DEMOREST -- For the second straight weekend, Piedmont College's track and field teams hit the road Sunday for the Birmingham Crossplex to compete in the one-day KMS Open in the early going of this indoor season.
Two Piedmont men's runners rewrote sections of the program's indoor record books as sophomore Gary Halverson, of Alpharetta, and junior Connor Moranos, of Jasper, set marks in the mile and 5000-meter runs, respectively.
Halverson finished the men's mile race with a 4:28.65 official time that narrowly sets a new program best by just over one tenth of a second. The previous mark of 4:28:76 was set by Bryce Griggs, of Guyton in 2018.
Moranos' 5000-meter time of 16:24.88 set the new program mark by nearly three full seconds. The previous mark of 16:27.75 was also set by Griggs in 2019.
For the second time in as many weeks, junior pole vaulter Madison Cassidy, of Walnut Creek, cleared a vault of 3.05 meters and tied her own indoor program record. Cassidy has now accomplished the 3.05-meter feat three times in her career.
In addition to program success, many Lions had good showings in their event standings. Sophomore Julian Hazen, of Hoschton, led the way and came home in fourth place in the 600-meter with a 1:24.53.
Other notable performances included junior Anthony Jordan's 6th-place finish in the long jump (6.76m) and sophomore Connor Creedon's 7th-place finish in the 800-meter (1:57.52).
Piedmont is in action again Feb. 5-6 as the Lions travel to Salem, Virginia, for Roanoke College's Noke Elite Meet.