FHSU Sports Information
Kevin Czarnecki picked up his second all-region honor for the 2015, earning National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-Central Region Second Team honors on May 14. He earned the honor as a utility player.

Czarnecki was tabbed an all-region first team selection as a utility/non-pitcher by Daktronics. He now has two all-region selections from this season and was a two-time All-MIAA selection in his two years with the Tigers.

Czarnecki led the Tigers with a .415 batting average, 17 doubles, 71 hits, 53 runs scored, and an on-base percentage of .495 in 2015. He recorded 30 extra-base hits, adding 12 home runs and a triple to his team-best 17 doubles. Czarnecki finished the season on an impressive 21-game hitting streak and 37-consecutive game streak of reaching base. He also led the team in multi-hit games with 27. Czarnecki started at three different positions in 2015, 21 times at first base, 15 times at designated hitter, and 11 times at third base.

Below is the NCBWA All-Central Region Team for 2015.

2015 NCBWA All-Central Region Team
First Team
Catcher – Mike Jurgella, Senior, St. Cloud State University
First Base – Patrick Castleberry, Senior, Arkansas Tech
Second Base – Jimmy Heck, Junior, Minnesota Duluth
Shortstop – Kyle Lieser, Junior, St. Cloud State University
Third Base – Dean Long, Senior, Emporia State University
Outfield – Eric Loxtercamp, Senior, St. Cloud State University
Outfield – Justin Harris, Senior, Emporia State University
Outfield – Nathan Ackerman, Junior, Wayne State College
Designated Hitter – Max Waletich, Senior, Minnesota State
Utility Player – Nick Spini, Senior, East Central University
Starting Pitcher – Reese Gregory, Junior, St. Cloud State University
Starting Pitcher – Cody Hutchinson, Junior, Missouri Southern State University
Starting Pitcher – Sheldon Miks, Freshman, St. Cloud State University
Relief Pitcher – Dakota Belter, Junior, Minnesota State

Second Team
Catcher – Jack Goihl, Senior, Augustana
Catcher – Nolan Johnson, Senior, Minnesota State
First Base – Alex Wojciechowski, Junior, Minnesota Duluth
Second Base – Charles Sims, Junior, Northeastern State University
Second Base – Mitch Moser, Sophomore, Upper Iowa University
Shortstop – Eric Fasnacht, Junior, Concordia-St. Paul University
Third Base – Patrick Fiala, Junior, Augustana
Outfield – Trevor Jones, Senior, Central Missouri
Outfield – Brandon Grimsley, Junior, Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Outfield – Grant Farley, Sophomore, Minnesota Duluth
Outfield – Anthony Pacheco, Junior, Nebraska-Kearney
Outfield – Ryan Degner, Senior, Missouri Western
Outfield – Jake Greco, Freshman, Upper Iowa
Designated Hitter – Jesse Rall, Junior, Missouri Southern State University
Utility Player – Kevin Czarnecki, Senior, Fort Hays State University
Starting Pitcher – Connor Eller, Junior, Ouachita Baptist University
Starting Pitcher – Payton Walker, Junior, Missouri Southern State University
Starting Pitcher – Dalton Roach, Freshman, Minnesota State University
Relief Pitcher – Nick Vanthillo, Junior, Henderson State University

Player of the Year: Mike Jurgella, Catcher, Senior, St. Cloud State
Pitcher of the Year: Reese Gregory, Pitcher, Junior, St. Cloud State
Coach of the Year: Pat Dolan, St. Cloud State

FHSU Sports Information

Fort Hays State senior Kevin Czarnecki was named to the Daktronics All-Central Region Baseball Team for the 2015 season. Czarnecki earned first team honors as a utility player.

2015 Daktronics All-Central Region Baseball Team

Czarnecki led the Tigers with a .415 batting average, 17 doubles, 71 hits, 53 runs scored, and an on-base percentage of .495. Of the 11 players named to the all-region first team, Czarnecki ranked second in on-base (.495) + slugging percentage (.737) at 1.232, only behind Dean Long of Emporia State at 1.266. Czarnecki recorded 30 extra-base hits, adding 12 home runs and a triple to his team-best 17 doubles. Czarnecki finished the season on an impressive 21-game hitting streak and 37-consecutive game streak of reaching base. He also led the team in multi-hit games with 27. Czarnecki started at three different positions in 2015, 21 times at first base, 15 times at designated hitter, and 11 times at third base.

