MONMOUTH, Ill. - William Woods University's 4x200-meter relay team of Demario Wright, Ben Speaks, Noah Phillips and Jacob Polacek ran an impressive time of 1 minute and 34.03 seconds, while Oshwai Burgher (800-meter run) and Jacob Polacek (high jump) earned silver medals for Owls men's track and field in the Monmouth Midwest Invitational, hosted by NCAA Division III Monmouth College Friday at Huff Athletic Center.

"Great meet!" William Woods track and field coach Anthony Stockton said. "We may have a new school record in the 4x200 with Noah, Jacob, Ben and Demario! Burgher being 3 seconds shy in the 800 to qualify for the B standard. We saw some sparks of greatness in the field with Jamel and Jacob!"

A solid event for Burgher and WWU overall, the Owls recorded three top-10 times in the 800 run. Burgher placed second out of 27 with a personal record time of 1 minute and 57.99 seconds (previous PR: 2:00.85) - good enough for the 69th-fastest result in the NAIA this season -  Blaine Brodersen took seventh with a season-best 2:01.14 and Gabriel Soest 10th with a personal record 2:06.19 (previous PR: 2:06.74). 

Meanwhile, Polacek picked up silver on the field side for William Woods, going 1.7 meters (5 feet and 7 inches) in the five-competitor high jump, 0.1m (0-4) away from the winner.

WWU's distance medley relay team of Chais Paul, Tanner Gillaspy, Soest and Justus Yates also performed splendidly. The team clocked in at 11:57.17, the 10th-quickest time in the NAIA this year.

The Woods' Wright ran a PR of 7.04 in the 60 dash (previous PR: 7.19), and two Owls posted season bests in the 400 dash, Gillaspy at 54.39 and Keeley DiBlasi at 55.60, while Brady Musgrove finished ahead of the pair and placed fourth at 53.61.

William Woods will compete in its first two-day event this season, the Washburn Open, hosted by NCAA Division II Washburn University next Friday and Saturday at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility in Topeka, Kansas. 

Results  

60-Meter Dash Prelims
3 - Demario Wright 7.04 (PR, prev. 7.19) 
12 - Jacob Polacek 7.28
18 - Noah Phillips 7.75
DNS - Ben Speaks

60-Meter Dash Final
DNS - Demario Wright

200-Meter Dash
8 - Jacob Polacek 23.76
15 - Keeley DiBlasi 25.15
DNS - Noah Phillips
SCR - Ben Speaks

400-Meter Dash
4 - Brady Musgrove 53.61
5 - Tanner Gillaspy 54.39 (Season Best)
7 - Keeley DiBlasi 55.6 (Season Best)
DNS - Wyatt Martin

800-Meter Run
2 - Oshawi Burgher 1:57.99 (69th Fastest in NAIA this Season; PR, prev. 2:00.85)
7 - Blaine Brodersen 2:01.14 (Season Best)
10 - Gabriel Soest 2:06.19
20 - Justus Yates 2:13.16 (First Collegiate Time)
21 - James Ruck 2:16.19
22 - Chais Paul 2:16.93 (First Collegiate Time)

One-Mile Run
24 - Mason Voegeli 5:42.13 (First Collegiate Meet)

3,000-Meter Run
12 - Blaine Brodersen 9:54.17
DNS - Dustin Russell
DNS - Justus Yates

High Jump
2 - Jacob Polacek 1.7m (5-7)

Long Jump
FOUL - Jamel Jones

Triple Jump
4 - Jamel Jones 12.26m (40-2¾)

4x200-Meter Relay
4 - Demario Wright, Ben Speaks, Noah Phillips and Jacob Polacek 1:34.03

4x400-Meter Relay
4 - Brady Musgrove, Blaine Brodersen, Wyatt Martin and Tanner Gillaspy 3:36.37
DNS - WWU 'B'

Distance Medley Relay
8 - Chais Paul, Tanner Gillaspy, Gabriel Soest and Justus Yates 11:57.17 (10th Quickest in the NAIA this Year)