Bohnsack balances highs and lows of indoor track season

Truman State freshman Lainie Bohnsack saved her best for last.

Despite a season that started with an individual championship in the high jump at the Augustana Indoor Open in Rockford, Ill., Bohnsack's indoor season was a struggle for consistency. Bohnsack, a Central High graduate, won the Augustana Open with a jump of 5 feet, 3 1/4 inches. Bohnsack's next first-place finish came at the Knox College Invitational Feb. 22 with a jump of 5 feet, 4 inches.

Between the Augustana Open in early January and the Knox College Invitational Bohnsack posted jumps from five feet to five feet, two inches. Even then, Bohnsack said she knew the big jump was still in her.

"I was kind of struggling at the beginning of the season," Bohnsack said. "Each week we were trying to fix a new little problem."

In track and field technique is just as important -- maybe more important -- than the physical side, and for Bohnsack, her form came into shape in time to post season-bests two weeks straight. Her second season-best jump earned the MIAA Indoor Championship high jump title.

Bohnsack's jump of 5 feet, 5 1/4 inches gave her an NCAA provisional mark but fell short of qualifying her for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track Tournament March 14 to 15 in Boston, Mass.

Even though she did not qualify for the national tournament, Bohnsack said she has enjoyed the challenge of college sports.

"It's exciting," she said. "I just really like the atmosphere. Meets are more important, and there's more work, but a lot of payoff."

And while Bohnsack admits her schedule is jam packed with classes, practices and meets, she said she wouldn't have it any other way.

"College sports pretty much consume your whole life," she said. "I love it. It's like the high school state meet every meet."

Already with a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) title under her belt, Bohnsack still has the outdoor season to go. She said her early success has her excited about the seasons to come.

"I was excited," Bohnsack said of her first season. "It's encouraging because I was thinking to myself I have three more years to go."

Noteworthy

At the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship Feb. 28 to March 1, several area athletes made marks for Southeast Missouri State University. Courtney Haman, a senior from Central High School, finished second in the high jump with a jump of five feet, 3 3/4 inches. Perryville graduates Jared Tanz and Shawn Statler also had strong performances. Tanz finished second in the 800 in 1:54.57, and Statler finished second in the long jump behind teammate Shelton Scott with a jump of 22 feet, 7 1/4 inches.

A trio of Perryville natives helped Westminster College of Fulton, Mo., split its season-opening doubleheader Feb. 22 against Missouri-Rolla. Joel Huering and Shaun Duvall, both Perryville High School graduates, combined to go 4-for-10 in the series. Duvall also chipped in a scoreless inning from the mound. Dusty Wengert, a St. Vincent graduate, went 2-for-7 in the series. Wengert had a run, 2 RBIs and a stolen base.

Ross Bennett, a Central graduate and senior first baseman for the Baylor Bears, was chosen the Big 12 player of the Week for games played Feb. 24 to March 2. Bennett went 11-for-14 for the Bears in four games. Bennett, All-Big 12 last season, scored five runs and had five RBIs in four starts. Bennett leads the Bears with a .533 average, second in the Big 12.

Ashley Millham, a freshman at Central Missouri State University and a Notre Dame graduate, scored a season-high 14 points in an 83-71 loss to Emporia State on Feb. 22. The Jennies finished 10-17.

Emily Johnson, a 2001 graduate of Advance, set the single-season solo blocks record this season for the St. Louis College of Pharmacy volleyball team. Johnson recorded 130 blocks for the Eutectics, surpassing the old mark of 117.

Johnson, a sophomore, is closing in on the all-time record of 295 solo blocks. Johnson has 213 in her two years with the Eutectics.