Marion, IN — Putting together perhaps its most impressive collective effort of the season to date, the Goshen College men’s track team took home a fourth-place finish at this weekend’s Mid-Central Conference Championships held at Indiana Wesleyan University. Every participating team member acquired at least a point in the Leafs’ quest, with junior Don Williams and sophomore Jason Young each earning All-MCC honors as a result of their respective performances.

“Our men’s team came real close to their maximum level of performance at this meet,” said Rick Clark, Goshen head coach. “We had every member of our team score as they scrapped for any point possible. Don Williams and Jason Young had an outstanding meet as they had career-best marks in some events.”

Williams again was outstanding in the high jump, winning the event with a clearance of 6 feet 4 and 3/4 inches, two inches better than the next competitor. And though Williams could not duplicate his school record height of 6 feet, 6 inches that he set just two weeks earlier, his first-place finish at the league championship meet assured him of all-conference status, a fitting award according to Clark.

“Williams has been soaring all season in the high jump, and he deserved to win the conference,” Clark said. “Any time you can break record that stood for 30 years, you have accomplished something great.”

Williams also finished third in the 110-meter high hurdles event, finishing in a clip of :15.27. He was also a part of Goshen’s 4 X 100 and 4 X 400 relay teams, finishing third and second, respectively.

Young took a different angle on achieving his all-conference award, as the sophomore accumulated enough points in various events to finish as one of the meet’s top point getters. Young had several second-place finishes on the weekend, taking runner-up honors in the 200-meter dash (:22.61), the 400-meter dash (:49.07) and as a member of the 4 X 400 relay team with Williams, senior Jim Whittaker and junior Daniel Constantine (3:26.11). Young also garnered a third-place finish as a part of the 4 X 100 relay team with the same running mates.

Constantine backed Young in both the 200- and 400-meter events, finishing fourth in the 400 (:51.66) and fifth in the 200 (:22.98).

“Daniel Constantine stepped up his performance level on the track,” Clark said. “All of our relay teams also put it together, in particular the 4 X 4 which had a season-best performance with an exciting finish to close to a runner up place.”

In the field, Goshen was led by freshman Justin Hochstetler, who took third in the hammer throw (122 feet, 1 inch), sixth in the discus (116 feet, 11 inches) and eighth in the shot put (40 feet, 11 and 3/4 inches). Twin brother Jeff claimed sixth place in the hammer, slinging the object a distance of 111 feet, 11 and 1/2 inches. The Hochestetler’s performance was crucial to Goshen’s overall efforts, as older and more accomplished brother Matt (a junior) missed the meet due to studies abroad.

“Justin Hochstetler also really stepped up his performance in the throws,” Clark said.

Senior Justin Gillette led the team’s efforts in the distance events, finishing third in the 10,000-meter event in a clip of 32:51.50. Sophomore Dominic Fultz took home a seventh-place finish in the steeplechase event, concluding the race in a time of 10:42.31.

Goshen accumulated 90.5 total points in the meet, defeating Huntington College (63 points), the University of St. Francis (51 points), Marian College (47 points), Spring Arbor University (21 points) and Grace College (four points). Taylor University won the team championship with 247 total points. Bethel College (159.5 points) and Indiana Wesleyan (131 points) finished second and third, respectively. For complete individual and team scores and results in all events, click here.

Update: Goshen sophomore Jason Young was the lone male athlete competing for the Leafs at the Butler Twilight meet on May 7, and Young made the most of his trip to Indianapolis. Young finished fourth in the 400-meter dash in a time of :49.06, a season-best performance. Young came back just 30 minutes later to compete in the 200-meter dash, placing fifth in his heat in a time of :22.44. Goshen will next travel to NAIA National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky over the weekend of May 26-28. Senior Justin Gillette will represent the Leafs’ men’s track program in the marathon event. Check back to this website for Goshen’s run to the national championships as the event transpires.