NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Brett Norton and JaVaughn Moore both took home event wins Friday as the Music City Invitational got underway, with Moore also being among a trio of Sycamores to record top-10 program marks on the opening day of competition.
 
Norton opened the day with a win in the weight throw, his top mark coming in at 19.86m (65-02.00). Moore took home the title in the 200m, his time of 21.08 setting a personal best and coming just one-hundredth of a second shy of the school record.
 
Also recording top-10 marks in program history were Ethan Breen, who ran an extremely strong race to place seventh in program history in the mile (4:06.99), and William Staggs, who got back on track with a career-best clearance of 5.23m (17-01.75) to move into fourth in program history in the pole vault.
 
Event Winners

• JaVaughn Moore – 200m (21.08, second in program history)
• Brett Norton – weight throw (19.86m/65-02.00)

 
Top-Five Finishes

• William Staggs – pole vault – invite (second, 5.23m/17-01.75, fourth in program history)
• Daniel O'Laughlin – pole vault (second, 4.80m/15-09.00)
• Mitch Conard – long jump (second, 7.04m/23-01.75)
• Kevin Krutsch – high jump – invite (third, 2.10m/6-10.75)
• Shomari Rogers-Walton – long jump – invite (third, 7.41m/24-03.75)
• Trevor Thompson – high jump – invite (fourth, 2.10m/6-10.75)

 
Other Notable Marks

• Ethan Breen – mile (4:06.99, seventh in program history)

 
Sprints/Hurdles
JaVaughn Moore had the standout showing from the Sycamore sprinters on the opening day of competition, with his 200m time of 21.08 putting him just one-hundredth shy of the school record. Moore cruised to a win in the event, finishing more than two-tenths of a second faster than anyone else in the field. Daunte Majors (22.12) also earned himself a top-30 finish in a deep field consisting of nearly 60 entries.
 
On the women's side, Nyla Jones led the way for the Blue and White in the 200m with a time of 25.34 to place in the top 40, while Iyanla Hunter clocked a time of 25.66 for the Sycamore in the event.
 
Distance
Ethan Breen put together a career-best performance to lead the distance crew in Friday's proceedings. His mile time of 4:06.99 was by far the best of any Sycamore this season and moved him up to seventh in program history while also securing a top-25 finish in a loaded field. Breen's final lap of 44.31 was among the top 10 final laps in the entire field.
 
Morgan Dyer (5:12.77, mile) and Chloe Loftus (18:14.82, 5000m) rounded out the Sycamore distance crew contingent on the opening day.
 
Jumps/Pole Vault
Indiana State's jumpers had an impressive start to the meet, putting together multiple top-five finishes. William Staggs had the high mark of the group with a second-place finish in the pole vault invite while improving his personal best to 5.23m (17-01.75). Staggs sits fourth in program history following the top mark. Daniel O'Laughlin cleared a career-best 4.80m (15-09.00) to place second in the open pole vault section.
 
The men's long jump also gave Indiana State high marks in both the open and invite sections. Mitch Conard placed second in the open section with a top mark of 7.04m (23-01.75), while Shomari Rogers-Walton finished third in the invite section with a top jump of 7.41m (24-03.75).
 
In the women's long jump, it was Faith Frye leading the way for the Blue and White with a top-10 finish. Frye had a top mark of 5.71m (18-08.75), tying a career-best mark while also recording the best indoor mark of her career to place ninth. Claire Pittman (5.67m/18-07.25) and Brittney Walker (5.66m/18-07.00) both placed in the top 15 of the event.
 
Indiana State also had a pair of top-five finishes in the invite section of the men's high jump, with Kevin Krutsch (third) and Trevor Thompson (fourth) both clearing 2.10m (6-10.75). In the women's high jump invite section, Kelsey Bowlds recorded the top mark for the Trees after clearing 1.69m (5-06.50).
 
Throws
Brett Norton continued his strong season in the weight throw, kicking off the day for the Sycamores with a first-place finish. Norton's top mark came in at 19.86m (65-02.00).
 
Josie Hapack led the way in the event for the Sycamore women with a top mark of 17.47m (57-03.75), setting a season-best in the process.
 
Up Next
Saturday's action at the Music City Challenge starts at 9:30 a.m.
 
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