NEWBERG, Ore. – Melany Crocker (Sr., Milwaukie, Ore.) swept the sprints in her season debut for two of Linfield’s 10 event victories as the Wildcats topped a field of three Northwest Conference squads at the George Fox Rich Allen Classic. The Linfield men placed third in the tri-meet, contested on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Colcord Field.

Crocker, running in her first competitive meet since an offseason accident in which a tree branch crushed her arm and pelvis, won the 100-meter dash (12.94) and the 200 (27.11). Fellow Wildcat Halsie Peek (Soph., Corbett, Ore.) was runner-up in both events, clocking in at 12.98 seconds in the 100 and 27.40 seconds in the half-lap race. Both were season bests.

Ellie Schmidt (Soph., Dundee, Ore.) crossed the finish line first in the 400 (career-best 1.03.10) and teamed with Peek, Rachael Gernhart (Fr., Portland, Ore.) and Crocker for a victory in the 4x100 relay (50.73). Gerhart claimed an individual win in the triple jump with a maximum leap of 34 feet, 8¼ inches (10.57 meters).

Linfield’s other first-place finish in the running events came in the 5,000 meters, in which Siena Noe (Soph., Yakima, Wash.) registered a career-best time of 18:45.62.

Joy Harpham (Fr., Ashland, Ore.) won the high jump, clearing the bar at a career-best 5 feet, ¼ inch (1.53 meters).

Over in the throws, Anna LaBeaume (Jr., Sequim, Wash.) claimed a pair of victories in the shot put (season-best 36-06.25/11.13) and the hammer throw (156-00/47.56). She was also second in the discus (106-03/32.40). Teammate Courtney Alley (Jr., Eagle, Idaho) topped the field in the discus (35.32/115-10) and was runner-up in the shot put (35-03.25/10.75).

Linfield won 10 events, totaling 83 points. Defending NWC team champion George Fox was second (50) while Lewis & Clark took third (49).

In men’s competition, the Wildcats won three events and registered four runner-up performances to finish third (41) in the team standings, behind Lewis & Clark (73) and host George Fox (49).

Jason Cheyne (Jr., Waikoloa, Hawaii) won the 200-meter dash (season-best 23.43) and was second in the 100 (season-best 11.35). Lester Maxwell (Sr., Corvallis, Ore.) was the fastest competitor to complete one lap on the track, clocking in at a season-best 51.38 in the 400.

Clay Monahan (Fr., Sammamish, Wash.) provided Linfield’s only other victory, winning the 110 hurdles in 19.65 seconds.

The Wildcats throwers supplied three second-place finishes. Drew Wert (Sr., Grants Pass, Ore.) threw the shot put 41 feet, 11½ inches (12.79m) while Kyle Pfeifer (Sr., Eagle, Idaho) hurled the hammer 143 feet, 6 inches (season-best 43.74). Morgunn Ewing (Soph., Bothell, Wash.) was runner-up in the javelin (165-02/50.34).

NEXT: Selected Wildcats head to Forest Grove for the Pacific Multi-Events meet next Thursday and Friday, but the bulk of the roster is set to compete at home in Saturday’s Wildcat Open. Competition at Maxwell Field begins at 10 a.m.