Hard to imagine that the two-time defending NJCAA champion Chaparrals could have had a better day after Day 1 Thursday in Utica, N.Y.
 
After five events, in which COD earned two individual national champions and a relay title team, the Chaps own the lead with 46.5 points.

RC-Gloucester is second with 25.
 
The 4 x 800 relay team of Derek Erdman, Randy Almarales, Sebastian Esparza and Anthony Eddy won in 8 minutes, 5.63 seconds.
 
In the pole vault, freshman Jack Sauder won in undisputed fashion. He opened at 13 feet, 2 ½ inches and succeeded on his first attempt. No other competitor reached that distance and the title belonged to the Clarendon Hills native on just one effort.
 
He then moved up to 15-1 and hit the mark, then pushed up to 15-9, where he cleared the bar on his third attempt.
 
He went out at 16-4 ¾.
 
The Chaps earned 15 ½ points in the event with Dominic Cokinis finishing tied for fifth, and Thomas Kling seventh — both at 12-2 ¾.
 
Cross country All-American Sheldon Powell added a national individual championship to his freshman resume at COD, winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:45.40. Axel Huerta was fifth in 10:35.51.
 
In the hammer, Dustyn Kocsis placed fourth and Isaias Lopez seventh.
 
Gabriel Parker is in third place after five events in the decathlon with 2,882 points. Kling is fourth with 2,658.
 
The Chaps' sprinters made their presence known with the best time in the 4 x 100 relay preliminaries (42.82 seconds).
 
NJCAA Division III Track and Field Championship
May 11-13, 2023
Mohawk Valley Community College | Utica, N.Y.
Day One | Thursday
Men
Team scores (5 of 22 events): 1. Chaparrals 46.5, 2. RC-Gloucester 25, 3. SUNY Broome 18, 4. Hudson Valley 16, 5. Harper 13.5, 6. Mineral Area 13, 7. Joliet JC 11, 8. Herkimer 10, 9. Bergen 10, 10. Suffolk 9.
Finals
4 x 800 relay — 1. 8:05.63 (Derek Erdman, Randy Almarales, Sebastian Esparza, Anthony Eddy)
Pole vault — 1. Jack Sauder 15-9, 5 (tie), Dominic Cokinis 12-2 ¾, 7. Thomas Kling 12-2 3/4
3,000 m steeplechase — 1. Sheldon Powell 9:45.40, 5. Axel Huerta 10:35.51
Hammer Throw — 4. Dustyn Kocsis 141-1, 7. Isaias Lopez 136-2, 10. Luke Gavin 113-9
Preliminaries
4 x 100 relay — 1. 42.82 (Gabriel Parker, Noah Mack, Derek Erdman, Graham McAninch).
Decathlon (after 5 events): 3. Gabriel Parker 2,882 points, 4. Thomas Kling 2,658 points.