After four years of coaching at Friends University, Coach Winston Kenton said this year's track team has the flavor he wants.

Since Kenton took over in 2004 as head track and field coach, 23 school records have been broken - seven this season alone.

"If we break school records, we're doing something right," Kenton said.

On the women's side, junior Kendra Chambers broke her own school records in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters twice this season.

Freshman Zach Baldridge holds the record in the 10 kilometer. As a transfer junior, Keymo Pearson leaped into the lead in the high jump and triple jump.

Freshman international student Denise Mokaya now holds Friends’ record in the 800 meter and 1,500 meter. Mokaya has won all but one race this season; he placed third at Wichita State University's KT Woodman meet.

Kenton said it was the best competition Mokaya had faced so far. He was right on the heels of Missouri Valley champion Girts Aziz and the winner from Cloud County Community College. His third place finish in the 800 with a time of 1:50.3 will give him the chance to run that race at Nationals, Kenton said.

"The sky is the limit for him," Kenton said.

Seeing gold again

Some other individual performances at KT Woodman April 15 included second place finishes by senior Heather Harris and junior Ebony Phillips in the discus and long jump. Sophomore Derek Cargile placed second in the javelin throw, topped by a gold finish for senior Omar Humphrey in the hammer throw.

Humphrey also placed first in the discus and hammer throw at Tabor College on April 18. Cargile repeated a second place finish in the javelin. Sophomore Rachel Strickland took home gold in the women's javelin throw.

There's no place like home

The Falcons will compete on their home track this Saturday, April 28, with field events starting at 10 a.m. followed by running events at 11 a.m.

"If anyone hasn't seen a world-class 800 runner, I think they should be here," Kenton said.

Kenton also expects the women's 4-by-400 relay to "hopefully come very close to establishing a school record on the 28th," he said.

But that isn't the only reason to come.

"If we can fill the stands, I think we can please the crowd," Kenton said.

Taking the final laps

The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships will take place May 4 at Bethel College, followed by the Bethany Last Chance Meet on May 10.

For some of the team members, the conference meet will be their last of the season.

But at least four athletes will compete at the NAIA Nationals this year on May 23 in Fresno, Calif. Mokaya will compete in the 800 and 1,500 meter races. Mokaya significantly lowered his 1,500 meter time from 4:05 to 3:53, Kenton said. The other three athletes are throwers: senior Heather Harris is qualified in the discus and shot put, Humphrey will compete in the hammer throw, and Derek Cargile is qualified in the javelin.

Many of the points will also come from throwers at conference including Harris, Humphrey and the men’s and women’s javelin throwers, Kenton said.

Scott Jones, who coaches jumps and sprints, expects the women to sweep first, second and third in the long jump; first and second in the triple jump; first in the long jump and first in the pole vault. He expects the women’s 4-by-100 relay to place in the top three and to turn in solid performances in the 100 and 200 meter races.

Kenton said the team has a secret weapon in senior Beth Rutherford as a 400 meter runner as well as a pole vaulter. Rutherford has been the conference champion in the pole vault for the past two years.

On the men’s side, Jones said the men should do well in the relays, and three 400-meter runners should place in the top six.

Kenton said the team is in as good of shape as it has ever been in jumps on the men’s side with three jumpers competing in the long jump: Pearson, junior Ryan Waterson and freshman Ryan Peak. Kenton describes Pearson as a “serious threat” in the high jump, and sophomore sprinter Cole Hancock also competes in the high jump.

Kenton thinks Phillips on the women's side and Pearson on the men's side are the most likely to qualify for Nationals before the season ends.

"We could be transporting a lot of folks to California," Kenton said.

Kenton credits the team’s success this season to the group of dedicated men who bring out the best in these athletes, he said. Those coaches include Scott Jones, jumps and sprints; Lucas Schroeder, throws; Reggie Malvo, hurdles; and Travis Ford, pole vault.