KEVIN JENISON / GoSycamores.com
NORMAL, ILL. - For the first time in eight years, the Indiana State women's track & field team was defeated by the Illinois State Redbirds but the Coughlan-Malloy Cup is coming back to Terre Haute thanks to a big victory by the Sycamore men's team.
"It was very competitive and very close," Angie Martin, Indiana State women's track & field coach, said. "Just what we thought it would be. Overall we are a better team and we had a few flat spots today but we have seven weeks before conference and we have a good idea of what to work on."
The Sycamore women were edged by Illinois State 78.5 to 74.5 in Horton Field House on the campus of Illinois State University, marking the first time in the last eight years that the Indiana State women have lost to the Redbirds. The Indiana State men dominated their meet against the Redbirds for a 93-60 victory. The Coughlan-Malloy Cup will remain on the Indiana State campus for the sixth straight year.
The Cup was named for two legendary coaches, Bill Malloy of Indiana State and John Coughlan of Illinois State. The winner is determined by the combined score of both the men's and women's competition with Indiana State retaining the cup for the sixth straight year 167.5-138.5.
Illinois State won their only Cup in 2006 in Horton Field House.
The Sycamore men won 11 of the 14 events including five of the six field events. Brandon Pounds led that group of winners as he posted the second best throw in school history as he won the weight throw with a personal best toss of 67'-1.5" (20.61 meters). Only Jason Carruthers had a better throw with a toss of 69'-7.5" (21.22 meters) in 2005.
Ernest Rollins became just the sixth Sycamore to surpass 50-feet in the triple jump as he won the competition Saturday with a personal best leap of 50'-4.75" (15.36 meters). Steven Swinford also established a personal best in winning the pole vault by clearing 15'-11.25" (4.86 meters).
Maurice Lyke won the long jump with a leap of 22'-11.25" (6.99 meters) while Kevin Piraino went a personal best 21'-10.75" (6.67 meters) in finishing second. Robert Webb and Jonathan Christensen both cleared 6'-8.75" (2.05) to finish 1-2 in the high jump with Webb getting the win with fewer misses.
Chris Fields had a throw of 51'-5.5" (15.68 meters) to finish third in the shot put, the only field event not won by the Sycamores. Fields also had a personal best distance of 58'-4.75" (17.80 meters) to finish fourth in the weight throw.
Sycamore hurdler Greggmar Swift ran the fourth fastest 60 meter hurdle time in school history as he won the event in 7.80 with Duane Brown third in 8.19. Brown had a set his personal best in the preliminaries with a 8.17 finish.
Indiana State's Justin Baxtron and Leo Cordova ran to a tie in the finals of the men's 60 meters, each clocked in a personal best 6.92 seconds. Baxtron edged out Cordova in the 200 meters with Baxtron winning in 22.52 and Cordova second in 22.72.
Max Tuttle was the top finisher in the 400 meters for the Sycamore men with a time of 49.31 while Piraino was third in a personal best 49.78. Jonathan Jackson led Indiana State in the 800 meters with a second place finish in 1:58.35 with Corey Hahn third in 1:58.36.
Dustin Betz led a 1-2-3 sweep by Indiana State in the mile with a winning time of 4:20.84. Taylor Head ran a personal best 4:22.27 for second and Craig Padgett finished third in 4:22.41. The Sycamores had a 1-2 finish in the 3,000 meters as Jeremiah Vaughan won in 8:26.92 and Albaro Escalera was second in 8:36.29.
Indiana State had three 4x400 relay teams entered in the meet with Piraino, Tuttle, Dickson and Jackson winning with a time of 3:19.08. Ryan Henrickson, Lyke, Arqeil Shaw and Andrew Stull were third in 3:30.10 with Robert Webb, Remy Lewis, Corey Hahn, and Devin Price fourth in 3:30.34.
The Sycamore women won seven of the 14 events and three of the six field events.
Shalesa Smith had a personal best jump of 39'-9.75" (12.13 meters) to win the triple jump. That is the third best in school history behind Lauren Martin's 43'-10.5" (13.37 meters) in 2010 and Yolanda Wright's 41'-5.25" (12.63 meters) in 2006. Carmelia Stewart posted the sixth best distance in school history with a personal best leap of 38'-2" (11.63 meters) in placing third.
Nichole Hope and Richelle Kimble finished 1-2 in the pole vault as each cleared 12'-2.5" (3.72 meters) with Hope earning the win with fewer misses. Shelby Higginbottom won the long jump with a distance of 17'-9.5" (5.42 meters) with Kaisha Martin fifth at 16'-7.25" (5.07 meters). Rachael Johnson cleared 5'-4.25" (1.63 meters) for second in the high jump with Nikki Snearley third by clearing 5'-2.25" (1.58 meters).
Mary Theisen led Indiana State in the throws with a personal best 51'-4.5" (15.66 meters) for a second place finish in the shot put and a personal best 48'-3.75" (17.77 meters_ to finish third in the weight throw. Felisha Johnson was third in the shot put at 51'-0.75" (15.56 meters) and fourth in the weigh throw at 57'-6.25" (17.53 meters).
Stacia Weatherford led a sweep of the top four spots by Indiana State in the 60 meter hurdles as she won the event in 8.80. Brittany Housel was second in 9.24 with Stewart third in 9.64 and Taylor Gilles fourth in 9.37.
The Sycamores also swept the top four spots in the 60 meters with Jaquelle Spencer winning with a time of 7.70. Demetra Camble ran a personal best 7.80 in the finals to finish second with Ja'liza Prophet a personal best 7.95 to finish third. Smith was fourth in 8.15.
Leeann Michl picked up the win in the 800 meters with a time of 2:14.87 while Hanna Mercer was sixth in 2:25.04. Higginbottom led the Sycamores in the 400 meters with a third place finish in 58.12 with Kaci Smith fifth in 58.94. Kacie Klem finished third in the mile (5:08.87) with Kalli Dalton fourth (5:11.93) while Jessica Zangmeister ran a personal bet 10:08.80 to finish third in the 3,000 meters. Valerie Burns ran a personal best 10:11.38 to finish fourth.
The Sycamores had three 4x400 relays entered into the dual meet with Weatherford, Higginbottom, Michl and Smith combining for the win with a time of 3:50.55. Black, Stewart, Housel, and Tori Stone finished third in 4:03.32 with Johnson, Merrion, Katie Bekavac, and Toni Tillett fifth in 4:12.45.
Indiana State will continue their indoor season next Saturday when they travel to West Lafayette, Ind., for the annual Edmonds Cup competition against the Purdue Boilermakers.
