Results

GALESBURG, Illinois – The Prairie Fire kicked off the outdoor season with four second place finishes and a total of six top five placements at the Knox Open Saturday on Turner Track at Trevor Field.

Knox performed especially well in the 3000 meter steeplechase races.  Sophomore Josh Tvrdy (Tucson, AZ, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy) and junior Brian Cole (Warson Woods, MO, Webster Groves) placed second and third, respectively, for the men's squad.  First-year Frances Larsen (Anchorage, AK, West Anchorage) finished second in the event for the women's team.  The three also established new Knox all-time top 10 times.  Tvrdy finished in 10:21.56 for #6 on the all-time individual list while Cole's time of 10:33.92 ranks #8 by an individual. Larsen recorded the #4 fastest performance on record in the women's 3K steeplechase with her mark of 13:03.69.

Senior Ezekiel Jere (Lusaka, Zambia, SOS Hermann-Gmeiner International) placed second in the men's 1500 meter race in 4:14.69, and first-year Rebecca Katz (Columbia, MO, David H. Hickman) crossed the finish line second in the women's 1500 in 5:29.37.  Katz also competed in the 5000 meters, and her time of 19:59.34 ranks #8 on the individual list for the event.  Cole added a fifth place finish in the 1500 meters (16:16.95).

The Prairie Fire also scored with Jere's seventh place effort in the 800 meters (2:01.19), a seventh place shot put throw by junior Brennan Mc Glauchlen (Inver Grove Heights, MN, Simley) that measured 39' 11 ¼", and a hammer throw by senior Nicolette Bridgeforth (Chicago, IL, Guerin Prep) that traveled 114'.

Sophomore Jessica Fritts (Scottsdale, AZ, Foothills Academy) posted a personal best hammer throw of 98' 3" (previous best 94' 6") that improved her #8 ranking on the all-time individual list.

The Knox men scored 29 points to finish sixth among the 13 teams in the meet, which also included club teams and unattached athletes.  The Knox women tallied 17 points and placed 10th out of 14 teams in the final standings.

The Prairie Fire have less than a week to get ready for the second meet of the season, the Ashford Spring Classic on Friday in Clinton, Iowa.