High-Achieving Bearcats at John Knight Twilight

MONMOUTH, Ore. — The Bearcats competed in the John Knight Twilight event hosted by Western Oregon University. The competition took place April 10 and 11, and despite a thunderstorm delaying several events the first day, Willamette did not let that stop them from excelling. 

At 4:00 pm Friday, the track opened up with the 400m Hurdles. Brison Speakthunder placed highest for the Bearcats at twelfth. Kayden Gonzales, also in this race, achieved a new personal best (PB) of 58.49 seconds for sixteenth place. In the 200m, Owen Philips and Matthew Nivala were the top two Willamette runners, earning 20th and 21st overall. Next was the 1500m, which was interruped by the storm but continued the next day of competition. Thomas Bernadicou secured second place in 3:58.97 seconds. Jay Chew was the second-highest Bearcat, coming in at 4:03.89 minutes (PB).

The first day of field events saw two throwing events and one jump. In Hammer Throw, Roan Bashioum took fourth place, while in Javelin Judah Ali'ifua earned eighteenth overall. Gibson Hanowell placed 22nd in Triple Jump, and Devin Owens 26th.

Hanowell competed again in Long Jump on day two, this time taking sixth place with a distance of 6.68 meters (PB). In High Jump, Davandre Campbell took fifth, while Finn Gibson landed in seventh. Teague Myers got eighth in Pole Vault by clearing 3.75 meters. In Shot Put, Grant Sweitzer earned 20th overall, and in Discus Austin Snodgrass represented Willamette and took fifth place.

On the second day of track events, Campbell ran in the 110m Hurdles and secured fifth place again. Major LeProwse ran a 50.25-second 400m (PB), earning sixth. Following the 400m is the 100m, in which Marcus Nalls placed 29th overall. In the 800m, Tim McMahon took eighth place in 1:55.76 minutes (PB). The Willamette 4x400m Relay closed out the final day of competition by securing fifth place, in 3:28.42 minutes.

Some Bearcats compete next at the NWC Multi Championships from April 13-14 in Newberg, Oregon, while the rest compete later at the NWC Championships in Spokane, Washington on April 25th and 26th.