By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NEWBERG, Ore. -- Whitley Stepp (Fy., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) won the women's high jump and four other Bearcats placed among the top three in other events, as Willamette University competed at the George Fox Indoor Meet #1 on Sunday, Feb. 5. Other teams competing in the meet were host George Fox University along with Bushnell University, Corban University, Lewis & Clark College, Linfield University, Multnomah University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Pacific University, the University of California-Santa Cruz, and Western Oregon University, as well as unattached athletes.
For Willamette, Katherine Thornton (Jr., Reno, NV/Reno HS) took second in the women's 60-meter hurdles and Annabelle Smith (Fy., Blissfield, MI/Blissfield HS) was second in the women's long jump. Jonas Cherry (Fy., Browns Valley, CA/Marysville HS) finished third in the men's 60-meter hurdles, while Elijah Jones (Fy., Salem, OR/Central HS) placed third in the men's pole vault.
Stepp was victorious in the women's high jump with a height of 5' 3.75". She won by several inches over a four-way tie for second place at 4' 11.75". All four jumpers who tied for second were from George Fox.
In the final of the women's 60-meter hurdles, Thornton placed second in 9.27 seconds after recording the eighth-fastest time in the prelims to reach the finals. First place went to Maliyah Thompson of Western Oregon in 9.05 seconds. Ana Popchock, also from WOU, was third in 9.31 seconds. Smith earned a top mark of 17' 5.25" to finish second in the women's long jump. Ujunwa Mwokoma from Western Oregon won the long jump at 18' 4.50".
Cherry achieved a time of 8.98 seconds for third place in the final of the men's 60-meter hurdles. As with Thornton, he earned his spot in the finals by placing eighth in the prelims. Jones took third in the men's pole vault after clearing 14' 1.25". Levi Gibson of GFU won the pole vault at 15' 1.00", while unattached competitor Peter Syth placed second at 14' 7.25".
Four Willamette athletes placed between 10th place and 12th place in their events. Petey Swan (So., Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS) was 10th in the men's high jump by clearing 5' 7.75". Mason Williams (Fy., Happy Valley, OR/Clackamas HS) earned 10th place in the men's 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.24 seconds during the prelims. Eric Kaszycki (Sr., Santee, CA/Santana HS) was 11th in the men's weight throw with a toss of 38' 6.25". Kaleb Mcarthur (Fy., Independence, OR/Central HS) placed 12th in the men's long jump with a top mark of 20' 7.25".
The Bearcats are set to compete at the Whitworth Indoor Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 11 in Spokane, Washington. Meet time is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (PST).
