JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Lawrence University track and field star Josh Janusiak ran to victory in the 5,000 meters Friday to pace the Vikings on the opening day of the Midwest Conference Championships at King Field House.
Janusiak, a sophomore from South Milwaukee, charged to the win in 15:18.88 and won by nearly 12 seconds over Grinnell College’s John Lennon, who was second in 15:30.34. Lawrence’s Ben Schaefer finished seventh in the event in 16:15.73.
It the first track conference track title for Janusiak, who won the league’s cross country crown last fall.
Lawrence got two other individual placements on the day as Wes Hetcher took seventh in the pole vault with a height of 12 feet, 6 inches, and Jackson Straughan took seventh in the shotput at 41-6.
The men’s 4×200 relay of Will Nichols, Noah Shea, Terrell Myers and Dan Sandacz took eighth in 1:34.43.
Hannah Kinzer grabbed all-conference honors in the women’s 5,000 as she raced to third place in 18:54.54. Cornell College’s Abrah Masterson won the event in a conference record time of 17:51.61.
Kate Kilgus placed in one event and was part of a place-winning relay team. Kilgus ran to seventh in the mile with a time of 5:23.44. Kilgus was joined by Janey Degnan, Fanita Robins and Mikaela Hintz on the sprint medley relay team that placed fourth in 4:33.40.
The Lawrence men are in seventh place with 17 points, and Monmouth College leads with 62. The Lawrence women are in seventh with 13 points, and St. Norbert College is first with 91.5.