The Purple and Gold Host the Defiance Open

DEFIANCE, OHIO – The Defiance College men's track and field team hosted their last indoor meet of the winter season at the George M. Smart Center and many Yellow Jackets soared above the competition in the unscored meet.

Seniors Sebastian Rue (Defiance/Ayersville) and Ryan Johnston (Defiance/Ayersville) finished neck-and-neck (fourth and fifth) in the 400-meter dash crossing the line in 54.35 seconds and 54.37 seconds, respectively.

Sophomore Jacob Rindler (St. Henry) finished third in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:58.89. Fellow Yellow Jacket senior Andrew Senecal (North Baltimore) finished seventh with a time of 2:05.91.

Sophomores Colin Krick (Hicksville/Antwerp Local) and Clayton Bruggeman (St. Henry) ran in the one-mile run event. Krick crossed the finish at the 4:35.63 minute mark for a fifth-place finish, while Bruggeman crossed the line at the 4:40.42 minute mark for an eighth-place finish.

Freshmen Aaron Schwarzbek (Sherwood/Fairview) and Dalton Bettis (Minerva/Robert G. Cole) finished the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 9.20 and 9.98 seconds, respectively. Schwarzbek also competed in the high jump and cleared the bar at height of 1.80 meters, which allowed him to place sixth overall.

Johnston finished fourth in pole vault after clearing the bar at 3.85 meters. Sophomore LaVauntez Hall (East Cleveland/Shaw) finished ninth in the long jump with a distance of 5.85 meters. Freshman Josh Petro (Ocala, Fla. /The Villages) finished eighth in shot put with a throw the distance of 12.39 meters.

Select Yellow Jackets that qualified for All-Ohio will return to action tomorrow Saturday, Feb. 14 when they travel to Westerville, Ohio to compete in the All- hio DIII Championships. The meet is scheduled to begin at noon.