A Cobber Twilight Meet Filled With Ladders

MOORHEAD, Minn. (4/22/14)—Concordia individuals used the annual Cobber Twilight Meet to climb in the national and conference rankings while the team wound up winning the invitational over NCAA Division I and II competition.

Concordia had four athletes post top 20 national marks at the Cobber Twilight. CC also recorded nine top 5 scores in the MIAC. The individual success led to the team amassing 144 points which won the meet by 37 points over Division I North Dakota State University.

All four of Concordia's national top 20 marks came in field events. The usual suspects of Cherae Reeves and Hilary Thompson continue to push distance into the top 10 of Division III. Reeves finished second in the shot put with a mark of 46-03.50. That distance is tops in the MIAC and sixth farthest in the nation. Thompson upped her national ranking in the triple jump by posting a distance of 38-03.25. That was good enough for the event win at the meet, is the best in the conference this season and also the sixth best in DIII. While Reeves' continued to be among the top athletes in the shot put in the nation, she has suddenly risen in the ranks in the javelin. Reeves had a personal best distance of 124-05.00 which puts her fifth in the conference. That throw is also the 10th best in the history of the program.       

The shot put was a good event for CC on the day as Reeves' teammate, Olivia Johnson also recorded an NCAA top 20 mark at the meet. Johnson, who is rounding into form after spending the winter on the Cobber women's basketball team, uncorked a season-best distance of 43-05.00. That is the third best in the MIAC and 19th farthest in the nation this season.   

A second Hillary pushed her last name into contention to compete at the NCAA National Meet. Junior Hillary Birchem came away with a distance of 144-11.00 in the discus which vaults her into the lead in the MIAC and slots her into the No.10 spot in all of Division III.

Besides the fabulous national four, Callie Christiansen, Emma Peterson, Ruth Peterson and Anna Skow-Anderson all staked claims in the top 5 of the conference.

Christiansen came home in 60.11 in the 400 meters and now ranks fifth in the MIAC. Freshman Emma Peterson clocked a 66.41 in the 400-meter hurdles and sits in the No.3 spot in the conference. That time is also the fastest of her career and the 10th fastest in school history. The other freshman Peterson – Ruth – recorded a "PR" distance of 17-00.75 in the long jump which is the fourth best in the league this year.

Skow-Anderson not only stepped into the top 5 of the conference but also etched her name on the Concordia all-time top 10 list in the high jump. She cleared 5-02.25 at the Cobber Twilight Meet which is a personal best mark and the 10th best in school history.

A pair of other Concordia field athletes crept into the top 10 on the school's charts. Jessica Marken and Mandy Mercil both went over 9-07-00 in the pole vault and sit 10th on the school's all-time top 10 list.

Concordia will head in three directions for weekend competition. The Cobbers will send a select crew to the prestigious Drake Relays. The rest of the squad will either participate in the Drake Alternative at Gustavus  or the Al Cassell Relays at Valley City State.   

Cobber Twilight Final Team Scores
1. Concordia – 144
2. North Dakota State – 107
3. North Dakota - 106
4. Jamestown - 104.50
5. Minnesota Morris - 73.50
6. Minn State Moorhead – 55
7. Bemidji State - 40.50
8. Northern State – 36
9. Valley City State - 7

COBBER NOTABLES

COBBER ALL-TIME LISTS:
400 Hurdles – Emma Peterson – 66.41 – ALL-TIME #10
High Jump – Anna Skow-Anderson – 5-2.25 (1.58m) – ALL-TIME #12
Pole Vault – Jessica Marken – 9-7 (2.92m) – ALL-TIME #10 tie
Pole Vault – Mandy Mercil – 9-7 (2.92m) – ALL-TIME #10 tie
Javelin Throw – Cherae Reeves – 124-5 (37.93m) – ALL-TIME #10

PERSONAL RECORDS:
100- Liza Thompson, Amy Paulson, Sarah Grafstrom;
200- Ruth Peterson, Sarah Grafstrom;
400- Callie Christianson;
800- Ingrid Floersheim, Katie Barkley;
1500- Morgan Christian, Anja Smith, Mariah Lardy, Susan Drache, Kristin Westermeier, Sara Stanton;
100 Hurdles- Becca Illies, Tara Anderson, Mikayla Forness;
400 Hurdles- Emma Peterson, Tara Anderson; Long Jump- Ruth Peterson, Emma Peterson, Anna Skow-Anderson;
Triple Jump- Ruth Peterson;
High Jump- Anna Skow-Anderson, Mikayla Forness (tie);
Pole Vault- Jessie Marken, Mandy Mercil, Liza Thompson;
Shot Put- Hillary Birchem, Ashley Thompson;
Discus Throw- Ashley Thompson, Olivia Johnson;
Hammer Throw- Olivia Johnson, Ashley Thompson, Ali Chudy;
Javelin Throw- Cherae Reeves, Hannah Fordahl, Kayle Johnson.