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Show .. . .. ' Di;'BIRD SP'ORTS ? . . . ' ~:::····- ...., ~--~ ~ ··· ;t Lady tracksters win Mid-Con championship Remember that in the fall, the men brought home the cross country championship which was the first Mid· Con trophy for any SU athletic team. JOURNAL SPORTS EDITOR Houle said he was proud of the way both of the The SU women's indoor track and field team did the teams performed. "Everything was such a rush, unexpected as they took first-place at the Midgetting going and getting there on time. It was Continent Conference indoor track and field amazing to me that they could keep their championships Saturday with the men's team concentration and focus for as long as they did," he finishing second. . said. The women finished with 140 points as The men almost came home with a they upset UMKC, which scored just 127 trophy of their own. After the first day, the points for second place. men sat in second-place just a few points " We were expecting (UMKC) to beat us, behind Youngstown State. However, in the but they just kind of fell apart," said Head second day of competition Taurus Jackson Coach Eric Houle. and Layne Richards suffered mild injuries Kathryn Henrie helped the ladies as she that kept them both from competing at the finished with a time of 5:05.63 in the mile level they wanted to. and a first-place finish. Shelly Richards Chris Watson was the big story of the day, won the 55-meter hurdles with a time of as be placed first in the men's weight throw 8.19 and Louize Elison won the shot put with a mark of 19.76 meters. Nobody else with a throw of 42-10. came close. UMKC's Adam Beltran finished The ladies were in third-place after the second behind Watson with a mark of 15.78 meters. first day of competition, but did so well in the distance runs on Saturday that they "Chris did a really good job in setting the were able to pull out the team victory. tone," Houle said. "It sent a buzz through In the distance medley, the women set a the whole team." conference record with a first-place time of Watson now has the potential to qualify for the Olympics in his home country of 12:06.35. Teresa Rice, Rachel Porter, Stacey Griffin and H enrie edged Valparafao by one Canada, which just might be the first second. Henrie held off Valpo's Liss athlete from SUU to participate in the Collette in the £in.al mile of the race. Kathryn Hemie (right) and Shelly Richards were a big part of the reason tbe Olympics. Collete was already a nationaJ qualifier women were able to bring home the women's Mid.Con championship for Richards was able overcame the problem before entering the championships. indoor track and field. Both fi.nished first in their respective events. of his injury in the last event, surprising The women picked up second-place - - -- - -- - -- -- - -- -- - -- - -- - -- -- - - everyone in the high jump with a Eirst-place finishes from Wendy Allen in the mile with a time of Kathryn Henrii ran," Houle stated. "Our distance mark of six feet six inches. Jody _Benson finished first 5: 10.39, Natalie Gibson in the 55·meter hurdles with team did it for us. Wendy Allen, just a freshman, had in the 5,000 with a time of 14:37.30. Other top-three a time of 8.30 and Esther Woolston with a time of a great race finishing second in the 3,000. We went finishes were Mark Wright with a time of 4:19.1 1 in 18:15.72 in the 5,000 meters. one, two and four in the mile. All freshmen." the mile and Keith Richards finishing with a 1:55.76 Gibson might have finished first in the 400·meter Although the ladies did not finish at the top in every in the 800. " It was an experience from start to finish," dash, but did not run in the same heat as Oral event, the scores were high enough that they were Houle said about the chance for his team to do so weU Robert's Everee Oakley who finished first with a time able to take the team victory, bringing the second at the conference championship. "Those teams now of 57.60. Gibson came in second with a time of 57.72, Mid-Con championship pf this season to SU. know that SU is a strong program." By CHAD LAMB but Houle felt like she would have finished first if the two had raced each other. Rachael Porter ran well for the women in the mile, finishing third with a time of 5:13.22. Her third.place finish gave SU three of the top four finished in the mile run. The women also fared well in the 800-meter as Henrie picked up a second-place finish, with Rice and Porter finishing fourth and eighth respectively. "The biggest impact on the women's title was how Gymnasts down Boise State Heather Slack did likewise on bars (9.775) and floor The women's gymnastics team used its best (9. 750) to take first place in both of those events. performance of the season on beam and floor to • Boise State finished with the top two spots in the come from behind and take a 190.825·190.225 all-around. Diana Loosli finished first in the allvictory from Boise State at the Centrum Saturday around with a total score of 38.450, which included night. a 9.725 on floor and a 9.775 on the uneven bars. _BSU held a 95.400-94.575 lead after both teams Kerry Jacobsen was second in the all-around with a got off to slow starts on vault and bars, but the score of 38.275, and SU's Kim Nomura finished Thunderbirds came back with individual seasonthird at 37.875. highs on beam from three gymnasts, including a The 'Birds' strong performance in the last two 9.825-the fifth-best score in school history- from events helped them overcome a slow start on the _Bethany Orten, to post a 48.150 and pull to within vault and bars. Dawn Kisselburgh turned in the 142.95-142.725. highest score on the vault with a 9.750, but Boise SU followed that with its best floor night of the State took five of the top six spots to finish with a year, a 48.100, while BSU struggled on beam, 48.300-47.350 lead after the first rotation. counting three falls in notching a 47.275. The ladies improved in the second rotation on the " We started slowly, but we were able to come uneven bars, posting a 47.225 after Slack's strong back strong on beam and floor," Head Coach Scott performance. The ladies were able to take three of Bauman said. "That's the kind of performance the top four spots, including a 9.725 by Kym that's going to help our team down the stretch, 11 Franklin. knowing they can come from behind and win. The ladies are home again tonight, hosting Utah "We just had an off night," Boise State coach Sam State. USU's top score is a 194.100, posted Feb. l.! Sandmire said. "I think we were a little flat after at UC Santa Barbara. Sophomore Christy Denson having such a great night (Friday night at Utah has the team's best marks on floor (9.85) and in the ~ State). It's hard to score when you keep falling off all-around (38.925) and shares the best bars mark ~ beam." (9.85) with senior Emily Swank. Junior Amber 5 BSU came into Saturday's meet with a 194.450Jamison has the team's best mark on vault at 9.775, : 193.425 win over Utah State, but were unable to while junior Krissy Richards and sophomore Kerry ~ finish as strong against the Lady 'Birds. SU again Griggers have the Aggies' best marks on beam at i:: received gteat performances from its freshmen. 9.875. The Aggies are cuirently 4-5 coming off ~ In addition to Orten's beam work-which placed Friday's loss to Boise State. This is the first of two Alisa Green picked up a 9. 725 on the beam which was first in the event-Alisa Green notched careermeets with the Lady Aggies, which begins at 7 p.m. highs on both bars (9.75) and beam (9.725), and her personal best and finished second in the event. |