VIKS SILENCE AND SWEEP SOUTHERN UTAH

The Viks divided and conquered last weekend, heading to the Mt. SAC Relays and Bryan Clay Invitational in California, as well as the Lewis and Clark Invite on Saturday.

Mt. SAC Relays

Women's results: 10,000m (Collegiate): 32. Maya Irving, 36:11.49

3,000m Steeplechase (Collegiate): 31. Tatum Miller, 10:43.43 68. Jalen Marcil, 11:48.35 Men's results: 10,000m (Collegiate): 37. Dom Morganti, 31:29.75

3,000m Steeplechase (Collegiate): Evan Peters, 9:25.46.

Bryan Clay Invitational

Women's results: 5,000m (Open B): 14. Sammy Burke, 17:45.96

5,000m (Open A Section 3): 23. Abi Swain, 18:05.13

Men's results: 800m: 60. Chase Lovercheck, 1:51.40 T-108. James Bottrill, 1:53.46 5,000m (Open B): 27. Zach Grams, 14:45.46 62. Abdi Ibrahim, 14:57.81

5,000m (Open A Section 3): 14. Keynan Abdi, 14:12.71.

Lewis and Clark Invite

Women's results: 1,500m: 14. Emma Owen, 4:57.78 18. Sophie Jones, 5:03.10 22. Campbell Faust, 5:08.50 32. Abby Donde, 5:22.30

5,000m: 3. Sophia Hackett, 19:26.07 9. Dyllan Newville, 21:05.43 Madison Tafoya, DNF

Men's results: 800m: 12. Zach Salcido, 2:00.06 1,500m: 20. Rashid Muse, 4:07.57 22. Brandon Hippe, 4:08.53 28. Jake Schulte, 4:11.55 37. Andy Solano, 4:17.57 39. Kelly Shedd, 4:21.02 43. Erik Solano, 4:24.48 52. Aiden Carlson, 4:38.07 110H: 2. Jordan Gloden, 15.41 6. Harley Montgomery, 17.58

400H: 2. Jordan Gloden, 57.00

Long Jump: 4. Jordan Gloden, 20-09.25 (6.33m) 11. Harley Montgomery, 18-01.00 (5.51m)

ABOVE: JACINTA MILENKOSKI IN ACTION ON THE TENNIS COURT. OPPOSITE, FROM TOP: JAKE SCHULTE RACING IN THE 1,500M. HARLEY MONTGOMERY JUMPING IN THE 110M HURDLES. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD

VIKS SILENCE AND SWEEP SOUTHERN UTAH

ERIC SHELBY

Softball

The Viks swept the Southern Utah Thunderbirds last weekend—and advanced to 10 games above .500, at 24-14. The Viks are currently in second place behind Weber State, which has a perfect 9-0 in conference, while the Viks are 8-4.

It was all Viks in the first game with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Logan Riggenbach got two RBIs which brought in Emily Johansen and Olivia Dean. Johansen stole second base in the second inning, and Dean stole third and scored on an error by the Thunderbirds. Riggenbach got a double and another RBI—and brought Johansen home again in the second inning.

The following inning saw six runs when it started with a single to shortstop by Dean, then Kiara McCrea advanced to second. Next, Alexa Cepeda advanced to third which gave Mariah Rodriguez the opportunity to get home. A single by Johansen brought in another run and Cepeda scored—bases still loaded, 6-0 Vikings. Riggenbach once again stepped onto the plate and gave the Viks a 10-0 lead in the third inning with a home run, which brought everyone home. The Viks allowed one run from Southern Utah in the next inning. The game ended in five. Olivia Grey got her 14 wins with just five losses this season.

Still a runaway although a bit closer of a game, the Viks won the second game of the double header, 4-1. Johansen started the game off right in the first inning with a homer and brought in two RBIs. McCrea, in the fourth, also homered and brought in two RBIs. Only two hits were allowed from the Viks despite the two errors. Allicitie Frost got her seventh win on the season 7-4. Frost pitched all seven innings with only two hits and eight strikeouts.

The last game of the series was low-scoring—the Viks won 2-0. Grey shut out the Thunderbirds with only two hits and 10 strikeouts. In the second inning, McCrea singled and Paetynn Lopez scored. The score was 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning after a single by Riggenbach and Johansen scored on an error by Southern Utah.

The Viks then traveled to Eugene for a one-game match against the Oregon Ducks, before later hosting Warner Pacific. The season is also coming to an end, with only two conference series matchups with Idaho State and the first-place Weber State Wildcats.

Men’s Tennis

The Vikings faced the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in Flagstaff, Arizona for their last away match of the regular season. Nils Plutat and Oliver Richards fell in a close one, 7-5. Sam De Vries and Tommy Hsu fell 6-0 in doubles. Plutat fell 6-3, 6-2 in his singles match. Richards also fell 6-1, 6-2. Otto Holtari fell 6-1, 6-3. Hsu fell 6-1, 6-0. The Viks fell 7-0 to the third-place Lumberjacks, and headed home for their final game of the regular season for senior day—playing the Idaho Vandals. The Viks are currently 3-13 this season, 1-9 away and 3-3 at home.

Women’s Tennis

The Viks also traveled to Flagstaff to play the Lumberjacks and could not get the win in their final game of their regular season. Jacinta Milenkoski and Makoto Ohara fell 4-6 in doubles. Majo Hernandez and Emily Rees fell in a close 7-5 match in doubles. The match with Kika Beukers and Capu Sanoner ended unfinished. Hernandez fell in singles 6-4, 6-0. Rees won 6-2, 4-6, 10-5—to get a point on the board for the Vikings. Milenkoski fell 6-0, 6-3. Beukers fell 6-4, 6-2. Ohara, like Rees, won in three—3-6, 6-4, 10-7. The Viks ended their regular season 8-11, with 1-8 away and an impressive 6-3 at home in the Park Blocks.

New Recruits

The Park Block Vikings just signed three new men’s basketball players for the 2022-23 season. Bobby Harvey, a 6’3” guard from Chicago, Illinois, transferred out of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Cole Farrell, a 6’5” guard from St. Louis, Missouri also signed. The final pick was Kendall Munson, a 6’7” forward from Seattle, Washington, whose former school was Pepperdine of the West Coast Conference.

The Viks will lose a lot of key players next year, including Khalid Thomas, Michael Carter III, Ezekiel Alley and Ian Burke. The Viks will also lose Paris Dawson and Marlon Ruffin, who both entered the transfer portal.