The Missouri Southern men’s track and field team will enter tonight’s MIAA Track and Field Championships with the absence of two key athletes.

The team will be without junior Corey Reynolds and senior Dustin Dixon.

“If Dustin gets well, we’ll have another card to play,” said Men’s Head Track and Field Coach Tom Rutledge. “If we get one back by the conference meet, we’ll be stronger and better.”

Reynolds is out due to an Achilles injury, while Dixon may be out due to a hip injury.

The team won two events last week at the MSSU Invitational.

Sophomore Chris Brown won the high jump with a height of six feet, six inches.

“Chris is starting to get there,” Rutledge said. “It takes time to get that confidence back in your leg, but he’s getting better every day. He’s a good competitor. He’ll do fine.”

Senior Phillip Horn and freshman David Selby finished fourth and sixth in the high jump, respectively.

The distance medley relay team of sophomores Aki Nummela, Kevin Wright, Jarrko Jarvenpaa and junior Derek Wright took the title with a time of 10:18.

“That was our first time to try to run with that group of guys,” Rutledge said. “We may change it up a little bit at the conference meet.”

In the mile run, sophomore Josh Mathis finished second with a time of 8:48. Mathis also finished second in the 3,000-meter run.

“Josh is very talented,” Rutledge said. “We’re trying him out in different events. He’ll be tough in conference and he’ll score points.”

Mathis is in his first semester at Southern, after transferring from Oklahoma State University.

“I recruited him strongly out of high school,” Rutledge said. “But, we got him in the end.”

Former soccer player Ben Pantzlaff finished 12th in the mile run. The junior ran the distance in a time of 4:50.

“He’s never ran track a day in his life,” Rutledge said. “He shows up everyday with a smile and works hard. He is a great asset to the program.”

Freshman Seth Hackney finished second in the shot put. Hackney’s throw was a distance of 53 feet, three and three quarter inches,Freshman Kyle Hancock finished third.

Senior Seager Wilson finished fourth in the pole vault, while junior Corey Shumate finished sixth. Shumate vaulted a height of 14 feet, 10 and a quarter inches.

Horn finished ninth.

“Our upperclassmen will do good at conference,” Rutledge said. “Hopefully, the freshmen will follow.”

The meet will be in Warrensburg at the University of Central Missouri.

“I wish we were another year older,” Rutledge said. “I have great kids and I am proud of them. They’re not going to quit.

“We’re going to do the best we possibly can and give everything we have. We’re going up there to win.”