Czarnecki finished his career at FHSU with a .384 batting average, 126 hits, 25 doubles, 20 home runs, and 84 RBI. With the first-team selection, he will now be considered for All-America honors.

FHSU Athletics

The NCAA has released the list participants selected to compete at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, to be held May 21-23 in Allendale, Mich. Fort Hays State had seven athletes, four women and three men, selected. Women competing will be Estefania Lopez, Madison Wolf, Megan Honas and Danielle Berry. Men competing will be Cory Keehn, Brady Tien and Brenner Wells.

The Tigers have three of the top 11 women’s javelin throwers nationally entering the event. Lopez has the best effort in the nation so far this year at 169-feet, 7-inches, which set a new school record for the new model javelin. Wolf also hit the automatic qualifying mark this year with her best effort at 160-feet, 3-inches to rank fifth nationally entering the championships. Honas has had a breakout year and ranks 11th on the national performing list with her best effort at 148-feet, 5-inches. Twenty athletes were chosen to compete in the women’s javelin.

Danielle Berry tied for 18th nationally on the performance list in the high jump and is one of 20 selected to compete in the event. Her highest effort this season was 5-feet, 7.25-inches.

Cory Keehn will compete in the 10,000-meter run. He had the seventh-best time in the nation at 29:44.68, which set a new school record. Keehn is a two-time MIAA champion in the event.

Tien also set a new school record this year in the pole vault at 17 feet, the first Tiger ever to reach that height. It broke a 34-year old record at FHSU, set by Kim Stewart in 1981. Tien tied for the fourth-best mark nationally entering the championships.

Wells had the 19th-best effort in the nation this year in the javelin at 205-feet, 11-inches. That was just enough as 19 athletes were selected to compete in the event.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State had eight athletes receive USTFCCCA All-Region honors for the 2015 outdoor season, released on Tuesday (May 12). Five men and three women earned the honors with two of the men earning the honor in two events.

Cory Keehn and Michael Kinuthia were the two men that received all-region distinction in more than one event, Keehn in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters and Kinuthia in the 800 and 1,500 meters. Jonny Bernansky was also an all-region honoree in the 10,000 meters. Brady Tien earned the distinction in pole vault and Brenner Wells received the honor in javelin.

All three of Fort Hays State’s women all-region performers were in the javelin. Estefania Lopez, Madision Wolf and Megan Honas are all among the top 11 javelin throwers in the country entering the NCAA Championships. FHSU is the only school with multiple athletes within the top 11 in the event.

The top five individuals in each event from each region earned the All-Region distinction, in addition to each of the regions’ top three relay teams. The regions used for this award match those used during the cross country season, and student-athletes must come from USTFCCCA member institutions. FHSU competes in the Central Region.

By Kyle Meinke
mlive.com

ALLEN PARK — Fort Hays State safety Nathan Lindsey arrived in Detroit as a tryout player. He’ll leave as a Lion.

Lindsey was offered a contract after participating in the team’s rookie minicamp over the weekend, according to his agent. He’ll occupy one of the five open roster spots Detroit had entering the weekend.

The Inkster native, listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, began his college career at Grand Rapids Community College before transferring to Eastern Arizona and then Fort Hayes State, a Division II school in Kansas. He had 41 tackles, one sack, 5.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one blocked kick last season. He was named second-team All-MIAA.

Lindsey was a special teams ace for Fort Hays State, also returning kicks — one of which he housed from 92 yards against Missouri Southern.

Detroit has been a roll in recent years in finding contributors after the draft, including right tackle LaAdrian Waddle, right tackle Cornelius Lucas and tight end Joseph Fauria in the past two years. All three have contributed in varying degrees.

FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State had six players named to the All-MIAA Baseball Team for 2015. Earning second team honors were Kevin Czarnecki at designated hitter and Cooper Langley at first base, while Austin Unrein received third team honors as a utility player. Andre Vieyra (catcher), Gus Strunk (second base), and Connor Ross (outfield) all received honorable mention nods.

