Knox Open Results

Galesburg, IL - The Prairie Fire outdoor track and field teams put the many hours they've spent getting ready for the season to the test on Saturday.

The track and field athletes kicked off the 2012 campaign by hosting the Knox Open.  Western Illinois University, Illinois College, Beloit College, Eureka College, Quincy University, and a club team from Northern Illinois University also participated in the unscored meet.

Knox's men's and women's teams combined to tally 19 top five finishes, including a couple of first place efforts. 

Junior Joe Puntoriero (Cheektowaga, New York, Cleveland Hill) won the 200 meter dash and sophomore Gabe Moreno (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) topped the field in the 5000 meter run.  Moreno also logged a fourth place finish in the 1500 meter run.

Junior Sean Choate (Chicago, IL, Chicago Academy) placed second in the 5K.  Puntoriero also had a third place finish in the long jump and senior Kevin Box (Naperville, IL, Naperville North) crossed the finish line third in the 1500 meters.

The men's team received fourth place efforts from sophomore Matt Brongo (Eureka, IL, Eureka) in the 800 meter run, the 4x400 meter relay team, and senior Tony Sickley (LaSalle, IL, LaSalle-Peru) in the javelin.

The Prairie Fire men's 4x100 meter relay team placed fifth along with sophomore Weston Chenoweth (Canton, IL, Canton) in the javelin.

Placing third for the Knox women's team was sophomore Catie McLaughlin (Roscoe, IL, Hononegah) in the javelin and senior Emma Swanson (West Des Moines, IA, Valley) in the 400 meter hurdles.

Swanson added a second top five effort with a fourth place finish in the 100 meter hurdles.  Others placing fourth were first-year Esmeralda Alvarez (Chicago, IL, La Lumiere) in the 5000 meter run and sophomore Sophia Mwuara (Santa Fe, NM, Santa Fe Prep) in the javelin.

Sophomore Danielle Erikson (Mokena, Illinois, Lincoln-Way East) was fifth in the long jump, Mwuara earned fifth place in the discus, and senior Kristi Weller (Cullom, IL, Tri-Point) placed fifth in the 100 meter dash.

The Prairie Fire next takes part in the Ashford Invite in Clinton, Iowa on April 6.

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