurdles (56.31). He joined Tim Rickard, Derrin Slack, and Quincy Dotson to win the sprint medley with a time of 3:44.50.
Freshman Rob Smallman broke his own school record in the pole vault, topping 16 feet by clearing 4.87 meters to win the individual portion of the event. He joined Robert Trahin to win the relay portion of the pole vault competition. Trahin cleared 13 feet for a combined height of 29 feet.
Justin Sparks and Alex Moseman took first place in the hammer throw relay with a total distance of 76.11 meters. Sparks was the individual champion after posting a mark of 38.95. Moseman was second (37.16). Keegan McLaughlin and Lincoln Smith took first place in the javelin relay. McLaughlin was second overall with a throw of 44.04 meters. Smith finished third (42.64), giving the duo a combined effort of 86.68 meters.
Sam Compton-Craig added a victory in the steeplechase, winning with a time of 10:09.57.
Sparks and Smith tied for second overall in the discus throw with a distance of 69.05 meters. Sparks took third individually (36.40) while Smith was fifth (32.65). Wes Chamblee won the triple jump with a distance of 41 feet, 3-1/4 inches before a sprained ankle eliminated him from the rest of the competition. He and Bryant Dentinger finished second in the triple jump relay with a total distance of 76 feet and 1/4 inch. Chamblee joined with Nelson Barre to take second in the high jump relay. Chamblee cleared 5 feet, 10 inches. Barre topped 5-8.
David Haggard and Kyle Edwards tied for fourth in the shot put relay. Haggard was third in the individual standings (12.36 meters) while Edwards took fifth (11.73).
Despite an injury-depleated roster that grew smaller after the injury to Chamblee, Wabash finished with 142 points, trailing only Taylor University in first with 159. Franklin was third (106), followed by Marian College (73) and Trinity Christian (36).
Photos - (top left) Emmanuel Aouad was part of three winning efforts at Saturday's Wabash Relays.
(Bottom right) Keegan McLaughlin took second individually, but joined teammate Lincoln Smith to win the javelin relay.