Czarnecki recorded 30 extra-base hits in his senior season, leading the team in batting average (.415), doubles (17), runs scored (53), slugging percentage (.737), total bases (126), and on-base percentage (.495), while driving in 41 runs. He ranked third in the MIAA in batting average, fourth in doubles, and fifth in total bases at the end of the regular season. Czarnecki finished the season on an impressive 21-game hitting streak and 37-consecutive game streak of reaching base. He also led the team in multi-hit games with 27. Czarnecki is now a two-time All-MIAA selection after earning an honorable mention nod at third base in 2014. He finished his career at FHSU with a .384 batting average, 126 hits, 25 doubles, 20 home runs, and 84 RBI.

Langley recorded a team-high 31 extra-base hits in his senior year, leading the team in home runs (17) and RBI (60). He ranked second in the conference in home runs and RBI at the end of the regular season. Langley recorded 17 multi-RBI and 16 multi-hit games. He recorded a perfect fielding percentage for the season, going errorless in 242 chances. Langley is also a two-time All-MIAA selection after earning honorable mention honors last year at designated hitter. He completed his Tiger career with a .318 batting average, 32 doubles, 22 home runs, and 90 RBI.

Unrein fulfilled his utility role by making 36 starts at third base, six at designated hitter, and five in left field, while also serving as the team’s closer on the mound in his junior season. He ranked second in hits (58) and RBI (45), and third in batting average (.326), home runs (11), and slugging percentage (.596) for FHSU in 2015, while recording 24 extra-base hits. On the mound, Unrein recorded three saves, while going 3-3 on the year with a 5.68 ERA. He averaged 1.1 strikeouts per inning or 9.5 per nine innings, striking out 20 in 19 innings of work. He held opponents to a .284 batting average for the season.

Vieyra had a solid season in his only year with Fort Hays State behind the plate. The senior catcher recorded a .271 batting average with 10 home runs, six doubles, and 33 RBI. He led the team in putouts with 249 and caught runners trying to steal on the season.

Strunk started all 47 games for FHSU at second base in 2015. The senior batted .308 with seven doubles and 14 RBI, while scoring 28 runs. He recorded 123 assists in the field and helped turn 29 double plays on the year.

After redshirting the 2014 season, Ross had a solid first year of action with the Tigers by ranking second on the team in batting average at .337. He recorded 24 extra-base hits (14 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs) and scored 39 times, serving as the Tigers’ leadoff hitter.

Below is the All-MIAA Baseball Team for 2015…

Player of the Year: Dean Long, Sr., Emporia State
Pitcher of the Year: Cody Hutchinson, Jr., Missouri Southern
Freshman of the Year: Drew Quinones, Fr., Lindenwood
Coach of the Year: Bryce Darnell, Missouri Southern

First Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Cody Hutchinson, Jr., Missouri Southern
Pitcher: Payton Walker, Jr., Missouri Southern
Pitcher: Ryan Helsley, So., Northeastern State
Relief Pitcher: Shawn Talkington, Sr., Emporia State
Catcher: Max Ayoub, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
First Base: Evan Koehler, Jr., Emporia State
Second Base: Charles Sims, Jr., Northeastern State
Shortstop: Ross Wolfe, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Third Base: Dean Long, Sr., Emporia State^
Outfield: Justin Harris, Sr., Emporia State
Outfield: Anthony Pacheco, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney#
Outfield: Trevor Jones, Sr., Central Missouri
Designated Hitter: Jesse Rall, Jr., Missouri Southern
Utility: Chris Hoffman, Jr., Missouri Southern

Second Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Travis Hendry, Sr., Emporia State
Pitcher: Daulton Leiker, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Pitcher: Banks Born, Sr., Missouri Western
Relief Pitcher: Jake Kern, Jr., Northeastern State
Catcher: Nate Arnold, Sr., Pittsburg State
First Base: Cooper Langley, Sr., Fort Hays State
Second Base: Paul Johnson, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Shortstop: Nathan Prindle, Jr., Lindenwood
Third Base: Richie Gorski, So., Missouri Southern
Outfield: Ryan Degner, Sr., Missouri Western
Outfield: Wade Rothermich, Sr., Lindenwood
Outfield: Drew Quinones, Fr., Lindenwood
Designated Hitter: Kevin Czarnecki, Sr., Fort Hays State
Utility: Danny Droll, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney

