Forbush Wins 400-meter Dash at John Knight Twilight

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

MONMOUTH, Ore. -- Maura Forbush (So., Hollister, CA/San Benito HS) won the women's 400-meter dash and Jossalyn Wright (Sr., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) moved into second place on the Willamette University all-time list in the women's hammer throw, as the Bearcats competed at the John Knight Twilight on Friday, April 10. The meet was held at Western Oregon University.

Forbush registered a time of 58.75 seconds in the 400 to win by 0.89 over Kala Koepeck from Oregon State University, who placed second at 59.64 seconds. Megan Rose of Western Oregon was third at 59.97 seconds. Forbush also placed seventh in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.39 seconds.

Wright set a personal record with her throw of 157' 7.50" in the hammer throw. She improved by more than two feet over her previous top distance of 155' 1", set just last Saturday during the Jenn Boyman Invitational at Linfield College.

Her new career-best advanced Wright from third into second on WU's all-time list, narrowly passing Kaeleigh Thorp (Sr., San Leandro, CA/Encinal HS). Thorp threw the hammer 157' 7" at this year's Willamette Invitational on March 28.

Wright took third place at the John Knight Twilight. Jessica Mattos from Concordia University (Ore.) won the hammer with a toss of 159' 10.50". McKenzie Warren, also from Concordia was second at 158' 9".

Also for Willamette, Olivia Mancl (So./Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) placed second and Hannah Swanson (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) was third in the women's 1,500-meter run. Mancl was time at 4:38.55, while Swanson completed the race in 4:42.29. Anna Connor from the Bowerman Track Club won the event in 4:28.82.

Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) of WU was fifth in the 1,500 at 4:44.45. Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) was eighth in 4:47.59.

Mancl is ranked fifth in NCAA Division III in the 1,500 this season with a top time of 4:34.71. Swanson moved into 17th on the national performance list with her time on Friday.

Elisa Ahern (Sr., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) of Willamette finished fifth in the women's triple jump at 36' 6.75". The winner was Michele Turney of Oregon State at 38' 4.75'.

In the women's javelin, Meka Townsend (Jr., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) took sixth place for the Bearcats at 122' 10.75".

For the Willamette men's team, Grant Lindley (Fr., Monmouth HS/Central HS) placed third in the 400-meter dash in 49.72 seconds, as he just missed his personal record of 49.71 set at the Willamette Invitational earlier this season. Michael Trofimchik from Corban University won Friday's race in 48.63 seconds, while Nathan Swanson of Corban was second at 48.79.

Tyler Higley (Sr., Aloha, OR/Aloha HS) set a personal record of 49' 11.75" in the shot put to take fifth place. His previous best throw went 49' 7" at last year's John Knight Twilight. On Friday, Higley also took third place in the hammer throw at 160' 5.75" and was sixth in the discus at 138' 10.75". Higley missed his personal record in the discus by 3.25 inches.

Erik Spangberg (Fr., San Francisco, CA/Bay School of San Francisco) of WU registered a time of 11.48 seconds to take sixth place in the 100-meter dash. He also took sixth in the 200-meter dash at 23.05 seconds.

Daniel Swanson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) finished sixth for the Bearcats in the 1,500-meter run in 4:00.80. RoShaan Rogers (Fr., Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS) placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at 15.98 seconds. Kaleb Doggs of Western Oregon won the 110 hurdles in 14.95 seconds.

Willamette runner Jacob Shafi (Jr., Pleasanton, CA/Amador Valley HS) was third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. His time was 9:57.13.

The Bearcats placed fourth in the 4 x 100-meter relay with a time of 42.89 seconds. Corban won the race in 41.99 seconds.

Willamette's next competition will be the 2015 Northwest Conference Championships on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25. The NWC meet will be held at George Fox University in Newberg, Ore.