Busy Saturday Propels TU Men to Seventh-Place Showing at Little State Championships

MARION, Ind. – The Taylor men's outdoor track and field team used two individual wins, including a dominant showing in the 5,000 meters, to finish seventh of 18 squads overall at the Little State Championships with its 55 points. The effort bested Crossroads League foes Grace, Saint Franics, Goshen and Bethel, while nonconference-Indiana Tech ran away with the team title over host-Indiana Wesleyan.

After the 4x800-meter relay team of Joel Mumaw, Ethan Morgan, Keenan Clegg and Luke Mumaw netted TU its lone point on Friday evening, Ryan Hanak and Jared Stayte highlighted Saturday's performances with victories in the 5,000 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase, respectively.

Hanak smashed his personal-best in the 5k, running an NAIA B Standard-worthy 14:35.03 for the first-place finish.

Right behind Hanak in the event was Luke Harber, who took second with a personal record of his own, 14:40.91. Taylor totaled 20 points in the 5,000 meters, as Jordan Burden took seventh place, crossing in 15:12.79.

For his part, Stayte topped a field of 17 steeplechase runners by a 7.60-second margin over the runner-up competitor. The junior garnered 10 points for the Trojans by completing the event in 9:35.96.

Joel Mumaw clocked a 3:54.39 in the 1,500 meters, taking second to notch eight points.

Four points were added Saturday by the 4x400-meter relay team, which ran a 3:23.46. Braden Bixler, Bradley Braxton, Carter Newman and Lextin Willis combined for the fifth-place finish.

Braxton had a busy day on the track, as he was also the Trojans' fastest competitor in both the 200 and 400 meters.

Others earning points for TU were Spencer Stout and Bixler, who each took fourth place in the 110-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles, respectively. Lyndon Miller tallied a point in the high jump, clearing a mark of 1.81 meters.

Taylor is slated to be back in action on May 1-2 at the Crossroads League Championships, hosted by Indiana Wesleyan.