Third Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Carlos D’Armas, Jr., Central Missouri
Pitcher: Aaron Smith, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
Pitcher: Tyler Burgess, Sr., Missouri Southern
Relief Pitcher: Richard Peoples, So., Missouri Western
Catcher: David Gauntt, Sr., Washburn
First Base: Steven Garber, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Second Base: Levi Parker, Sr., Emporia State
Shortstop: Cody Childs, Sr., Missouri Western
Third Base: Kyle Carnahan, Jr., Washburn
Outfield: Andrew Kreiling, Sr., Pittsburg State
Outfield: Parker Gibson, Jr., Washburn
Outfield: Brandon Landanger, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
Designated Hitter: Dillon Schroeder, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
Utility: Austin Unrein, Sr., Fort Hays State

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Ricky Rivera, Central Missouri; Tyler House, Central Missouri; Jake Heissler, Central Missouri; Brendan Kleekamp, Lindenwood; A.J. Martinez, Missouri Western; Anthony Caenepeel, Northwest Missouri; Jake Stevenson, Pittsburg State; Mike Hefferan, Washburn,
Relief Pitcher: Nick Pettus, Missouri Southern; Carson Smith, Northwest Missouri; Ryan McKay, Pittsburg State; Tanner Kilmer, Washburn.
Catcher: Andre Vieyra, Fort Hays State; Mike Wilson, Lindenwood; Licio Tamburlini, Northeastern State.
First Base: Bennett Oliver, Central Missouri; Kaleb Davis, Lincoln; Cosimo Cannella, Missouri Western; Connor Messinger, Nebraska-Kearney; Preston Cash, Northeastern State; Andrew Vogelbaugh, Pittsburg State.
Second Base: Dusty Maas, Central Missouri; Gus Strunk, Fort Hays State; Jacob Bryant, Missouri Southern.
Shortstop: Jackson Schnurbusch, Central Missouri; Nick Gotta, Northwest Missouri; Erek Hackney, Pittsburg State; Riley Krane, Washburn.
Third Base: Tony Sandifer, Central Missouri; Ryan Light, Lindenwood; David Glaude, Missouri Western; Spencer Blacksher, Southwest Baptist.
Outfield: Derek Cornell, Central Missouri; Tyler Hatcher, Central Oklahoma; Dylan Tinkler, Central Oklahoma; Price Jacobs, Emporia State; Wade Hanna, Emporia State; Connor Ross, Fort Hays State; Wes Degener, Lindenwood; Trevor LaHonta, Missouri Western; Gabriel Wurth, Northeastern State; Luke Bordewick, Pittsburg State; Zach Snodgrass, Southwest Baptist; Connor Crimmons, Washburn.
Designated Hitter: Isaac Hellbush, Central Oklahoma; Tanner Triggs, Washburn.
Utility: Trevor Schnieders, Lincoln; Orencio Fisher, Missouri Western; Bryce Davenport, Northeastern State; Christian Binger, Southwest Baptist.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State senior Trey Herman closed out his collegiate career on Wednesday (May 6) at the NCAA Midwest/Central Regional in Lemont, Ill. Herman played very well, finishing sixth overall out of 108 golfers, but it wasn’t quite enough to make the NCAA Championship site.

The top two individuals not on NCAA Championship qualifying site teams move on to the NCAA Championship site. Garrison Myles of Malone University, who made the regional as a member of a team, turned into the top individual since his team didn’t finish in the top five. Myles finished second overall with a score of 1-under par. The second qualifier also came to the tournament with a team, Michael Hearne of Southern Nazarene, who finished in a tie for third at 1-over par.

Hearne won a playoff to take the second qualifying spot against DJ Vogt of Bellarmine, who also finished at 1-over par. Vogt came to the tournament as an individual.

