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Goshen, IN — With the Roman Gingerich Center packed to its gills Friday night, the Goshen College men’s track and field team did little to disappoint at the annual Maple Leaf Invite, claiming three first-place finishes and setting a new school record in the 1,000-meter run.
Sophomore David Rumsey took second place in the 1,000-meter jaunt but did set a new program mark in a time of 2:44.85. That record came by virtue of exclusivity, as no Goshen athlete had ever performed in a race of that distance previously.
The Leafs and Mid-Central Conference rival Bethel College competed at Friday’s meet — along with several unattached athletes — though no team scores were kept.
“This meet is always a competitive one even though it was primarily Bethel and ourselves,” said Rick Clark, Goshen head coach. “We had some very good performances and our home crowd's support and enthusiasm really helped to push our athletes. We offer a big thanks to all the students, staff, and family members that came and gave their support.”
Goshen’s men’s squad was led by its three top finishes, as junior Jake Gillette claimed first in the 3,000-meter run (9:31.64), junior Justin Hochstetler tossed a top throw of 47 feet, 11 inches in the weight throw and freshman Tyler Keller secured a first in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 10 inches.
“Jake, Justin and Tyler were our lone winners but we had a number of improved performances by the primarily young team,” Clark said.
Rumsey claimed a second-place finish in the 3,000-meter run (9:35.46) while Keller finished runner-up in the long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 5 and ¼ inches. Hochstetler took second in the shot put (40 feet, 2 and ½ inches), while twin brother Jeff claimed a third-place finish with a toss of 35 feet, 9 inches.
Senior Michael Amos took a third-place effort in the 800-meter run (2:10.05), while junior Louis Robedo took third in the pole vault with a clearance of 11 feet, 6 inches. Sophomore Jon Casselberry-Scott led the Leafs in that event, claiming a new fieldhouse record for a Goshen athlete with a clearance of 13 feet even. He finished second overall.
“The pole vault was a highlight event where GC athletes took second, third, and fourth (junior Hugo De Luna, 10 feet). Jon Casselberry-Scott set the new fieldhouse record for a Goshen athlete, besting the previous mark by Ben Reed of 12 feet, 6 inches. Ben still holds the indoor record of 13 feet, 11 inches, however.”
Freshmen Winston Grieser (third place, 200-meter dash) and Ben Bouwman (fourth place, 3,000-meter run) rounded off Goshen’s top finishers.
The Leafs will return to the practice circuit again before heading to Purdue University next Saturday to participate in the Boilermaker Invite.
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Junior Justin Hochstetler