Results

Clinton, IA – The Prairie Fire men’s and women’s teams combined for six top three finishes, including two firsts, on Friday at the Ashford University Spring Classic.

The women’s team scored 34 points and finished fifth out of seven teams.  The men’s squad tallied 85 points and placed fourth out of six teams.  The Prairie Fire placed at least fifth in 15 events at the meet.

Junior Joe Puntoriero (Cheektowaga, New York, Cleveland Hill) had a standout day.  He won the 200 meter run, placed fifth in the long jump, and ran a leg for both of the Prairie Fire’s fourth place 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams.

Sophomore Gabe Moreno (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) was also a force for Knox.  He won the 5K race and placed 2nd in the 1500 meter run.

Placing third for the Fire men’s squad was sophomore Matt Brongo (Eureka, IL, Eureka) in the 800 meters, junior Sean Choate (Chicago, IL, Chicago Academy ) in the 5K, and senior Kevin Box (Naperville, IL, Naperville North) in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

Senior Emma Swanson (West Des Moines, IA, Valley) and first-year runner Esmeralda Alvarez (Chicago, IL, La Lumiere) both finished second in their respective races.  Swanson was the runner-up in the 400 meter hurdles and Alvarez in the 5K. 

The Fire took second, third and fourth place in the 5000 meter run.  Following Alvarez, senior Brenna DeGan (Naperville, IL, Naperville North) was third and senior Sara Koehnke (Highland Park, IL, Highland Park) was fourth.

Swanson also scored for Knox in the 100 meter hurdles with a sixth place finish.

Sophomore Sophia Mwaura (Santa Fe, NM, Santa Fe Prep) made her way into the record books in the hammer throw.  Her distance of 123' 1" is second in the event in school history.

The Prairie Fire squads travel to Macomb for next Friday and Saturday’s Lee Calhoun Invitational at Western Illinois University.

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