When Hastings College’s contingent arrived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, to compete at the May 25-27 NAIA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships, it numbered a competitive 17 athletes.
Only three were men. One happened to be Alex Wellington, who heaved the shot put a title-winning 18.06 meters (59-feet 3-inches).
Head coach Ryan Mahoney would like to see a few more Bronco men share the scoring load next summer with the standout thrower — who also finished sixth in the hammer throw with a personal-record 57.27m (187-11), earning All-American status a second time.
Mahoney announced a promising acquisition in May, when Bayfield’s Brian Mashak signed with the college. He will run and hope to play football for the NAIA school.
“We do recruit Colorado fairly extensively and follow results there throughout the season,” Mahoney said in an email to the Pine River Times, crediting sprint coach (and brother) Luke Mahoney as the Bayfield speedster’s main recruiter.
“We have recruited quite a few freshman sprints, jumps and hurdles guys to fill some depth issues we had last season,” he said. “We definitely see Brian as someone with a lot of potential and someone who can step in, in the 100 and 200, and develop into a solid contributor.”
Neither a 100- nor 200-meter runner represented the school at nationals.
Mashak was a four-year CHSAA Class 3A State Championships qualifier, whether in the shortest sprints, shortest two relays or any combination of the four, and tough enough to play key roles on BHS’ football and basketball squads while overcoming injuries.
Considering Mahoney’s comments about his aforementioned Hastings standouts, Wolverine football and track coach Gary Heide may have unknowingly anticipated Mahoney’s willingness to experiment with talent, saying of Mashak, “I think he would be a tremendous 400 runner because of his strength,” in a March 2016 Durango Herald feature.
“Some of those guys will focus more on the 100, 200; some more 200, 400; and some will help across the board,” Mahoney said of his incoming crop. “It will provide a nice competitive training group that can grow up together and push each other over the next three to four years.
“We definitely see Brian as someone with a lot of potential and someone who can step in, in the 100 and 200, and develop into a solid contributor.”
Hasting’s track and field roster this past season included some southwestern Colorado flavor as well in freshman high jumper Andrew Plunkett, a 2016 Mancos graduate.
“I’d like to have four guys running in the 10’s on our 4x100 relay outdoor next season, and I think Brian will be a candidate for that,” Mahoney said. “Brian has talent and has some good athleticism and we are excited to see him compete first with the other young guys we have coming in. And then, of course, against our competition wherever he has the best chance to succeed and help the team.”
Mashak was named Class 2A Wide Receiver of the Year in 2016 by www.cofridaynightlights.com. He also was named one of its Offensive/Defensive Players of the Year along with teammate Hunter Killough at the end of regular-season play.
In addition to being the hometown of iconic University of Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, Hastings is also the home of what was first called “Kool-Ade.” Today’s Kool-Aid will be commemorated Aug. 11-13 for the 90th birthday of inventor Edwin Perkins. The Hastings College library is named in his honor.
