Moon claims second straight 10,000 meter title

LINCOLN, Neb. - Spencer Moon of the Simpson College men's track and field team won his second straight 10,000 meter title at the American Rivers Conference Championships.

Moon stayed at the front of an eight-runner pack for most of the race, until he broke away with two Wartburg runners. Moon eventually opened up a gap on each runner in back-to-back laps, running the final mile and a half by himself en route to defending his title.

"Spencer capped off his A-R-C career in style," said Storm director of track and field and cross country Heath Moenck. "He looked great tonight and sits in a great position as he shifts his focus to the national meet. He leaves the conference as arguably the best, with four conference records. We are simply very proud of all he has accomplished."

HIGHLIGHTS

• Moon has now won eight straight conference races in track and field, dating back to his 2022 title in the outdoor 5,000 meters.
• Ulysses Patterson claimed second in the decathlon after a fierce battle with Central's Gavin Smith. Smith retook the lead after great performances in the pole vault and javelin and held on by nine overall points, despite a personal best from Patterson in the final event, the 1,500 meters.
• Patterson, who is earning his fourth career all-conference honor, put up a score of 6,664 points, which is fourth all-time in school history and seventh in the country.
• Joseph Sams moved up the record books for Simpson, a consolation for being narrowly close to qualifying for both the 100 and 200 meter finals.
• Sams clocked a 10.71 in the 100 meters which is good for fifth all-time in school history and then ran a 21.90 in the 200 meters, placing him seventh all-time in school history.
• Kendrick Achebe was right behind Sams in the 100, with a personal best of 10.76, placing him eighth on the all-time list.
• Max Cleveland and Brenden Godbout also both qualified for hurdle finals, with Cleveland competing in the 110 meter hurdles and Godbout in the 400 meter hurdles.

UP NEXT
The Storm complete the championships tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m.

MEET REPORT

• 100 Meter Prelims - 9. Joseph Sams, 10.71 (PB) | 14. Kendrick Achebe, 10.76 (PB) | 26. Jay Lee, 11.60 (PB) | 27. Kenley Crouthamel, 11.83 (PB)
• 200 Meter Prelims - 9. Joseph Sams, 21.90 (PB)
• 800 Meter Prelims - 14. Adam Gruhn, 2:00.82 | 19. Noah Smith, 2:03.76 (PB) | 21. Ethan Haus, 2:04.67 | 22. Austin Jones, 2:05.52 (PB)
• 110 Meter Hurdle Prelims - 4. Max Cleveland, 14.38 (Q) | 9. Brenden Godbout, 15.07
• 400 Meter Hurdle Prelims - 4. Brenden Godbout, 55.11 (Q)
• 10,000 Meters - 1. Spencer Moon, 31:12.31 | 8. Ean Warrick, 32:28.47 | 10. Marc Medici, 33:20.40 | 13. Jack Gatti, 33:47.50
• 3,000 Meter Steeplechase - 13. Miles Combs, 10:15.13 (SB) | 14. Jacob Willson, 10:22.49 | 20. Louden Foster, 10:56.36 | 21. Robert Howes, 11:08.77
• 4x800 Meter Relay - 6. Truitt, Mash, Pelzer, Gruhn, 7:59.77
• High Jump - 14. JR Knauss, 1.78m
• Long Jump - 4. Carter Berkey, 7.12m (SB)
• Discus - 23. Brandon Greiner, 33.99m (PB)
• Decathlon Overall - 2. Ulysses Patterson, 6,664 (PB) | 8. Clarke Latcham, 5,448
• Decathlon 110 Meter Hurdles - 3. Ulysses Patterson, 15.60 (PB) | 11. Clarke Latcham, 17.96
• Decathlon 1,500 Meters - 2. Ulysses Patterson, 4:44.24 (PB) | 9. Clarke Latcham, 5:31.24
• Decathlon Javelin - 6. Ulysses Patterson, 45.43m (SB) | 7. Clarke Latcham, 40.65m
• Decathlon Discus - 2. Ulysses Patterson, 37.55m (SB) | 10. Clarke Latcham, 29.50m
• Decathlon Pole Vault - t-6. Ulysses Patterson, 3.65m | 8. Clarke Latcham, 3.25m

PB=personal best, SB=season best, Q=qualified for final