Herman finished the tournament 3-over par, the relation to par he shot on Wednesday after entering the day at even par. Herman remained in the top 10 of the standings throughout the tournament, shooting a 4-under 68 on the first day to sit in a tie for third, then a 4-over par 76 on the second day to enter the final round in a tie for fifth place. Herman’s 3-over 75 in the final round was good enough for seventh, the same exact place in the standings he finished at last year’s Midwest/Central Regional.

Herman played in the same group as DJ Vogt on Wednesday. Vogt started the day one stroke back of Herman, but turned the tables after shooting 1-under through the first three holes and Herman started the day 2-over. A bogey by Vogt later in the first nine had him just one stroke ahead of Herman heading to the back nine.

Herman slipped four behind Vogt after a bogey at the 11^th and birdies by Vogt at the 11^th and 12^th. Herman’s only birdie of the day at the par-5 15^th cut the gap to three. Vogt bogeyed two of the last three holes, but it was too late for Herman, who played the last three holes 1-over par. Vogt’s bogeys proved costly, as it eventually resulted in a playoff that he lost in a chance to reach the national championship site.

Eric Kline of Central Oklahoma won the tournament at 2-under par overall, shooting 1-under in his final round. He and Garrison Myles were the only two golfers to finish under par. Kline helped Central Oklahoma (885) to the regional team championship over Central Missouri (895) by 10 strokes. UCO and UCM moved on to the national championship site.

Herman recorded six top-10 finishes in his senior year and had a scoring average of 73.9. He was a two-time All-MIAA selection and qualified for the NCAA Midwest/Central Regional two consecutive years as a junior and a senior.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State’s Trey Herman remained in great position after the second round of the NCAA Midwest/Central Regional at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill. Herman is tied for fifth place overall heading into the final round of competition on Wednesday.

Herman entered the second round tied for third place at 4-under par, but low scores were scarcer on day two as only five players in the 108-man field were under par for the day. A pair of 5-under par rounds were the lowest on Monday, but a 2-under par 70 by Garrison Myles of Malone University was the lowest on Tuesday. Herman found himself at even par on the day through nine holes, but ran into some trouble on his second nine and shot 4-over par on Tuesday.

Herman started Tuesday on the back nine and on his eighth hole (the par-4 17th), he carded his only birdie of the day. With seven straight pars to open the round and then the birdie, Herman was momentarily tied for the lead at 5-under par with Central Missouri’s Travis Mays, who had yet to begin his round. The stay at the top was short lived as a bogey on the next hole dropped Herman back to 4-under par, but still even par for his round.

A bogey to start his second nine put Herman at 3-under, then a double bogey at the fourth hole and another bogey at the sixth slid Herman all the way back to even par for the tournament. However, Herman got in the clubhouse early after his morning round, then sat back and watched several others in the field go through the same struggles. After sitting in a tie for 10th at the end of his round, Herman slowly rose to a tie for fifth by the end of the day.

Zach James of Southeastern Oklahoma State and Travis Mays of Central Missouri share the lead at 2-under par overall. Garrison Myles of Malone and Eric Kline of Central Oklahoma are the only other players under par at 1-under. Herman is in a four-way tie for fifth with Marcos Sevilla of Southeastern Oklahoma, Logan Gray of Central Oklahoma, and Matt Barry of Missouri-St. Louis.

Herman remained in great position in his quest to make the NCAA Championship site as an individual. Garrison Myles of Malone is the only player in front of Herman in the standings that is not on a team inside the top five of the standings. Myles is just one stroke ahead of Herman. However, several other potential players vying for an individual bid are within striking distance as well. Eighteen players are within five strokes of the lead.

Herman tees off on Wednesday at 11:50 am in the final round of the tournament.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State’s Trey Herman had a great start at the NCAA Midwest/Central Regional in Lemont, Ill. The tournament is being held on the Dubsdread Course at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, a par-72 layout. Herman shot a 4-under par 68 in the opening round to sit in a tie for third place individually, just one stroke back of the lead.

After a bogey to open the day on the first hole, Herman moved back to even with a birdie at the par-5 fifth hole. A bogey at the sixth dropped him to one-over par once again, but then he caught fire at the end of his first nine with birdies at the par-4 eighth and par-5 ninth. Herman was bogey free on the back nine, moving to two-under par with a birdie at the par-5 11th and then 4-under par with back-to-back birdies at the par-4 16th and 17th.

