TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – In a smaller-level conference preview, the Indiana State men's and women's track & field teams managed to earn victories at the Indiana State Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
 
Indiana State's men were victorious with 191 points, overtaking Southern Illinois (130.5), Bradley (72), Loyola (22) and Valparaiso (16.5). The women's side came down to the last event, but the Sycamores managed to hold on for the win with 174 points, defeating Southern Illinois (172), Bradley (77), Loyola (19) and Valparaiso (1).
 
The first oval event of the day for the Indiana State men featured a facility-record performance from Logan Pietzrak in the men's 5000-meter run. Pietzrak crossed the line with a time of 14:56.18 for the win, putting him at fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
It was yet another strong performance from the Sycamore sprinters on Saturday afternoon. Leading the Blue & White with his first win of the season was Jarel Shaw. Shaw clocked a time of 6.89, now tied for third in the MVC. Noah Malone rounded out the top-three, taking third at 6.93.
 
The sprinters continued to be dominant on the track in the 200-meter run, led by junior JaVaughn Moore who clocked a time of 22.33. Tahj Johnson followed closely behind Moore in second with a time of 22.45 while Shaw claimed bronze at 22.69.
 
In the 60-meter hurdles, Matthew Lewis-Banks went neck-and-neck with Kyle Lind of Southern Illinois. Lewis-Banks used a surge at the end to edge the opposition by just .005, clocking a final time of 8.13 for the victory. His time of 8.05 from Grand Valley State is still atop the conference.
 
Excitement consumed the final event of the meet with the men's 4X400-meter relay. The team composed of Johnson, Ben Shepard, EJ Biokoro and Moore fell behind early, but, facing a two-second deficit, Moore battled back to make things interesting, falling narrowly to Southern Illinois with a time of 3:23.04. The Salukis ended at 3:22.79.
 
Freshman Kevin Krutsch earned the first field victory for the men on Saturday, putting together a solid performance in the men's high jump. Krutsch tied his personal-best mark of 2.11m (6-11.00) en route to the win, holding onto his first-placing standing in the conference. His teammate, Nick Schultz, took second in the event with a clearance of 2.08m (6-09.75). Schultz is tied with Krutsch atop the Valley with his mark of 2.11m from the John Gartland Invitational.
 
Dearis Herron got the pit events off to a winning start for the Sycamore men. The senior used a jump of 7.20m (23-07.50) in the long jump to claim victory while Frankie Young III took third in the event with a mark of 6.80m (22-03.75).
 
Closing out the jumping events for Indiana State, Emmanuel Odubanjo extended his Valley-lead in the triple jump, earning a commanding victory with a facility-record mark of 14.53m (47-08.00). He now leads the MVC by over a foot.
 
It was a strong outing for the Sycamore throwers on the men's side, beginning with the shot put. Freshman Wyatt Puff earned a silver finish with a personal-best toss 16.81m (55-02.00). He was followed by Brett Norton in third with a mark of 16.55m (54-03.75) and Joe Barnes in fourth with a throw of 15.87m (52-01.00).
 
Following in the weight throw, Norton pushed himself back into the winning category, earning the title with a toss of 18.27m (59-11.25). Freshman Noah Bolt followed right behind Norton in second-place, recording a mark of 17.43m (57-02.25).
 
In the fourth meet of her Sycamore career, Selene Weaver improved her pole vault mark for the fourth time. The freshman claimed the Indiana State Invite victory with a vault of 3.82m (12-06.25), breaking her own facility record and pushing her to seventh all-time in Sycamore history. She is now second in the Valley.
 
The second victory in the field for the ISU women came from the long jump pit and Kaitlyn Davis. The senior claimed victory behind a jump of 5.53m (18-01.75), tying her season-best and keeping her at second in the MVC.
 
Ryann Porter made sure that the Sycamores would earn the sweep of the pit events, claiming the Indiana State Invitational triple jump title with a personal-best and ninth-best mark in ISU history of 11.91m (39-01.00). She now leads the conference by almost two feet.
 
It was a clean sweep at the top for the Trees in the women's high jump, led by Kelsey Bowlds with a clearance of 1.60m (5-03.00). She was followed by Janea Bell in second and Marisa Marshall in third, both clearing 1.55m (5-01.00).
 
On the track for the ISU women, Jocelyn Quiles took home the first victory for the Blue & White, clocking a season-best time of 9:50.29 while holding the lead from wire-to-wire. Her time is currently third in the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
In a Sycamore-heavy 60-meter hurdles, Zoe Sullivan took second with a personal-best time of 8.84 and was followed by Riley Tuerff in second at 8.99. They are now third and fifth in the Valley, respectively.
 
Battling to another second-place finish for the Sycamores was Mirlege Castor in the women's 200-meter dash. The senior clocked a time of 25.40, holding off her teammate Reynei Wallace by thousandths of a second for the win.
 
The 4X400-meter realy team of Sullivan, Iyanla Hunter, Tuerff and Sierra Long clinched the team victory in the last event of the meet on the women's side, taking second-place with a time of 3:57.76.
 
Also taking place at the Indiana State Invitational, Sycamore throwing legend Erin Reese put on a show in the women's weight throw. The former All-American in the weight throw unleashed the world-leading toss of 24.93m (81-09.50) en route to a victory, giving her the fourth-best mark in the weight throw in the history of the world.
 
Men's Team Scores:
1. Indiana State - 191
2. Southern Illinois - 130.5
3. Bradley - 72
4. Loyola - 22
5. Valparaiso - 16.5
 
Women's Team Scores:
1. Indiana State - 174
2. Southern Illinois - 172
3. Bradley - 77
4. Loyola - 19
5. Valparaiso - 1
 
Other Notable Performances
Men's 60m Dash:
4. Jhivon Wilson - 7.00
5. Mike Adams Jr. - 7.04
 
Women's 60m Dash:
4. Daija Springer - 7.94
 
Men's 200m Dash:
5. EJ Biokoro - 22.86
 
Men's 400m Dash:
3. Ben Shepard - 51.08
 
Women's 800m Run:
3. Sydney Partyka - 2:21.67
5. Gabrielle Brown - 2:26.47
 
Men's Mile:
3. Will Smith - 4:17.98
 
Women's Mile:
4. Morgan Dyer - 5:14.64
 
Women's 5K:
2. Maggie Falater - 19:46.31
3. Michaella Burchett - 20:42.05
 
Men's 60m Hurdles:
3. Bryce Byrdsong - 8.52
5. Daryl Black - 8.59
 
Women's 60m Hurdles:
4. Mia Mackenzie: 9.23
5. Mackenzie Stoltz: 9.24
 
Men's Pole Vault:
2. Gavin Holz - 4.58m (15-00.25)
4. Callan Whitehouse - 3.98m (13-00.75)
 
Women's Pole Vault:
3. Maddie Welsh - 3.47m (11-04.50)
4. Landis Brandon - 3.32m (10-10.75)
 
Women's Long Jump:
3. Alexi Grider - 5.13m (16-10.00)
4. Faith Frye - 5.02m (16-05.75)
 
Women's Triple Jump:
4. Dominique Wood - 11.22m (36-09.75)
 
Women's Shot Put:
3. Jayla Bynum - 14.52m (47-07.25)
5. Lauren England - 13.75m (45-01.50)
 
Men's Weight Throw:
4. Joe Barnes - 15.86m (52-00.50)
5. Wyatt Puff - 15.80m (51-10.00)
 
Women's Weight Throw:
7. Brittnee James: 17.64m (57-10.50)
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Cross Country and Track & Field teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.