Ohio track performs well

by Jonathan Kane
Staff Writer

The Ohio men’s and women’s track teams returned home from the Central Collegiate Championships with some positive team effort and some individual personal bests.

The women’s team scored 79.5 points to capture third place out of a nine-team field. The men’s team, however, was able to post just one team point, finishing last. Kent State, who was the host of the meet, won the women’s meet with 174 team points. Eastern Michigan won on the men’s side with 156.25 points.

Jumper Foli James, one of Ohio’s top jumpers, led the way for the women, winning the high jump (5’5.75”) and the long jump (18’5.75”). She also finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles (8.86). All three were personal bests for James.

Other runners on the women’s team picked up top finishes in the meet. Runner Melody Royster placed second in the 60-meter hurdles and pole-vaulter Jill Meranda finished second in the pole vault.

Jumper Monique Taylor finished third in the triple jump (37’2.5”), and jumper Sarah List placed fourth in the high jump (5’3.75”). Runner Mary Reynolds placed fourth in the 3,000-meter run (10:35.40), and jumper Randi Carter finished fourth in the long jump (17’7”). Carter said the team was very prepared for the meet.

“Everybody was really up for the meet and ready for the competition,” she said. “It seemed like everyone was really encouraging each other throughout the entire meet.”

Ohio coach Elmore Banton said he was pleased with how well the women competed with the tough competition.

“To beat the other MAC (Mid-American Conference) teams that were there was really big for us,” Banton said. “We knew Kent was going to be tough, but I think we competed very well overall.”

On the men’s side, it was a matter of missing some scoring opportunities by one or two places. The distance medley relay team, however, was able to score for Ohio with an eighth place finish of 10:36.64.

Banton said although the men’s team did not score a lot of points, there were some bright spots.

“We knew going into this meet that it was going to be tough to score points,” he said. “We were able to knock about six seconds off our mile relay and had seven top individual performances.”

The mile (1,600 meter) relay team finished ninth with a time of 3:23.02, while thrower Steve Godek finished No. 11 in the shot put with a throw of 48’4.5”.

The Bobcats compete in the Adidas Classic at 11 a.m. Saturday in Morgantown, W.V.