Eagles Earn Nationals Marks Galore In First Jud Logan Open

It was all for Jud.
 
On Saturday (Feb. 5), the first Jud Logan Light Giver Open took place at the Niss Athletic Center. And the results, despite having to condense a two-day indoor track and field meet into a one-day indoor track and field meet due to weather, were impressive.
 
"We put a lot of work into it, so, yeah, we're glad that we ended up getting the meet off," said Ashland interim head track and field coach Jacob Sussman. "The nationals marks, we were kind of ready for this meet. We were defending The Niss, and we didn't want other teams coming in here and beating us.
 
"He was definitely looking down on us. All the things that could go wrong went right. The amount of support that we had here for him, for us as a team…was just incredible. I like to think he had a part in that. I think he'd be happy with it."
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• Six improved and six new provisional marks for the 2022 NCAA Division II Championships (March 11-12 in Pittsburg, Kan.) were earned by Eagle athletes on Saturday at home.
• The improved marks came from seniors Trevor Bassitt and Channing Phillips in the men's 400-meter dash (Bassitt in first place, 45.92 seconds; Phillips in second place, 47.36 seconds), sophomore Doniven Jackson in both the men's 200 dash (first, 21.48 seconds) and 60 dash (fourth, 6.79 seconds), freshman Kelsey Kinsley in the women's shot put (13.84 meters/45-feet-5), and the men's 4x400 relay team of senior Ryan Rager, Phillips, senior Keshun Jones and Bassitt (3:11.20).
• "It was a good time, and I think they want more," Sussman said of the men's 4x4.
• Bassitt's time in the 400 is the fourth-best in the world this indoor season.
• "There's always something special about running on your home track," said Bassitt. "That's always special, let alone knowing that our only indoor home meet is the Jud Logan Light Giver Open. We wanted to try to do something special to honor him, and move our marks. Now, we've three of the last four (national championships), and that's the plan (to win again). We have the talent, we have the ability, we have the grit, and we have Jud helping us the whole way."
• Added Jackson, "Today went pretty amazing. I didn't expect to run those fast times. I went out there and just executed, ran my race. I'm dedicating my season to Jud. We had a special conversation before the season started, and I'm going to keep my word on what he told me."
• Earning the new provos were Bassitt in the men's 60 dash (first, 6.71 seconds), senior Rachel Miller in the women's 400 dash (first, 56.56 seconds), senior Ian Johnson in the men's 800 run (1:52.31), freshman Caden Morris in the men's long jump (7.18 meters/23-feet-6¾), sophomore Alena Williams in the women's 60 dash (second, 7.66 seconds), and the women's 1,600 relay team of senior Cheyanne Davis, Miller, freshman Mia Gardner, and sophomore Elizabeth Adams (first, 3:52.11).
• "That was the fun one," Sussman said of Williams' provo. "They are a surprise to the athlete, but not a surprise to the coaches. Just looking at them, and knowing they can do it, and then they do it."
• "It feels amazing. I've been working so hard," Williams said. "I'm right on track. Knowing how hard he (Logan) fought for us as a team, and to come out and do this for him, is amazing."
• Said Johnson, "Obviously, a lot of adversity coming into this. When we finally got the go-ahead today, we were ready to go. It meant a lot to not only bring home a win in our inaugural meet, but that we're doing it, knowing that Jud is watching over us. We're bringing back a tremendous amount of the championship team from last year."
• Added Miller, "There was a lot of energy and emotion leading up to this meet. This facility was Jud's dream. We've been fighting as a women's team. It feels like we've been right there. We've seen how special it's (nationals) been for the boys, and we want to experience that, too, as a women's team. We want everything he dreamed of, and more."
• FIRST PLACE – Davis in the women's 200 dash (25.22 seconds).
• SECOND PLACE – Davis in the women's 400 dash (56.77 seconds), senior Nate Stout in the men's shot put (17.35 meters/56-feet-11¼), senior Carrol Pauley in the women's weight throw (18.73 meters/61-feet-5), freshman Sydney Koker in the women's high jump (1.70 meters/5-feet-7), and the women's distance medley relay team of senior Cassandra Ponzi, Miller, sophomore McKenna Woodruff and senior Abby Moser (12:14.37). The women's DMR time is fourth-best in program history.
• THIRD PLACE – Gardner in the 400 dash (57.07 seconds), junior Nick Ponzi in the men's 800 run (1:53.28), senior Aaron Banks in the men's 200 dash (21.76 seconds), and the women's 4x400 relay team of freshman Abby Below, sophomore Peyton Perini, freshman Madison Stacey and junior Macy Creamer (4:04.09).
• At the Akron Invitational on Saturday, there were two more AU provos – senior Travis Moore in the men's heptathlon (5,410 points) and sophomore Emma Liberatore in the women's pentathlon (3,474 points).

 
UP NEXT
Ashland's men and women will split up on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 11-12) and go to both the Grand Valley State Big Meet and to Kent State.