Nothing illustrates NAU’s indoor track and field dominance at the Big Sky Confernce Championships in Spokane more than Friday night’s final two events, the women’s and men’s Distance Medley Relay.
On the final leg of the women’s race, Lumberjack Maggi Congdon took the stick from teammate Bryn Morley, who ran the 800 leg, and settled in behind leader Montana State for the concluding mile. Congdon looked as if she was out on a recovery run on San Francisco Street, as she held back and held back. With two laps to go, she accelerated and won by more than three seconds. Crossing the line, she barely looked winded.
Same scene in the men’s DMR. NAU men, of course, have the NCAA’s top time, but on this night they shook up their lineup. Colin Sahlman, running the mile leg instead of the 1,200 meters, took the baton in fourth place and stayed at the back of pack, waiting and waiting. Then, with just under three laps to go, Sahlman took off. In a matter of 20 meters, the rest of the pack was well behind and Sahlman soared to a three-second win over second place Montana State.
The men and women’s 5,000 meters final earlier in the night was another NAU-fest.
Seniors Aaron las Heras and Brodey Hasty had a nice little duel for most of the 25 laps, with the behatted Hasty taking the lead with a surge in the last mile. But Las Heras, prepping for nationals, overtook Hasty and won in 13:36.24; Hasty was second at 13:37. 10, a PR.
The women’s 5K was an NAU conga line for most ofthe race, with five yellow singlets in a line — Ali Upshaw, Elise Stearns and Annika Reiss taking turns in the lead. It remained that way into the bell lap, when things got serious (well, as serious as a confernce meet can be). It looked as though Reiss would take the win, but Upshaw nipped her on the outside, 16:32.65 to 16:52.67. Stearns was third, Meagan Van Pelt fourth and Nikita Moore sixth. In the interview with the women afterward, viewers learned such tidbits as the identity of Upshaw’s dog, a corgi.
Saturday is the final day of conference action. You can watch on ESPN-Plus.
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