For the day, Herman carded 10 pars, six birdies, and two bogeys. He feasted on par fives with birdies at three of four on the course.

Herman sits just one stroke back of the two-time MIAA Player of the Year Travis Mays of Central Missouri and DJ Vogt of Bellarmine, who is playing as an individual in the tournament. Mays and Vogt each shot 67 (5-under par). Mays had six birdies and one bogey, while Vogt had four birdies, one bogey, and a hole-in-one on the par-3 second hole.

Herman is tied with Zach James of Southeastern Oklahoma State, who led his team to the top of the standings on Friday. Southeastern Oklahoma has the lead as a team at 288, while MIAA champion Central Missouri is three strokes back in second at 291. Southwestern Oklahoma State sits in third a stroke back of UCM.

Scoring conditions were good as 12 players shot under par in the opening round and seven others shot even. Herman will tee off at 8:30 am on the 10th hole for the second day of competition on Tuesday.

Fort Hays State’s 2015 football schedule has been released. The Tigers will play six games at home in 2015, with the first on Thursday, September 10. The season is set to open on September 3 at Central Oklahoma.

2015 Schedule
September 3 – at Central Oklahoma, 7 pm
September 10 – Northeastern State, 7 pm
September 19 – at Lindenwood, 6 pm
September 26 – Pittsburg State, 7 pm
October 3 – Washburn, 7 pm
October 10 – at Missouri Western, 1 pm
October 17 – Emporia State, 2 pm
October 24 – at Northwest Missouri State, 2 pm
October 31 – Nebraska-Kearney, 2 pm
November 7 – at Missouri Southern, 3 pm
November 14 – Central Missouri, 2 pm

The Tigers host four rival schools at home this year. After the first home game against Northeastern State on September 10, the next four home dates will be against rivals Pittsburg State, Washburn, Emporia State, and Nebraska-Kearney. The contest against Pittsburg State on September 26 marks the annual Tailgreat game, then the game against Washburn on October 3 is Homecoming. The annual Tiger Sports Hall of Fame Game will be on October 31 against Nebraska-Kearney. FHSU closes out the season at home with Central Missouri on November 14.

All games in the regular season will be conference games for the second straight year with 12 schools in the conference for football (Southwest Baptist and Lincoln do not compete in the MIAA in football). The Tigers are coming off a 7-4 record last year, which tied for fourth in the MIAA standings, the highest finish ever for FHSU in the MIAA. It was the first seven-win season for FHSU since the 1996 season.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State’s top three javelin throwers swept the podium on Sunday at the MIAA Championships in St. Charles, Mo. Estefanio Lopez, Madison Wolf, and Megan Honas finished first, second, and third in the event, all earning All-MIAA honors for their efforts. The Tigers finished 10^th in the standings with 30 points.

Lopez’s win in the event marked her fourth consecutive victory in the event this spring. She gave Fort Hays State its fourth consecutive individual champion at the MIAA Championships in women’s javelin. Makayla McPhail won the event in 2012 and 2013, teammate Madison Wolf won in 2014, and now Lopez claims the title in 2015. Fort Hays State’s sweep of the podium generated 24 of the team’s 30 points at the meet.

Lopez threw a distance of 161-feet, 1-inch to top a field of 19 competitors. Wolf threw 158-feet, 2-inches, and Honas threw 148-feet, 5-inches. Honas’ mark improved her national standing in the event. She moved up to 11^th nationally, while Lopez continues to have the best mark in the nation and Wolf now ranks fifth. Lopez and Wolf are already automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships, while Honas put herself in much better standing going into the final week of competition before selections are announced.

The FHSU women struggled to score points in other events throughout the weekend. Danielle Berry and Micki Krzesinski  each had seventh-place finishes in their respective events to generate two points each. Berry jumped 5-feet, 5.25-inches in the high jump on Sunday, while Krzesinski had a time of 39:41.75 in the 10,000 meters on Saturday.  The 4×400-meter relay team of Mindy Wilson, Kelly Wycoff, Casey Freed and Mandy Wilson finished seventh to generate the other two team points for FHSU.

