Utah Valley school records fall at Bronco Invitational

Bronco Invitational results

BOISE — Allah Laryea-Akrong set a new school record in the 60 meters for Utah Valley University with a time of 6.84 seconds, and Megan Burr, the reigning Great West Conference Female Runner of the Week, notched a school record in the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.80 Saturday at the Bronco Invitational.

Their performances, along with several first-place finishes by distance runners and one in field events, highlighted Utah Valley's third indoor track meet of the season.

Laryea-Akrong whittled two-hundredths of a second off his previous school record, and UVU track coach Scott Houle said doing that is like a basketball team beating its opponent by 15 or 20 points.

"Allah did a great job," Houle said. "He went up against some great competition."

Laryea-Akrong held off runners from Boise State and Stanford in setting the new mark. In addition to winning the 60m, he also won the 200 meters (21.44).

Last week at the Snake River Invitational in Pocatello, Laryea-Akrong won the 60m (6.79) and the 200m (21.93).

Cliff Nelson led the distance runners with a pair of first-place finishes in the mile (4:14.54) and 3,000m (8:42.83).

For the second straight week, Tim Rowberry, the reigning Great West Conference Male Runner of the Week, won the 800m (1:51.62).

In the 3,000m, the Wolverines took the top five places: Trevor Baker (2nd, 8:46.61); Mike Felix (3rd, 8:49.59); Spencer Evensen (4th, 9:04.52), and Spencer Foster (5th, 9:04.78).

Aleina Eisenhauer-Winger won the mile (5:02.25) and finished fourth in the 800m (2.17.99).

In the women's 3,000m, the Wolverines took six of the top eight places led by Shelise Walker, who finished with a time of 10:23.29. Following Walker were Angela Baker (3rd, 10:29.22); Ally Deeter (5th, 10:33.00); Stephanie Christensen (sixth, 10:37.63); Brooke Hodson (7th, 10:47.59) and Jessica Wilding (8th, 10:52.81).

"It's been nice the last little while to see the distance kids be so consistent," Houle said. "They are setting goals and hitting them and then they're feeling confident for the next week."

In field events, Michael McPherson won the long jump with a distance of 22 feet, 11 inches.

Other notable performances were: Chris Dorton (4th, mile, 4:17.50); women's 4 x 400 relay, Zandrea Nelson, Megan Burr, Lexie Esplin, Sally Hansen (3rd, 33:56.14); Makira Kuan-Rackham (4th, high jump, 5-1); Nicholas Taylor (2nd, 200m, 22.02); Skylar Burningham (5th, 200m, 22.15); Burningham (5th, 400m, 49.39); men's 4 x 400m, Marc Weaver, Jacob Brydson, Rowberry, Burningham (2nd, 3:18.36); Rusty Jones (3rd, high jump, 6-4¼) and (5th, long jump, 21-06¼); Matt Williams (3rd, pole vault, 15-1).

The Wolverines are back in action Jan. 26-28 at the Air Force Academy.