Storm enjoy successful full start to season

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Highlighted by Spencer Moon breaking his own school record in the 5000 meters, both the men and women of Simpson's track & field teams enjoyed success across two different indoor events, Friday.

Moon was the lone Storm representative to head up to Michigan for the GVSU Holiday Open, competing in the 5000 meters alongside a host of Division I runners. Moon, fresh off his 10th place overall finish at the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships, clocked a time of 14:17.51 to open his indoor season, lowering his own school record by just under five seconds.

The rest of the Storm contingent made a shorter trip to Pella, Iowa, for the Dutch Holiday Preview hosted by Central. While the other longer-distance runners were still coming off the grueling cross country season, it was a time to shine for the Storm sprinters and field athletes.

Three other Storm athletes took home titles. Carter Berkey took home the gold in the men's long jump, recording a personal best jump of 6.79 meters to open his season. Aaliyah Johnson brought a title in the women's high jump, also setting a personal best with a mark of 1.60 meters, good for fourth in school history. Freshman Luke Haugen also won the men's high jump with a mark of 1.70 meters in his Storm debut.

Elsewhere, Max Cleveland set a new personal-best in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.18 seconds, which moves into fourth place on the all-time list. Blake DePhillips set a new personal-best in the 400 meters by over a second, placing fourth with a time of 53.76. In the men's pole vault, Ulysses Patterson and Clarke Latcham smashed their personal bests, with Patterson finishing in fifth with a mark of 3.35 meters, while Latcham tied for sixth with a 3.20 meter vault.

On the women's side, Forbes ran a blistering 8.45 in the 60 meters, breaking her own personal best . Forbes's teammate Amy Kish also featured prominently, clocking a time of 8.49 in her Storm debut. Madison Hays took third in the less-commonly contested 300-meter dash in a time of 44.42, putting her in fourth all-time in school history. Hays also ran the 600 meters in a time of 1:50.41, placing sixth. Hays's time already beat all previous Storm marks last season. In the throws portion, Sydney McCarron narrowly missed a podium spot in the weight throw, but smashed her personal best with a throw of 12.88 meters. Alexis Crozier also set a new personal best in the shot put, throwing a mark of 10 meters on the dot.

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Both squads do not return to action until after the new year, where they return to Pella for a weekend of action beginning on Jan. 13.