The St. Clair County Community College Skippers track teams ended their seasons on a high note, with several athletes achieving personal records and one qualifying for a national championship at the Hillsdale College Tune-Up on April 25, according to a community announcement.
The women's team members all ran a personal or season record to close out the season, with Brynn Hurley qualifying for the NJCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.
Lillian Rutallie started the day for the Skippers by running the 1,500 meters. She placed fifth overall, finishing less than a second off her personal record with a time of 5:02.31.
Lauren Fowler set a personal record in the 400 meters, running 1:05.66 and taking just more than 3 seconds off her previous best. Fowler now ranks as the No. 2 Skipper on the Outdoor Track Top 10 record board.
Kate Bennett and Julia Rogers teamed up for the 800 meters, sustaining the record-breaking trend. Bennett posted a season record, running 2:27.96 and placing sixth overall. Rogers set a personal record with a time of 2:29.20, taking seventh place and shaving just more than 4 seconds off her previous best.
Hurley and Rutallie rounded out the team's performances as a duo in the 5,000 meters. The pair ran stride for stride, shattering the 19:31.97 school record. Hurley crossed the line in 19:02.84, while Rutallie finished in 19:19.17. Both times are personal records. Hurley's effort not only allows her to keep her title as the school record holder but also qualified her for the NJCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held May 14-16 in Hobbs, New Mexico.
The men's team also wrapped up its final meet of the season with a strong performance.
Sophomore sprinter Donte Fenderson set the tone early, making an immediate impact in the short sprints. He posted a season-best time of 11.08 in the 100 meters during prelims before elevating his performance in the finals with a lifetime best of 11.05. He later doubled back in the 200 meters, running 22.97.
The middle- and long-distance runners sustained the momentum with standout efforts. Luke Meyer turned in a season highlight in the 1,500 meters, finishing as the runner-up while clocking a personal record of 4:08.43. In the 800 meters, Korbyn Thornton secured a heat victory and a new career best of 2:00.45.
One of the most notable performances of the day came in the 5,000 meters, where Ryan Jakins delivered a breakthrough race. Jakins recorded a personal best of 16:41.71, earning a third-place overall finish.
In the 400 meters, Bryce Barkowska ran a steady race to finish in 54.06, while Isaiah Grimmett posted a time of 1:04.36 in the 400-meter hurdles.
The meet concluded with a strong team effort in the 4x400-meter relay. Jerry Westrick, Bryce Barkowska, Donte Fenderson and Wyatt Murtos combined for a time of 3:39.01.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Personal records fall as Skippers track teams close out the season