Air Force Academy
New Mexico Invitational
Falcons Wrap up Action at New Mexico Invitational
1/28/2017 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Results: New Mexico Team Invitational 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Three improvements to the Academy record book and a pair of first-place finishes highlighted the day of competition for the Air Force track and field team, as its sprinters and field event athletes wrapped up action at the New Mexico Team Invitational in Albuquerque.
Junior Jamiel Trimble, in his first individual race of the season, registered the second-fastest 400-meter dash in Academy history, clocking a time of 47.08 to finish second in the 20-competitor event. He then led off the 4x400-meter relay that posted the program's second-fastest time (3:11.63) during a third-place performance. Sophomore Sedacy Walden, freshman Brandon Sanders and junior Tyler Koss completed the relay that accounted for the sixth-fastest 4x4 time in Mountain West history.
Senior Malachi Sparling improved his career-best distance in the weight throw -- and his No. 2 placement on the Academy's all-time list -- as he recorded a heave of 62'11½" to finish fourth.
Junior Shelley Spires and senior Kyle Pater collected first-place finishes for the Falcons this afternoon at the ABQ Convention Center, as Spires won the high jump with a clearance of 5'10¾" and Pater took first in the pole vault with a height of 17'8½".
Pater was one of four Falcons to earn scoring finishes in that event, as sophomore Sam Hinegardner, classmate Walker Newell and freshman Logan Grizzle all tied for sixth with matching clearances of 15'1".
Senior Zach Johnson picked up a pair of top-three finishes on the day, as he matched his season-high time of 21.33 to take second in the 200-meter dash and clocked a time of 6.76 to finish third in the 60-meter dash. Freshman Terrell Bradford also scored for Air Force in the day's shortest event, as he posted a time of 6.95 to finish eighth.
Backed by a third-place finish from senior Darby Maier (56'2"), Air Force claimed half of the scoring finishes in the shot put. Sophomore Garrett Coalson placed sixth with a career-best distance of 53'3¾", while junior Jackson Spalding and sophomore Logan Feasline finished seventh (career-best 53'1") and eighth (51'4½"), respectively.
Sophomore Keith Batista clocked a career-best 8.22 to take third in the 60-meter hurdles, while junior Calvin Berstler and Newell finished fifth (8.51) and sixth (8.52), respectively.
In addition to their run on the 4x400-meter relay squad, Koss and Walden also scored in the individual 400-meter event. Koss clocked a time of 47.07 to finish fourth, while Walden posted a time of 48.52 to take sixth. Berstler also scored for the Falcons in the long jump after recording a season-best distance of 21'4" to finish eighth, while Hinegardner added a fifth-place finish in the high jump (6'4¾") to his scoring mark in the pole vault.
The sprinters and field athletes of the men's team accounted for 84.50 points to finish fourth in the six-team event. New Mexico won its own invitational by a two-point margin (106-104) over Utah State, while TCU finished just three points back (101) to take third. Air Force, Washington State (fifth, 81.50) and Kansas State (sixth, 78) rounded out the full team standings.
Spires was one of seven Falcons to earn scoring finishes on the women's side, as Air Force earned multiple top-eight marks in the pole vault, 400-meter dash and high jump. Sophomores Kathryn Tomczak and Jerni Self finished second (13'2¼") and fourth (12'3½"), respectively, in the pole vault, while classmate Kaliyah Gorman (seventh, 58.00) and freshman Kelsey Owens (eighth, 1:00.66) scored in the 400-meter dash. Freshman Heidi Borgerding joined Spires among the top-eight of the high jump (seventh, 5'5") and sophomore Andrea Abel rounded out the Falcons' contingent of scoring finishers, after placing sixth in the triple jump with a season-best distance of 37'5¼".
The women tallied 30.50 points to finish seventh in the overall standings. Kansas State, ranked 19th in the nation, edged host New Mexico 114-112 for the team title, while TCU (third, 104), Washington State (fourth, 85.50), Utah State (fifth, 58), Fresno State (sixth, 47) and Air Force rounded out the field.
The Falcons return to the Cadet Field House next Friday (Feb. 3), when they host Grand Canyon, Long Beach State and Stephen F. Austin in the Air Force Team Challenge. Action begins at 4:00 p.m. (MT).
Players Mentioned
