Mules second, Jennies fourth at 2004 MIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships

(JOPLIN, Mo.) – The Central Missouri State University Mules eight-year stranglehold on the MIAA Indoor Track & Field title was broken last Saturday, as Missouri Southern State University edged CMSU by one point, 112-111, to claim the MIAA title. The Jennies, meanwhile placed fourth with 79 points. Missouri Southern swept the meet, winning on the women’s side as well with 117 points. Pittsburg State was second with 99, and Truman was third with 91 points.

The Jennies had two individual champions in the meet. Jennifer Drum (LaMonte, Mo.) won the high jump with an effort of five feet, 7.25 inches, while Denise Sandbothe (Jefferson City, Mo.) took the title in the pole vault with an effort of 12-00.0, in the process establishing a new league record.

Central Missouri also had three second place finishes on the women’s side. Sandbothe was second in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.80 seconds, Robin Miller (St. Louis, Mo.) was second in the high jump at 5-05.25, and the 4x400-meter relay team of Jessi Kirkman (Excelsior Springs, Mo.), Melissa Bolinger (Clarksburg, Mo.), Melinda Branch (Blue Springs, Mo.), and Lori Pitz (Windsor, Colo.) was second in three minutes, 54.58 seconds.

Jennies Overall Results

400-Meter Dash - Melissa Bolinger - 4^th in 59.05

600-Yard Run - Lori Pitz - 3^rd in 1:26.86; Catherine Rucker (Springfield, Mo.) - 5^th in 1:29.53

800-Meter Run - Melinda Branch - 4^th in 2:18.27

60-Meter Hurdles - Denise Sandbothe - 2^nd in 8.80

4x400-Meter Relay - 2^nd in 3:54.58

4x800-Meter Relay (Pitz, Amy Stetzler [Lee’s Summit, Mo.], Sandbothe, and Branch) - 4^th in 9:46.01

High Jump - Jennifer Drum - 1^st at 5-07.25; Robin Miller - 2^nd at 5-05.25; Jodi Donovan (St. Joseph, Mo.) - 4^th at 5-03.25;

                      Lori Pitz - 6^th at 5-03.25

Pole Vault - Denise Sandbothe - 1^st at 12-00.00 (new meet record); Iva Vasileva (Sofia, Bulgaria) - 6^th at 10-06.25

Triple Jump - Iva Vasileva - 6^th at 35-11.25

Weight Throw - Kita McCain (Webster Groves, Mo.) - 51-03.75

For the Mules, Ivan Varbanov (Sofia, Bulgaria) took top honors in both the high jump (7-00.50) and triple jump (51-02.25), Petko Yankov (Sofia, Bulgaria) was first in the 200-meter dash in 21.51 and 400-meter dash in 48.99, Presley Cherubin (St. James, Barbados) won the 800 in 1:55.32, Ryan Irvin (Topeka, Kan.) took first in the 600-yard run in 1:12.50, and the 4x400-meter relay team of Irvin, Cherubin, Kirk Tyner (Vancouver, Wash.), and Yankov won in 3:18.93.

Mules Overall Results

60-Meter Dash - Tim Stolarski (Ballwin, Mo.) - 6^th in 7.07

60-Meter Hurdles - Matt Prescott (Jamesport, Mo.) - 5^th in 8.42

200-Meter Dash - Petko Yankov - 1^st in 21.51

400-Meter Dash - Petko Yankov - 1^st in 48.99

600-Yard Run - Ryan Irvin - 1^st in 1:12.50; Kirk Tyner - 2^nd in 1:12.61

800-Meter Run - Presley Cherubin - 1^st in 1:55.32

3000-Meter Run - Jarod Wall (Marshalltown, Iowa) - 4^th in 8:35.64

5000-Meter Run - Jarod Wall - 6^th in 15:14.68

4x400-Meter Relay - 1^st in 3:18.93

High Jump - Ivan Varbanov - 1^st at 7-00.50; Jason Wilcox (Rolla, Mo.) - 6^th at 6-04.25

Pole Vault - Kyle Salvo (Wentzville, Mo.) - 5^th at 14-07.50

Long Jump - Marques Wooten (Kansas City, Mo.) - 2^nd at 23-08.25

Triple Jump - Ivan Varbanov - 1^st at 51-02.25; Chris Anderson (California, Mo.) - 6^th at 44-04.75

Shot Put - Josh Barker (Lawson, Mo.) - 4^th at 51-05.50; Steven Edwards (Mound City, Mo.) - 5^th at 50-10.00

Weight Throw - Steven Edwards - 4^th at 55-03.00; Casey Sims (Hannibal, Mo.) - 6^th at 55-00.25

CONTACT: JOE MOORE, (660) 543-4312