EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (www.bluoglds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's and women's track & field teams held the second annual Dick & Mary Johnson Invitational on Saturday with four other teams from the Midwest in attendance. As UW-Eau Claire got their final times in before the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Outdoor Championships, the Blugolds had 8 event winners during the day's events to cap off a successful home meet.
 
Allyson Kakes (Fr. – Two Rivers, Wis.) had an outstanding out at Simpson field as Kakes earned two first placed finishes during her short track races. After qualifying for the finals with a personal best time of 12.47 seconds, Kakes ran the 100m dash in 12.67 seconds to take the crown in the women's division. She followed the 100m win up with a dominating win in the 200m dash, finishing with a personal best 25.29 seconds.
 
UWEC dominated the javelin runway as two Blugolds took first place in both the men's and women's divisions. Laura Bertrang (Fr. – New Ulm, Minn.) set a personal best with her winning throw of 35.42m. Tommy Mestnick (Jr. – Prior Lake, Minn.) was crowned atop of the men's javelin leaderboard with a top throw of 57.67m.
 
Other field events won by the Blugolds included top results at the pole vault and the men's shot put. Isaiah Bauer (Fr. – DeForest, Wis.) hit the top mark amongst 16 competitors with a height of 4.75m. Gage Stankiewicz (Jr. – Esko, Minn.) had the long throw of the day with a heave of 15.86m.
 
Back on the track, Eau Claire's Izak Clendenning (Fr. – Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) took first overall with a personal best time in the 400m of 49.74 seconds. The Blugolds' 4x400 men's team of Braxton Osterhaus (Fr. – Pine Island, Minn.), Dalton Hoel (Fr. – Houston, Minn./Rushford-Peterson), Drew Eiden (Fr. – Appleton, Wis./Kimberly), and Harrison Cull (Fr. – Oconomowoc, Wis.) crossed the finish line first with a time of 3:25.79 seconds.
 
The Blugolds will gear up for the WIAC Championships scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4 at the UW-Platteville Track & Field Complex. First events are set for 1 p.m. on Friday.
 
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