Pittsburg State took the team title with 176.5 points. Central Missouri was second with 164 points and Lincoln was third with 133.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State’s men had a solid showing at the MIAA Championships in St. Charles, Mo., held Friday through Sunday (May 1-3). Cory Keehn  won his second race of the weekend, topping the 5,000 meter field, and Michael Kinuthia won the 1,500 meters, helping the Tigers to 76 points and a fifth-place finish as a team.

The Tigers entered the last event of the day in fourth place in the standings, but slid to fifth when Lincoln won the 4×400 meter relay and jumped the Tigers by a point in the standings. The Tigers held off Emporia State for fifth by one point. Pittsburg State won the men’s team title with 139 points, followed by Missouri Southern with 127 and Central Missouri with 111.

Keehn took the 5,000 meter run to put the Tigers in fourth in the standings at the time, running 15:12.65. He topped a field of 28 runners in the event. Keehn claimed his fourth MIAA title of 2015 with the win. He won both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters during indoor season, then in outdoor, won the 10,000 meters on Saturday and the 5,000 meters on Sunday. Keehn produced 20 points for the Tigers with his two wins in the meet. He was third among the top point-producing athletes in the meet.

Kinuthia took the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:57.18, besting a field of 24 runners. A sprinting kick at the finish helped him get past Adam Tredway of Central Missouri by just 0.26 seconds for the title. Along with the 10 points for his win in the 1,500 meters, Kinuthia finished sixth in the 800 meters to give FHSU three more points with a time of 1:58.96.

Keehn and Kinuthia were the only All-MIAA performers for the Tigers individually, but did so in winning fashion.

Brady Tien entered the MIAA Championships with the best mark of any MIAA competitor this year at 17 feet. Cole Phillips of Central Missouri changed that with a vault of 17-feet, 7.25-inches on Sunday to post the nation’s best mark. Tien went on to finish fourth in the event, clearing a height of 16-feet, 3.5-inches. His 17-foot effort just over a week ago is now tied for the fourth-best mark in the nation this year. Teammate Jake Morrow was fifth in the event at 15-feet, 11.75-inches to up his provisional qualifying mark of the year. The pair combined for nine points in the event.

Brenner Wells finished fifth in the javelin with a throw of 188-feet, 3-inches to score four points. Nate Simpson  finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.86 seconds, while Evan Jennings was seventh in 15.09 seconds. The pair gave FHSU six points in the event. Jennings also finished seventh in the 400-meter hurdles with at time of 57.55 seconds to score two more points.

Derek Bixenman and Bryant Bombardier (each cleared 6-feet, 4.25-inches) finished sixth and seventh in the high jump respectively, combining to give FHSU five points. Rodrigo Alves was seventh in the 100 meters with a time of 10.71 seconds, generating two points. Stavros Stavrou gave the Tigers a point in the shot put by finishing eighth, throwing 48-feet, 6-inches.

The 4×100-meter relay team of Dillando Allotey, Alves, CJ Wilson, and Ed brown ran 41.80 seconds to finish fifth and give FHSU four points.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

The Fort Hays State softball team lost both of their games Thursday at the MIAA tournament to end their season. The eighth-seeded Tigers lost their opener 5-3 to regular season champ Central Missouri then fell 8-0 in five innings to Missouri Western, ending their season at 26-27. It’s just the second time the Tigers have finished 0-2 in the MIAA tournament and the first since their first tourney in 2007.

Adrian Mohr Postgame Interview

Game 1 Highlights

The Tigers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead against the Jennies in the opener, scoring a run in the first and two in the second but were held hitless over the final five innings by UCM reliever Katie Shockley. The Jennies scored single runs in the third and fourth then tied the game in the sixth on a throwing error by right fielder Rilee Krier. UCM followed with back to back hits to take their first lead of the game.

Kelsey Kimminau (13-11) takes the loss, allowuing all five runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one.

FHSU was held to just three hits against Missouri Western. The Griffons scored a run in the first then added four inteh third and three in the fifth. Paxton Duran (16-11) takes the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) on 12 hits, striking out six and walking four.

Six of the Griffons 12 hits went for extra bases including five doubles.