SPEARFISH, S.D. – It was a good day for Chadron State College's female throwers at the Myrle Hanson Open Indoor Track and Field Meet at Black Hills State in Spearfish on Saturday.

Sophomore Shelby Ekwall won the shot put for the fifth time this season and her heave of 45-3 ¾ was more than a foot farther than her previous best.  

Two more Eagles also had season-best marks in the shot. They are Ashlyn Tapio, who placed second with a throw of 44-0 ¼, and freshman Kristi Jordan, who was a close third at 43-10. Both marks are season bests by more than two feet.

Improvements also occurred in the women's weight throw. Sydney Alles added about 10 inches to her previous best by hitting 50-4 ¾ and Tapio's mark of 48-6 was her longest by six inches. They placed second and fourth in the event.

Besides Ekwall in the shot, the Eagles had three more event winners.  Wongel Molla won the 60 meter dash in 8.02 seconds, Paige Kirkmeier was first in the 400 in 1:01.15 and Kevin Day won the men's 200 dash in 23.04.

The meet provided an opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Championships that will be Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28 at Western State at Gunnison, Colo.

CSC Coach Jake Gruver chose to not enter most of his sprinters and jumpers who appear to have qualified by having marks that are among the top 18 in their events, but commended the Eagles who did compete Saturday for their efforts.

The list of qualifiers is expected to be released Monday afternoon.  

CSC's top six placers in the Myrle Hanson meet follow: 
Men's Events
                60 dash—4, Kevin Day, 7.08; 6, Sutton Pohlman, 7.15.
                200—1, Kevin Day, 23.04; 3, Emmanuel Wani, 23.35; 5, Kaden Perez, 23.37; 6, Hunter Lund, 23.47.
                400—3, Hunter Lund, 51.89; 4, Kaden Perez, 51.92.
                Mile—5, Blaine Johnson, 4:32.84.
                60 hurdles—3, Kelby Stayley, 9.92.
                Shot put—2, Casey Miller, 48-8 ¾; 4, Quade Jordan, 47-5 ¼; 6, Caleb Christiansen, 45-0 ¼. 
                Weight throw—4, Caleb Christiansen, 50-10 ¾; 5, Quade Jordan, 50-10.
                Triple jump—3, Malachi Swallow, 43-3 ½. 
                Pole vault—6, Ethan Norris, 13-11 ¾. 
Women's Events
                60 dash—1, Wongel Molla, 8.02; 3, Laynie Goertz, 8.22; 4, Hannah Rathmann, 8.28; 6, Mataya Ward, 8.52.
                200—5, Paige Kehmeier, 27.16; 6, Laynie Goertz, 27,18.
                400—1, Paige Kehrmeier, 1:01.15; 3, Jayda Rahmig, 1:04.63.
                800—6, Zelma Rudd, 2:30.45.
                Mile—4, Lydia Peters, 5:30.14; 5, Kyndall Carnahan, 5:30.70.
                60 hurdles—6, Shelbi Hazlett, 10.80.
                Shot put—1, Shelby Ekwall, 45-3 ¾; 2, Ashlyn Tapio, 44-0 ¼; 3, Kristie Jordan, 43-10; 6, Kailey Fobare, 37-7 ¾.
                Weight throw—2, Sydney Alles, 50-4 ¾; 4, Ashlyn Tapio, 48-6; 5, Selby Ekwall, 43-10 ¾; 6, Kristie Jordan, 42-3 ½.
                High jump—4-5 tie, Kailey Klein and Cordealia Williams, 4-9 
                Pole vault—3, Madison Clause, 10-6; 5, Cassie Wulff, 9-0 ¼.

Eagles Can't Overcome First Half

ALAMOSA, Colo. – Blessing Adesipe nearly doubled a season-high with 30 points and Chadron State cut a 24-point second-half deficit down to eight, but Adams State defeated the Eagle men's basketball team 93-83 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's basketball game played on Saturday night.

