CARBONDALE, Ill. ? The Indiana State University men's and women's track and field teams each claimed the title of the Spring Classic at Southern Illinois University on Saturday, the first outdoor meet of the season for ISU.
The men won four events and had six regional qualifiers as they won the team title with 142 points. Illinois was second with 118.50 and Southern Illinois third with 82.50.
The women won three events and had one regional qualifier as they captured the team title with 122 points. Southern Illinois was second with 110 and Illinois State was third with 100.5 points.
“This was a nice opening win, especially against a Big 10 school and several conference schools,” men's coach John McNichols said. “We were missing a few people but I was pleased with the way the team performed at the level that they did.”
Women's coach John Gartland was equally pleased with the performance of his team.
“We felt that we really accomplished a lot,” Gartland said. “We beat a lot of conference teams. It was a great way to get the outdoor season started.”
Jason Carruthers got the Sycamores off to a flying start, winning the men's hammer throw on Friday with a toss of 193-feet-4-inches. Carruthers back that win up with a victory Saturday in the men's discus throw at 170-feet-10. Both of those efforts surpassed the regional qualifying mark.
Sean Wright also became a regional qualifier in the first outdoor meet of the season by winning the men's 400 meter dash in 47.06. Wright then joined with Bryant Kent, Logan Edwards and Kurt Heimann as ISU won the mens 4x400 relay with a time of 3:12.18.
Paladin Jordan became ISU's second double qualifier of the season, taking second in the men's triple jump (50-feet-11) and second in the men's 400 meter hurdles (52.08). Corey Dowden was also a regional qualifier in the triple jump with a third place finish (50-feet-8.75).
Other notable performances for the ISU men's team include: Jake Conn, third in the pole vault (15-feet-3); Rylen Peterson, fourth in the long jump (23-feet-4.75); Brandon Youngdale, third in the high jump (6-feet-4.75); Jeremy Gillingham, second in the shot put (51-feet-11.25); Paladin Jordan, second in the 110 meter hurdles (14.73); Kurt Heimann, third in the 800 meters (1:53.36); Anthony Bertoli, third in the 400 meter hurdles (54.66); Scott Kenney, third in the 3000 meter steeplechase (9:29.87); and, the 4x100 team of Bryant Kent, Sean Wright, Logan Edwards, and Gary Ogburn, third (41.83).
“The hurdles events ran into a pretty significant head wind,” McNichols said. “It was pretty windy during the entire day.”
Erica Moore was the highlight of the day for the women's team as she won the 400 meter hurdles in 59.54. Not only was that a regional qualifying mark, it was also a new school record, breaking the old mark set by now assistant coach Angie Martin of 59.99.
Santia Spight won the high jump competition with a leap of 5-feet-5 while Jeanne Roberts won the 100 meter dash in 12.08.
Janae Bridges was second in the long jump (19-feet-7.5) with Lauren Martin third (18-feet-10.5). Martin was also second in the triple jump (39-feet-2.5). Dani Prince finished third (4:37.57) and Laura Engle fourth (4:40.94) in the 1500 meters. Myra Bess was second (15.19) and Erica Moore third (15.21) in the 100 meter hurdles.
The Sycamores two relay teams also did well. Myra Bess, Janae Bridges, Jeanne Roberts and Valara Anderson combined to finish third in the 4x100 relay (47.30). Mary Kate Conway, Lauren Martin, Myra Bess and Erica Moore combined for a second place finish in the 4x400 relay (3:49.27).
Next weekend, the Sycamores will travel to Columbia, Missouri for the 2007 Missouri Relays at the University of Missouri.
“This will be a great opportunity for us,” McNichols said. “The NCAA Regional meet will be held at this track in May.”
