Results
NOTE: The above results link lists the combined results for both the Ohio Independent Championship meet AND the American Mideast Conference meet.  On this link, the team scoring and individual scoring for each meet are not separated out.  However, the team scoring for the OIC meet has been determined and listed within the first few paragraphs below.  All other individual results listed below are based on an individual's finish within the combined results format.


The Malone men's and women's track & field teams each placed second at the Ohio Independent Championships in North Canton, Ohio (hosted by Walsh University) Saturday – the men among a five-team field and the women among six teams.

The Pioneer men tallied 164 points as Cedarville University won the team championship with 248 points.  Notre Dame (OH) College was third (139), Walsh placed fourth (123) and Central State University claimed fifth (59).

The Malone women racked up 199 points for their runner-up finish as Cedarville also won the women's team title.  Walsh came in third (147), Ursuline College was fourth (74), Central State placed fifth (54) and Notre Dame finished sixth (37).

While there were numerous first-place finishes and other highlights on the day by Malone individuals, perhaps the brightest spot of all for the Pioneers was the accomplishment of women's student-athlete Diana Furey in the 10,000-meter event. Furey, a 52-year-old mother of four, grandmother of two and first-year runner on the Malone team, finished fifth among seven runners in a time of 43:03 which shattered her previous personal best.  Incredibly, what made this feat even more remarkable was that she had completed (yes, completed) the prestigious Boston Marathon just five days earlier (on Monday) in four hours and four minutes in very hot conditions on race day.

The Exercise Science major from Malvern, Ohio is an avid runner and is totally involved with the team from practices to competitions.  Many of her teammates have spoken of her as “a regular college student and member of our team but with much more wisdom and experience.”

The Pioneer women had two athletes captured individual events while one women's relay team took first place. Madison Schuler captured the 3000-meter steeplechase in a time of 11:24.0 while Sara Polatas won the 10,000 meters in 38:30.  In addition, the women's 4x800-meter relay team of Tina Oprean, Mattison Rankin, Emily Tomei and Becky Neitzel emerged victorious in a time of 9:58.0.

The men's team also posted a number of event winners led by double winners Malik Felton and Caleb Celuch.  Felton won both the 100 meters, in 11.1 seconds, and the 200 meters, in 22.4 seconds, while Celuch captured both the javelin, at 164'8”, and the triple jump, at 42' ½”. Anthony Lombardi tied for first in the high jump at 6'3”.  In addition, the men's 4x800-meter relay unit of Billy Latta, Philip Palmer, Doug French and Matt Hendrix took first place in a time of 8:30.0.

Other “top-five” finishers for the men's team included Kyle Wagner in the long jump (4th; 20' 5 ¼”), the pole vault (4th; 10' 0”) and the triple jump (4th; 40' 2 ½”), Matt McConnell in the 5000 meters (3rd; 15:25) and the 1500 meters (5th; 4:07.0), Hendrix in the 800 meters (2nd; 1:56.1), Matt Lautanen in the high jump (T 3rd; 6'1”), Celuch in the high jump (5th; 5'11”), Tom Reed in the shot put (2nd; 47' 7 ½”), Palmer in the 400-meter hurdles (3rd; 56.3), Juho Hietanen in the javelin (3rd; 150' 6”) and Nick Meeson in the 5000 meters (5th; 15:27).  In addition, the men's 4x400-meter relay team of Palmer, Eric Barto, Wagner and Felton took second in 3:26.5 while the men's 4x100-meter relay team of Jason Keniston, Barto, Luke Ford and Felton finished fourth in 42.3 seconds.

For the women's team, others who earned a “top-five” finish included Tynae Wilson in the 5000 meters (2nd; 18:27.0) and in the 10,000 meters (2nd; 38:33), Katie King in the pole vault (5th; 8' 6”) and in the 3000-meter steeplechase (3rd; 12:11.0), Courtney Armsey in the 100-meter hurdles (3rd; 16.0), Emily Fisher in the 400 meters (4th; 1:01.4), Oprean in the 800 meters (2nd; 2:20.8), Erin Bauer in the 800 meters (5th; 2:25.7), Tayler Carpenter in the high jump (T 2nd; 4' 9”), Lyndsey Bates in the shot put (3rd; 36' 6”), Laura Page in the pole vault (2nd; 10' 6”), Allyssa Hostetler in the pole vault (T 3rd; 9' 0”), Hannah Hartzler in the 5000 meters (5th; 18:38.0), Rankin in the 1500 meters (2nd; 4:46.5), Bauer in the 1500 meters (5th; 4:48.0), and Allison Black in the 10, 000 meters (4th; 39:55).  In addition, the women's 4x400-meter relay unit of Fisher, Rachel Pae, Rankin and King placed third in 4:13.2.

The Malone men's and women's teams will close out their respective 2012 seasons next weekend by sending athletes to two meets.  A number of athletes will compete at the Hillsdale (MI) College Gina Relays Thursday through Saturday (April 26-28) while others will compete at the Ashland University Alumni meet on Friday and Saturday (April 27-28).