The win improved the Grizzlies' RMAC record to 11-7 and clinched a berth in the conference playoffs that will begin in early March. Each RMAC team has just two more conference games to play this weekend. Chadron State is now 6-20 overall and 4-14 in the RMAC.

Adams State led all the way and outscored Chadron State 16-5 in the last six minutes of the first half to take 42-26 halftime lead, but as has been the trend the last two weeks, the Eagles rallied and played much better in the second half. In the last four games, they have now averaged 27.2 points in the first half and 48.7 in the second.

Saturday night's stats vividly illustrate the pattern. The Eagles were just 11 of 33 from the field, made only one of 10 three-point shots and missed five of their eight free throws int the first half. In the second half, they were 18-of-44 (41%) from the field, nailed 8 of 15 shots from behind the arc and made all 13 of their free throws. 

Adesipe, a 6-foot-6 graduate student, was the Eagles' pacesetter, pouring in a season high 30 points (well over hiis previous high of 16). Adesipe made 9 of 13 field goals, including 3 of 5 on treys, and sank all nine of his free throws. He also was the game's leading rebounder with nine.

Adesipe becomes the second CSC player to score 30 in a game this season alongside Mack Keighran, who scored 30 the last time that CSC played Adams State on January 15.

Keighran scored 15 points on Saturday while fellow junior guard Jadon Cool scored 13 points. Junior forward Collin Nick, who came into the game averaging just 2.1 points per game, chipped in 12.

In addition, Brady Daniels, a freshman from Chadron who is redshirting this season, played for the first time and hit a three-pointer on his only shot. Freshmen are allowed to play a few games without using a year of eligibility. 

Unfortunately, leading scorer Isaiah Randolph did not make the scoring column while going 0 of 8 from the field and 0-2 at the line.

The Grizzlies shot 34-64 (53%) from the field and were 10 of 27 (37%) from long range. They had five players score in double figures. Jarmell Johnson led with 17 points, Luke Williams had 16, Dillan Baker and Jayce King both 15 and Wyatt Helming 12. All are seniors except King, who is a freshman. 

The Eagles close the year with two home games next week, facing Western Colorado on Thursday and Westminster on Saturday.

Chadron State—Blessing Adesipe 30, Mack Keighran 15, Jadon Cool 13, Collin Nick 12, Luka Djorovic 6, Brady Daniels 3, Zach Smith 2, Jovan Jovanovic 2. Totals: 29-77 FG, (9-25 3PT), 16-21 FT 83 points, 37 rebounds, 22 assists, 13 turnovers.

Adams State—Jarmell Johnson 17, Luke Williams 16, Dillan Baker 15, Jayce King 15, Wyatt Helming 12, Emilek Jallow 6, Jaylen Alexander 4, Tajuan Jamestown 4, Ivan Dorn Jr, 3, Jerrick Guidry 2. Totals: 34-64 FG, (10-27 3PT) 15-21 FT, 93 points, 39 rebounds, 21 assists, 19 turnovers.

Petersen Scores 18 in Loss to Grizzlies

ALAMOSA, Colo.  — Chadron State led by a point after the first quarter, but Adams State took back the momentum after that, defeating the Eagles 78-52 in Alamosa this Saturday.  

McKenzi Petersen was the game's leading scorer with 18 points, just two off her season-high of 20 against Adams State last month. Kenna Wagner followed with 10 points, including two three-pointers, and five assists while Ella Moser had nine points. 

While the first quarter was close, the Eagles led for most of it with their biggest lead being by six points. McKenzi Petersen scored 10 of her 18 and half of CSC 20 points in the first quarter for the Eagles. Ella Moser and Dreanna Jackson helped out by each hitting a three-pointer in the first four minutes. 

The Eagles led 20-19 going into the second, but Adams State came out ready for the second quarter, taking a six-point lead in the first three minutes and outscoring the Eagles 29-11. Once the Grizzlies gained this momentum leading into half, they continued to outscore the Eagles through the third and fourth quarters.  

