Warriors start season with record-breaking performances

TOPEKA, Kan. – Sterling College indoor track and field got off to a record-breaking start at the Washburn Alumni Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 6 with Charles Jones breaking the indoor long jump and triple jump record and Blake Roberston breaking his own indoor records in the shot put and the weight throw.

Jones started the meet with a sixth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 7.01m (23-00), breaking Trey Dixon's record set last year at the 2025 Washburn Rust Buster (6.92m).

He continued to have success in the triple jump, placing third with a mark of 14.63 (48-00) breaking his previous school record of 14.41m set last year at the KCAC Championships. The mark also puts him tied for the farthest jump in the NAIA this year and qualifies him for the NAIA with a B standard mark.

Jones also competed in the men's invitational section of the high jump where he cleared 1.94m (6-04.25) to place 13th.

Also competing in the jumps was Tod Mastin. Mastin finished 36th in the long jump with a mark of 5.63m (18-05.75).

Blake Roberston also had an impressive performance in the season opener breaking his own school records in the shot put and weight throw to place third in each event. In the shot put, Roberston had a mark of 15.51m (50-10.75) breaking his previous record of 13.95m. He also had a big improvement in the weight throw with a heave of 17.70m (58-01) improving upon his previous record of 16.28m. Robertson's mark puts him in the top five on the NAIA this season and is a NAIA B standard qualifying mark.

Freshman teammate Keaton Miller made his Warrior debut in the throws at the meet. He finished 22nd in the weight throw with a mark of 11.64m (38-02.25) and finished 14th in the shot put with a throw of 13.36m (43-10).

Malachi Bell and Brayden Kermode also competed in the shot-put finishing 13th and 29th with marks of 13.39m (43-11.25) and 10.60m (34-09.5), respectively.

Sterling also had a solid start on the track in the distance races. Daryen Jefferson represented the Warriors in the 1000m run, finishing in 16th with a time of 2:48.93. He also competed in the 1 Mile where he finished 19th with a time 4:43.21.

Also competing in the 1 Mile, and making their indoor debut, were freshmen Camryn Gantt and Jacob Tonne. Gantt ran a time of 4:42.74 to place 18th while Tonne finished 33rd with a time of 4:53.68.

Gantt also competed in the 5000m run with teammate Jace Gaston, the duo placed 15th and 17th with times of 17:16.97 and 17:48.58, respectively.

For the women, Briana Croisant was the loan Lady Warrior with a mark in her indoor debut. She finished 29th in the shot put with a mark of 9.72m (31-10.75) and finished 38th in the weight throw with a heave of 9.70m (31-10).

The Warriors will be back in action on Saturday, Dec. 13 in Seward, Neb. at the Bulldog Early Bird Invite hosted by Concordia University.

Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.