April 10, 2004

Results

OXFORD, Ohio - Sophomore Dan Huling (Geneva, Ill./Geneva Community) won his first attempt at the 3,000 steeplechase, while five other RedHawks won events, to lead Miami University's men's track & field team to a second-place finish at the Miami Invitational, Saturday at George L. Rider Track. The Red and White finished with 157.5 points, while local rival Cincinnati took top honors at the event with 236.5 points.

An all-region selection in cross country, Huling took kindly to the 3,000m steeplechase, completing the distance in 9:10.35 in his first competitive try at the event. Cross country teammates sophomore Chris Swisher (Milan, Ind./Milan), senior Jerry Claunch (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) and freshman Ryan Hutton (Columbus, Ind./North) also had a fruitful meet, sweeping the top-three places in the 5,000m. Swisher and Claunch led the whole way, finishing together in first and second with times of 14:27.16 and 14:28.33, respectively. Hutton turned on the gas over the last 400 meters to take third in 14:49.44.

The RedHawks put together a strong showing in the throwing events, posting five top-10 finishes over the four events. Freshman Jake Dunkleberger (Smyrna, Ga./The Lovett School), who posted the second-best hammer throw in school history a week earlier, dominated the hammer throw again this week with a toss of 187-5. He was also the top Red and White finisher in the shot put, taking third with a distance of 50-9 1/4, ahead of senior Will Stanley (Cleveland, Ohio/Trinity) in fifth with 50-1 1/4. Junior Rob King (Moore's Hill, Ind./South Dearborn) took third in the discus (152-0), while senior Drew Walter (West Chester, Ohio/Moeller) was fourth in the javelin (181-8).

Senior Nick Somerville (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) was dominating on his home track, winning the long jump and finishing second in the triple jump. Already the school-record holder in the long jump, Somerville registered 22-11 3/4 in the event to best the competition by 16 3/4 inches, while he registered 45-0 1/4 in the triple jump to take second.

Also taking first for Miami was the 4x100 relay pacing the field in 42.16. The relays and hurdles provided three other top-five finishers, with sophomores Eric Bowman (Dayton, Ohio/Dayton Christian) Bobby Houston (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) finishing fourth in the 110m hurdles (15.13) and fifth in the 400m hurdles (54.65), respectively. The 4x400 relay combined for a time of 3:15.09 and a third-place finish.

In the high jump, senior Erik Reynolds (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) captured the audience's attention in a duel with Cincinnati's James White. Both Reynolds and White cleared an NCAA Regional height of 6-10 3/4 before attempting 11-0. White, a starter on the UC basketball team, came away with top honors as both failed to clear the height and Reynolds took second based on attempts at 6-10 3/4.

Following the Bearcats and RedHawks in the final team standings were league-foe Ball State in third (143.5 points) and Louisville (56.5) and Cedarville (32.5) rounding out the top five. Completing the field was Butler, Valparaiso, Ohio, Purdue and Marshall, respectively.

Miami returns to the track next weekend, attending the All-Ohio Championships, hosted by Ohio State. Teams from all over the state ascend on Columbus for the two-day event, April 16-17.

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