Mesa sends 18 to NJCAA Indoor nationals

  Mesa, AZ – Led by top-seeded Kasey Burlingham and Calla Reed, the Mesa track and field teams will begin competition in the NJCAA Division I Track and Field Championships Friday in Pittsburg, Kan.

  A total of 18 MCC athletes will perform at the two-day event, with pole vaulters Burlingham and Reed sitting at the top of the list in their events.

  Burlingham has leapt 16-10 3/4 , more than a foot higher than his closest competitor. He will lead a trio of vaulters in what is regularly Mesa's signature event. Riley Korcuska is seeded eighth at 14-11 and Eric Cochran seeded 14^th at 14-3 ¼.

  Other high-seeded men include Xavier Johnson third in the heptathlon, Zach Harrach sixth in the 1,000 meters and Cameron Lewis ninth in the weight throw.

  Two men will compete in a pair of events each: Adrian King in the long and triple jumps and Zach Harrach in the mile and 1,000 meters.

  Reed also leads three pole vaulters on the women's side with her 12-5 ½. Also entered for Mesa are fifth-seeded Ally Keil and 11^th-seeded Angel Justice.

  In addition, Allyson Girard will compete in three events, the mile, where she is listed second at 5:04.85, the 5,000 meters, third at 10:16.94 and the 3,000 meters, 18^th at 10:49.76. Samantha Miller is entered in two events, the mile at 3,000 and Onnika Scott will compete in both the shot put and weight throw.