Last weekend the men's indoor track team ended their regular season in great fashion. Not only was the meet held in the Skoglund Fieldhouse, but they also defeated St. John's in a dual competition.

An indoor track meet had not been held here on campus for several years. A competition close to home with a single competitor was a smooth way to move into the postseason.

The Ole men all made strong contributions to their authoritative finish, providing an 83-57 victory over Saint John's University. St. Olaf took the top three spots in both the quarter-mile and 300-meter runs, with athletes such as sophomores Ryan Noreen and Gaute Johnsen leading the way.

Another highlight came in the shot put, when sophomore Marcus Hanson threw for over 50 feet for the first time in his career, also bolstering the Oles score.

As the men leave this meet behind them, they have nothing left to focus on but the MIAC Indoor Championship. There is no doubt this has been the primary goal for this team since the beginning of the season.

This year the competing teams are a little bit closer in ability, giving the Oles confidence in becoming MIAC Champions. St. Olaf will certainly have their work cut out for them, however, as they have to overcome a streaking University of St. Thomas school that has won the MIAC Indoor Track Championship every year since 1985.

Going into this conference showdown, head coach Bill Thornton is going to really ease up on the training. "These guys have been training like warriors," he noted, not wanting to push his athletes too far.

They plan on doing just enough exercise to keep their legs "fresh but fast" commented senior Jon Pearce, a senior middle-distance runner.

One of the great strengths of this team does not lie in a single person or even in a small group. Instead, everyone on the team contributes to the success of the whole. There is a great deal of balance, with everyone taking care of his share of business. The team also has such a deep roster that on any given day they can put a group of guys on the line that will bring in strong finishes.

Interim really hampered the indoor team for a while, with many student-athletes studying abroad. Now as people return, the team is getting much more complete and looks much stronger going into the conference championship and beyond into the outdoor track season.

Most athletes simply have their eyes on the prize right now. Jon Berg, a senior in the pentathlon and other events, said: "I would love to walk out of St. John's fieldhouse this weekend with a MIAC Championship, but we are all going to have to step up and do our parts."

They all are hoping for as much fan support as they can get at St. John's this weekend. But if the fan's motivation isn't enough to drive these men to succeed, walking away with a MIAC Championship should be.