Gonzaga program makes history by winning 4 x 1600 relay at Drake Relays...
DES MOINES, Iowa--In a historic achievement for the Gonzaga track and field program, the Zags emerged victorious in the 4 x 1600 meter relay for the first time in program history Friday afternoon at the Drake Relays.
Jacob Alfonso, Sam Geiger, Carp Mukai, and Wil Smith (photo of the relay team courtesy Gonzaga Athletics) were the four who competed in the event, snagging a first-place finish (16:50.57) by just three-tenths of a second over a squad from meet-host Drake.
The Zags were as deep as sixth place after the first mile but worked their way up to the lead heading into the final leg. Smith was the anchor of the group and went neck and neck with Drake's Aidan Simon down the final stretch before coming out on top.
Due to a weather delay, the race was held up for almost 90 minutes, and things got dicey as the team only had twelve minutes to warm up after the delay, according to Gonzaga men's head coach Pat Tyson.
Despite having the least amount of time to warmup before the start of the race, leadoff leg Carp Mukai was four seconds down on the lead team from Indiana State, as he ran a 4:16.27 leg.
Jacob Alfonso ran brilliantly through the halfway point, putting the team in contention with Drake, Iowa State, Indiana State, Bradley, and Illinois State, running 4:10.90.
Third leg Sam Geiger stayed composed and patient not taking the lead through the hand off to Wil Smith, running a 4:12.98 leg to put Gonzaga in second with sub-4 minute miler Wil Smith on the anchor.
It was a neck and neck battle between two sets of Bulldogs on the anchor, as host Drake, with Aidan Simon on the carry was looking for its second ever win in this event.
In much the same way that Smith battled Washington's Evan Jenkins a few weeks ago in the 10000 at the Stanford Invitational, it was a battle over the final straightaway between Smith and Simon, but this time, Smith willed himself over the line to get the win, as the Zags ran 16:50.57 to Drake's 16:50.57.
On his anchor leg, Smith ran 4:10.43.
In the women's 4 x 1600 relay, Notre Dame, with Washington alum and Woodinville native Andrea Markezich running a 4:46.88 third leg before handing off to twin sister Olivia, who ran a 4:31.02 anchor, ran away with the victory in a time of 18:44.15.
In Philadelphia, Washington's distance medley relay team of Samantha Friborg, Anna Terrell, Marlena Preigh, and Chloe Foerster finished fourth at the Penn Relays, as Harvard destroyed the previous meet record of 10:48.38 set by Villanova in 1988, by running 10:37.55.
On the opening 1200, Friborg ran 3:19.11 to put the Huskies in third place.
Terrell ran the 400 leg in 54.97 before handing off to Preigh, who ran 2:05.24 on the 800 leg.
Foerster, who set the UW school record in the mile this winter, ran a solid 1600 meter leg of 4:33.96, but it wasn't enough to stay in contact with Harvard's winning time of 10:37.55.
Providence was second at 10:39.04, and Virginia was third in 10:48.55, as the Huskies came in with a time of 10:53.26 to just hold off fifth place TCU's 10:53.34.
Washington returns for the final day of the Penn Relays, as the Huskies are scheduled to run teams in the 4 x 800 and 4 x 1600 relays.
At the Payton Jordan Invitational, Washington's two-time NCAA indoor mile champion Luke Houser won the featured men's 1500 Friday night at Stanford, pulling teammate and former NCAA 1500m champ Joe Waskom to a third place finish.
Houser went out from the start, running 41.27 for the first 300, and controlled the race, finishing with a final 400 of 56.44 to win in 3:39.05 over Iowa State's Ezekiel Rop's 3:39.39.
Waskom finished fast in taking third in 3:40.34, while Ronan McMahon-Staggs, the UCLA transfer, finished seventh in 3:41.80.
In the invitational men's steeplechase, Washington alum Aaron Ahl finished third in a time of 8:29.57 while current Husky Sam Affolder was eighth in 8:45.57.
The men's invitational 5000 saw the Huskies' Evan Jenkins finish sixth in 13:38.01, while teammates Leo Daschbach was eighth in 13:41.43, and Jamar Distel ninth at 13:49.19.
Pasco HS grad Marisa Howard, who already owns the Olympic standard in the women's steeplechase, finished third in 9:31.38, just ahead of Seattle resident Allie Ostrander, who ran 9:37.65.
In Fresno, the Fresno State Invitational got underway with the hammer throw and the invitational long jump.
Washington's Prestin Artis led a UW 1-3 finish in the long jump by winning with a third round mark of 25-3.5 (7.71m) over San Jose State's Ajamu Reed, who had a best of 25-1.75 (7.66m).
The Huskies' Roman Huchinson was third with a best of 23-6.75 (7.18m).
Hammer thrower Jayden White of Washington finished second with a best of 215-4 (65.64m), as Cal Poly's Travis Martin won with a best of 222-3 (67.75m).
The Fresno State Invitational continues Saturday.
In Corvallis, athletes from Washington State grabbed eight wins on the first day of competition at the Oregon State High Performance meet at the Whyte Track & Field Complex on the campus of Oregon State University Friday night.
On the men's side, the Cougars got wins on the track from Grant Buckmiller in the 200 (21.15), Lyricc Lopez in the 400 hurdles (53.32), Leif Swanson in the invitational 5000 (14:22.27), Aiden Emerson in the invitational 1500 (3:49.04), Ronald Grueso Mosquera in the discus (171-11/52.41m), and Gavin Dimick in the pole vault (15-6.5/4.74m).
Cristina Molteni won the women's 10000 for the Cougars in 34:38.56, while NCAA indoor qualifier Eva Lowder won the pole vault at a modest 12-11 (3.94m).
NOTE: The Penn Relays, Drake Relays, and the sports information offices of Gonzaga, Fresno State, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington contributed to this report.
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