SEATTLE – Grant Fisher was clocked in 3:56 to anchor Stanford's distance medley relay team to victory at the UW Invitational indoor track and field meet on Friday at Dempsey Indoor.
Fisher was patient in shadowing Washington's Mick Stanovsek for much of his 1,600-meter leg, before powering into the lead and extending it over the final two laps on the 307-meter track. Fisher crossed the finish line nearly eight seconds ahead of the runner-up Huskies.
The team of Isaac Cortes, Julian Body, Hari Sathyamurthy and Fisher (in his season debut) ran 9:29.35, to jump into the Stanford top-10 list at No. 9. It also was the second-fastest DMR in the nation this year, trailing only Indiana.
Two victories highlighted the women's events for the Cardinal. Rachel Reichenbach cleared 5-8 ½ (1.74m) to win the high jump and Ashlan Best won the 200 in a photo finish.
Reichenbach was among four to clear the winning height. She entered at 5-4 ½ (1.64m), cleared her first two heights without a miss and topped 5-8 ½ on her second try.
Best, a sophomore, ran 24.47 to win power ahead of Cal's Zion Corrales-Nelson, a close second in 24.49.
In the 60 hurdles, freshman Allie Jones nudged herself into elite territory with her 8.72 fifth-place time. Jones becomes the No. 3 freshman in Stanford history, trailing only world champion Kori Carter and Carter's teammate Katie Nelms. Jones also becomes the No. 9 performer in school history.
In the men's 200, Isaiah Brandt-Sims (21.67), Gabriel Navarro (21.77), and freshman Andrew Franco (22.06) swept the top three places in the final heat, which usually determines the overall winner. But Brandt-Sims, competing in his home state, placed second overall by 0.01.
Redshirt freshman Samantha Seaton made her pentathlon debut and scored 3,347 points in the five-event single-day competition. Her total places her No. 9 all-time at Stanford.
The two-day meet continues Saturday with Fisher, a redshirt junior in indoor eligibility, scheduled to run his first collegiate mile. Fisher, the 2017 NCAA outdoor 5,000 champion, remains among only 10 to break 4 minutes in the mile while in high school. The men's mile is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. on Saturday.
It was a memorable day for Stanford. A charter bus transporting members of the team on northbound I-5 in downtown Seattle experienced a flat tire and caught fire. All members of the travel party, which included head coach Chris Miltenberg and approximately 30 student-athletes, evacuated the bus safely. Most personal belongings and equipment were recovered, but the condition of those items was not immediately known. After a two-hour wait, the team was transported safely to the University of Washington campus by a city bus.
* * *
UW Invitational
At Dempsey Indoor
(307-meter track)
Winners and all Stanford competitors
Men
200 – 1, Paramveer Chohan (Cal) 21.66; 2, Isaiah Brandt-Sims (Stanford) 21.67; 4, Gabriel Navarro (Stanford) 21.77; 6, Andrew Franco (Stanford) 22.06.
Distance medley relay – 1, Stanford (Isaac Cortes, Julian Body, Hari Sathyamurthy, Grant Fisher) 9:29.35 (No. 9 Stanford AT).
High jump – 1, Leaugen Fray-Benoit (Utah State) 6-9 ¾ (2.08m); 9, Trevor Rex (Stanford) 6-4 (1.93m); 16, Harrison Williams (Stanford) 6-4 (1.93m).
Women
200 – 1, Ashlan Best (Stanford) 24.47; 7, Kennedy Gamble (Stanford) 24.97.
60 hurdles – Finals: 1, Tawnie Moore (unattached) 8.35; 5, Allie Jones (Stanford) 8.72 (PB, No. 9 Stanford AT, No. 3 frosh AT). Prelims: 7, Allie Jones (Stanford) 8.84; 32, Giana Gayles (Stanford) 9.62.
Distance medley relay – 1, Oklahoma State 10:55.93; 5, Stanford (Ella Donaghu, Missy Mongiovi, Carolyn Wilson, Jessica Lawson) 11:04.47.
High jump – 1, Rachel Reichenbach (Stanford) 5-8 ½ (1.74m); Giana Gayles (Stanford) NH; Allie Jones (Stanford) NH.
Weight throw – 1, MacKenna Howard (UNLV) 59-0 ¼ (17.99m); 13, Jordan Fong (Stanford) 53-0 ¾ (16.17m).
Pentathlon – 1, Hope Bender (UCSB) 4,220; 18, Samantha Seaton (Stanford) 3,347 (PB, No. 9 Stanford AT).
Samantha Seaton (event, place, mark, points): 60H – 24, 9.58, 792; HJ – 18, 5-1 (1.55m), 678; SP – 17, 32-11 ¼ (10.04m), 532; LJ – 12, 17-5 ½ (5.32m), 648; 800 – 15, 2:29.69, 697. Total – 3,347.
PB = personal best.
AT = All-time
