'Berg is Runner-Up at OAC Championships
The Heidelberg University men's track and field team, under the guidance of first-year head coach Keith Roberts Jr. took home runner-up honors at the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships hosted by Wilmington College.
Ohio Northern University won the team title with 172 points, followed by Heidelberg with 130 points. Baldwin-Wallace College was third (122.50) followed by Mount Union College (102) and host Wilmington (64).
Heidelberg combined to bring home five championships and nine individual All-OAC honors, along with three relay all-league performances.
Taking home top honors was Julius Higginbotham (Elryia, Ohio / Elyria) in the long jump (22'9"), Joe Yoder (West Liberty, Ohio / West Liberty Salem) in the 400-meter hurdles (53.44), Wes Hendricks (Beavercreek, Ohio / Beavercreek) in the 400-meter dash (48.35) and Jordan Karnes (Edgerton, Ohio / Edgerton) in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Hendicks took the top spot in the 400 for the second straight year and provisionally quaified for nationals en route. Yoder also provisionally qualifed for the main event in May.
Rounding out the champions was the 4x400-meter relay team of Seth Robertson (Burton, Ohio / Newbury), Mark Childs (New Albany, Ohio / New Albany), Terrence Horton (Pickerington, Ohio / Pickerington) and Hendricks. The group crossed the finish line in 3:16.92.
Joining the NCAA provisional list and taking home runner-up honors and all-conference recognition was the 4x100-meter relay team of Higginbotham, Paris Hilliard (Lorain, Ohio / Admiral King), Brett Meadows (Marysville, Ohio / Bellfontaine) and Hendricks. The team finished in 41.86. Also taking home second and subsequent all-conference honors was Jake Lemon (Oak Harbor, Ohio / Oak Harbor) in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He finished in 9:49.58.
Rouding out the All-OAC honors with a third place finish was Robertson in the 400-meter dash (49.34), Devin Butcher (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green) in the 10,000-meter run (33:25.43), Yoder in the high jump (6'3.5"), Childs in the 800-meter run (1:55.06) and the 4x800-meter relay team (7:46.97). The relay consisted of Horton, Shondell Thomas (Westerville, Ohio / Central), Eric Holbrook (Circleville, Ohio / Logan Elm) and Childs.