DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Jake Shaver era in track & field began at Augustana this weekend, as the Vikings competed on the earliest date ever at St. Ambrose's Holiday Invitational. Seniors Mark VanderHeyden (Mercer County HS, Aledo, Ill.) and Michael Johnson (Owensboro HS, Owensboro, Ky.) led the way with respective wins in the pole vault and 60 meters, as Shaver's crew finished third in a field of five teams at the Roell Indoor Track.
 
VanderHeyden and classmate Patrick Crompton (Hood Rover HS, Hood River, Ore.) both cleared 12' 5½" in the pole vault, with VanderHeyeden earning first place on the basis of fewest misses.
 
Johnson, who shares the Augustana school record in the event, won the 60 in a time of :07.10. Sophomore Bradley Kohler (Woodstock North HS, Woodstock, Ill.) finished sixth in :07.35.
 
Seniors Cody Wheeler (Untied Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and Clayton Sommers (Saydel HS, Des Moines, Ill.), junior Josh Mathis (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) and freshman Ian Rothery (Wheaton North HS, Wheaton, Ill.) all recorded second-place finishes.
 
Wheeler posted a mark of 57' 10¼" in the weight throw, while Mathis placed fifth with a heave of 48' 7 ½".
 
Sommers ran a 1:24 at 600 meters.
 
Mathis put the shot 47' 2¼" and freshman Brenon Wilson (Alleman HS, Milan, Ill.) took fifth with a throw of 44' 2".
 
In the 200, Rothery finished in :23.48 and classmate Judd Anderson (Elmwood HS, Elmwood, Ill.) was sixth in :23.86.
 
Freshman Jack MacDonald (Batavia HS, Batavia, Ill.) went 21' 10¾" to place third in the long jump and Shaver's 4x400 unit also turned in a third-place effort, finishing in 3:36.06. The Viking quartet consisted of Kohler, Sommers and sophomores Andrew Mimlitz (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) and Peyton Couch (Ottawa HS, Marseilles, Ill.).
 
Mimlitz also placed sixth at 400 meters with a time of :54.40.
 
Augustana totaled 80 points for the weekend to finish behind the host Bees (173) and Grand View (121) and ahead of Mount Mercy (35) and Clarke (18).
 
The Vikings will be back at Roell on January 11 to compete at the Fighting Bee Opener.