The Grizzlies outscored CSC shooting 41.4% from the field, 25.8% from the three-point range and 75% from the free throw line, while the Eagles shot 36.2% from the field, 21.7% from the three-point range and 62.5% from the free throw line.  

ASU moves up to 20-8 overall and 14-4 in conference. Chadron State is now 1-22 overall and 1-17 in conference as they prepare for their last week of the season. They will play Thursday at 5 p.m. against Western Colorado and Saturday at 1 p.m. against Westminster, both at home in the Chicoine Center.  

Chadron State— McKenzi Peterson 18, Kenna Wagner 10, Ella Moser 9, Audrey Quintana 5, Amya Winfrey 4, Dreanna Jackson 3, Sophia Nguyen 3. Totals: 21-58 FG (5-23 3PT) 5-8 FT. 52 points, 43 rebounds, 13 assists, 24 turnovers. 

Adams State— Kiiyani Anitielu 16, Ashiian Hunter 14, Mia Ervin 13, Jada Price 9, Taejhuan Hill 7, Jaden Ferris 6, Brooklyn Long 4, Nakya Blakley 4. Totals: 29-70 FG (8-31 3PT) 12-16 FT. 78 points, 38rebounds, 10 assists, 6 turnovers. 

Trujillo Walks It Off in Split with Pueblo

PUEBLO, Colo. – Chadron State softball rebounded from a game one loss to walk off the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves 6-5 in the second game of the doubleheader, earning a split on the first RMAC gameday of the season and the first win of 2025-26 for CSC.

While Pueblo won the opener 8-0 in five innings, the Eagles rallied from 5-2 down after four-and-a-half to win the second game in walk-off fashion. In that game, true freshman Brynn Trujillo earned the win in relief by pitching 2.2 shutout innings with one hit and five strikeouts, then swatted a walk-off single to left field to set off celebrations from the Eagle bench. 

The Eagles were able to earn a walk-off win in Pueblo's ballpark because they were still playing as the designated home team in games that were originally scheduled to be in Chadron this weekend but were moved due to snow. 

Pueblo pitcher McKenna James kept the Eagle lineup in check in game one, holding CSC to just one hit and seven strikeouts across five innings, but the Eagles mounted the winning run off James in relief in the next game.

In game two, CSU Pueblo took three leads only for the Eagles to answer each time. The ThunderWolves hit a solo home run on the second batter of the game against starter McKenna Sides, but CSC responded in the bottom of the first with a leadoff double from Charley Pitrat, who scored on a one-out single by Payton Sullivan.

A sacrifice fly gave Pueblo a 2-1 lead after three innings, but Tiffani Mein answered with one out in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a solo home run to deep center field, her first homer and third RBI off the season. Pueblo appeared to make a move by going up 5-2 on a three-run homer in the fifth inning, chasing Sides before Trujillo came out of the bullpen to record the final two outs. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles placed two runners on with one out via a walk, a fielder's choice and an error. Elizabeth Thorngren laid down a bunt, but a throwing error on the pitcher allowed one run to score before a wild pitch to the next batter brought a second run home. 

Mein came through again for her second RBI, tying the score with a ground ball up the middle for a base hit, scoring Thorngren from second and creating another new ballgame at 5-5. 

After Pueblo got out of the inning, they turned to their ace, James, in relief, and she struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth. Trujillo matched zeroes and punchouts, however, punching out two Pueblo batters apiece in the sixth and seventh inning, striking out three of the four looking. 

In the bottom of the seventh, errors bit the ThunderWolves again. James tallied her fourth consecutive strikeout to open the frame, but Payton Sullivan on a fielding error from the CSUP shortstop before Thorngren went to the well again, laying down a bunt that James threw up the right field line to put runners on the corners. 

That brought up Trujillo, who took a first-pitch strike before hitting a bullet through the left side that one-hopped into the left fielder's glove, scoring Sullivan easily from third base. The win snaps a 10-game season-opening losing streak and is the first NCAA head coaching win for Skye Koehl.