Track and Field: Two Yellow Jackets win events at Mountaineer Open

BEREA, Ky. - The Defiance College track and field teams returned to action Saturday afternoon (March 23) at the Mountaineer Open on the campus of Berea College. 

There were no team scores given for the event and two Yellow Jackets won events at the meet, Lisa-Maria Markau and Tawon Cannon. 

Lisa-Maria Markau won the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:00.25, finishing over four minutes better than the second place finisher. In the 100 meter dash, Shelby Clements tied her personal best time of 13.96 seconds and placed fifth. Meanwhile, Aliza Clark made her track debut and placed 10th in the 100 meter dash with a time of 14.47 seconds. 

Markau was also victorious in the 200 meter dash, placing first with a mark of 26.40 seconds. In the same event, teammates Clements and Clark finished fourth and seventh, respectively. Myahn Smith participated in the javelin throw and placed sixth. 

On the men's side, Montgomery Rollins competed in the 100 meter dash for the first time and placed sixth with a time of 11.67 seconds. In the 400 meter hurdles, teammates Tawon Cannon and Rollins placed back-to-back in the top two with Cannon winning the event. Rollins set a new personal best time of 56.85 seconds. Cannon won the event with a time of 55.03 seconds. 

In the men's 200 meter dash, three Yellow Jackets nearly finished simultaneously as Cannon placed ninth, Gavin Maratea 10th, and Jeremiah Benton 11th. In shot put, David Heidelburg recorded a new best throw of 10.32 meters which earned him a fourth place finish. 

The Yellow Jackets compete next Saturday, March 30 at the Tiffelberg Open in Tiffin, Ohio.