Berkey breaks school record as Storm finish up busy week

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Highlighted by Carter Berkey breaking the school record in the indoor long jump, the Simpson College men and women's track and field teams wrapped up a busy week of competition across two different meets.

The pentathlon and heptathlon competitors traveled to Pella for the two-day Dutch Winter Multi hosted by Central, while the rest of the roster headed to the Grinnell Invite for a full day of action. At Grinnell, the Storm women tied for third, while the men took fourth.

For Berkey, his jump of 7.22 meters (23 feet, 8.25 inches) breaks the school record held by Jerry Daniels, which had stood since 1986. Berkey's event-winning mark now is first in the midwest region and is the fourth-best mark in the nation. "It came a little earlier in the year than I thought it would, but Carter jumped terrifically today," said Storm assistant coach Guy Mosher, who is Berkey's primary jumps coach. Mosher also coached Daniels when he set his former record back in 1986.

Elsewhere for the men, Max Cleveland continued his impressive campaign. Cleveland won the 60 meter hurdles in a time of 8.25, after running an 8.20 in the prelims, just off his career-best. Brendan Godbout also qualified in second position for the final, finishing in fourth. Freshman Cole Leggett won the men's 3000 meters in his debut in the event on the collegiate stage, becoming the third Storm runner to break the nine minute barrier on the year. Corbin Truitt and Cade Mash also took third in a pair of races. Truitt ran a career-best 4:34.50 in the mile, while Mash clocked a season-best 2:00.98 in the 800 meters.

On the women's side, Maddie Hays embarked on another impressive performance. Hays won the 400 meter dash in a time of 1:00.74, the fastest time in the event for the Storm since April Sigmund in 2013. Hays also finished second in the 200 meter dash, completing the race in 27.36. The Storm's 4x400 relay team also finished second in a time of 4:27.43, with the team composed of Aryss Forbes, Ava Carder, Kate Huisinga, and Angel Schewe.

Audrey Arnold had another successful meet, running both the normal and hurdle version of the 60 meter dash. Arnold, who set the fastest 60 meter time by a Simpson runner in around three years last week (8.40), bettered that mark in the prelims with an 8.37 to qualify for the final. Arnold then lowered that time again in the final, finishing fourth in 8.33. Arnold then returned to speciality in the 60 meter hurdles, winning the event with a final time of 9.44, the only runner to go sub-10 in the final.

Emily Erhardt also helped round off a successful meet for the Storm, clocking a time of 11:23.13 in the 3000 meters to finish second, while Skyler Blessman (5:52.19) and Elie Tuhn (5:53.08) both set career-bests in the mile while taking second and third, respectively.

In Pella, Aaliyah Johnson won the women's heptathlon with a career-best 2,687 points. Johnson won the high jump and shot put, while setting career-bests in the 60 meter hurdles and long jump. Hays took second, also setting a new-career best 2,604 points, making her performance in Grinnell all the more impressive considering her short rest. Hays also won the 800 meters in the overall competition, running a 2:29.72, the fastest 800 meter time by a Storm runner this season. For the men, Clarke Latcham set a career-best in the heptathlon with 4,281 points, while also setting career-bests in three individual events: the pole vault (3.35 meters), the long jump (6.01 meters), and the shot put (9.36 meters).

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Both teams head to Maryville, Mo. next Friday for the Bearcat Invite, spanning two days.