SPEARFISH, S.D. --- The South Dakota School of Mines men's and women's indoor track and field teams were competitive Friday to open the 2018 season during the Myrle Hanson Memorial Invitational at the Donald E. Young Center in Spearfish, S.D.
As a team, the Hardrockermen scored 132 points to take second place, while the Lady Hardrockers notched 47 points to secure fifth.

SD Mines junior Jayla Jarnagin picked up where she left off last season as the Eaton, Colo., native took top honors during women's shot put registering a throw of 11.39 meters. She also took third place in the weight throw after a toss of 13.53.

The Hardrockers sprinters also made some noise Friday. In the men's 60-meter dash, senior Kevin Thompson, sophomore Korder Cropsey and freshman Jeremy Gonzales all made the finals. Thompson and Gonzales tied with the fastest time of 7.20 second in the prelims with Cropsey close behind with a 7.26.

In the finals, Thomson finished second clocking a 7.14, just a thousandth off the pace (BHSU's Tristan Hepp won with a 7.13). Cropsey crossed in third place posting a time of 7.21 and Gonzales settled for fourth place with a 7.23 time.

In the women's 60, freshman Erica Keeble grabbed second place in the finals after clocking a time of 8.22 and sophomore Alexia Hodgson was close behind in fourth place posting a time of 8.53.

Hardrocker freshman Andrew Ferris brought home an event title in the men's 800 run, taking top honors in a time of 2:00.02 and then posted a third place showing in the men's mile run after clocking a time of 4:31.62.

Other Hardrocker Highlights included: sophomore Kevin Ptak took second in the men's 400 dash (51.88); junior Jack Batho earned second place in the men's weight throw (17.08) and then secured third place in the men's shot put (14.93).
Next up the Hardrockers are back up in Spearfish as the team will take part in the BHSU Dave Little Invite Jan. 27.