Friday, May 26, 2000

’Cats storm out of gate; Lady ’Cats off to slow start
By Bill Hart
Special to the Reporter-News

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Abilene Christian University men ran like defending champions Thursday night at the NCAA Division II outdoor track championships at Paul Derr Stadium.

And they are on target to repeat.

The Wildcats qualified Nic Alexander and Julieon Raeburn in the 200, Gilbert Tuhaboyne, Alfred Rugema and John Kemboi in the 1,500, Jason Prann in the 400 hurdles and the 4x100 relay team.

However, the ACU women have their work cut out if they are to repeat, coach Jon Murray admitted. The Lady Wildcats qualified only the 4x100 relay for Saturday’s finals and Dawnyel Newhouse was fourth in the long jump after finishing second last year.

Raeburn had the best qualifying time in the 200 (20.74) and Kemboi the best 1,500 clocking, (3:50.01). Rugema was second and Tuhabonye ninth, but it appeared they were just running to qualify.

“We expected all three to qualify and we’re hoping they will be in the top five Saturday night,’’ Murray said.

If there was a disappointment for the men, it was Oscar Meneses not qualifying in the 200. He has been injured most of the year and his leg tightened up during the race. As a result, he didn’t run on the sprint relay team.

But he wasn’t needed as younger brother Jose ran strong in the Wildcats’ 39.93. The freshman was joined by sophomore Raeburn, freshman Alexander and another freshman, J.R. Holder, and they won handily.

“That was that foursome’s best time of the year and I think we can run faster,’’ Murray said. “Oscar is faster than Jose, but we will have to wait and see how he feels before we decide who we are going to run.’’

Prann, who ran into step problems in the final 100 meters, had the third-best qualifying time, 52.01.

It was a long day for Newhouse and her twin, Shawntel, and being stuck in the hotel elevator for 45 minutes didn’t have her in the best frame of mind when she got to the track on the North Carolina State campus.

She jumped 19-7¤ on her third preliminary jump, which moved her from eighth place to fourth place. Lara Woods of Albany and Tarleton State also jumped 19-7¤ but Newhouse had a better second jump, the first tiebreaker.

“We stayed in that elevator for what seemed a much longer time, and my head still hurts from the ordeal,’’ Newhouse said. “We could sit down, so we didn’t have to stand up all that time. We could get the inside door open, but not the outside one. Finally, they got us a screwdriver so I could pry it open. It was horrible.’’

Newhouse then ran the first leg on the sprint relay that had the eighth-best qualifying time (47.03), prior to the long jump finals, but she felt that “helped wake me up.’’ All three final attempts were over 19 feet.

“We had two bad handoffs, so I know we can do better (in the relay),’’ Murray said. “But Friday is going to be a key day for us with the high jump and the pole vault finals and the hurdle preliminaries. We have to do well to have a chance at repeating.’’

Lee McCown of Robert Lee and Angelo State is fourth in the decathlon after the first five events, and Tarleton State’s Alison Brown and Kate Wright are 11th and 12th, respectively after the first day of the heptathlon.

Truman State scored 11 points to hold a narrow lead in the women’s division, while California-Davis is ahead in the men’s race with 23 points, followed by St. Augustine’s with 18.

MEN

Decathlon

Points — 1. Chad Froelker, Truman State, 3,792; 2. Nik Kassler, Pittsburg State, 3, 719; 3, Robert Orr, Cal-Davis, 3,692; 4. Lee McCown, Angelo State, 3,596; 5. Aaron Crossley, Central Missouri, 3,563; 6. Justin Ritter, Angelo State, 3,548; 7. Craig Fredickson, North Dakota State, 3,520; 8. Damien Passalacqua, Pittsburg State, 3,380; 9. Stellan Back, A&M-Kingsville, 3,324; 10. David Singer, Indiana (Pa), 3,271.

100 — 1, Froelker 11.06 (3,792; 2. Crossley 11.08 (843); 3. Ritter 11.17 (823); 9. McCown 11.79 (693).

Long jump — 1. Orr 22-5 3/4; 2. Kassler 21-9 (727); 3. Crossley 21-7 1/2; 7. McCown 21-0 (675).

Shot put — 1. McCown 46-4 1/4 (736); 2. Back 42-11 (672); 3. Orr 40-6 (627).

High jump — 1. Kassler 6-7 (813); 2. Tie, Froelker 6-6 ( 785), 3. Fredrickson 6-6 (785); 4. McCown 6-31/2 ( 731).

400 — 1. Froelker 48.09 (905); 2. Ritter 48.83 (869); 3. Kassler 49.18 (853); 9. McCown 51.19 761).

FINALS

Hammer throw — 1. Rich Ulm, Ashland, 200-4; 2. Joe Borges, Cal-Davis, 198-11; 3. Charles Thomas, Cal-Davis, 186-10; 4. A.G. Kruger, Morningside, 181-11; 5. Jason Fasst, Cal-Bakersfield, 180-4; 6. Brian Gilbert, Cal-Stanislaus, 180-0; 7. T.J. Koniowsky, Ashland, 180-11; 8. Eric Armbrust, Ashland, 174-6.

Pole vault — 1. Andrei Skvortsov, Centra Missouri, 17-4 1/2; 2. Paul Schmitt, Kutztown, 17-0 3/4; 3. Trevor Boler, Cal-Davis, 16-4 3/4; 4. Jay Simpson, Fort Hays State, 16-0 3/4; 5. Garrett Schramm, South Dakota, 15-7; 6. Josh Roberts, Central Missouri, 15-7; 7. Tommy Lesley, Northwest Missouri, 15-7. 8. Justus Ball, Pittsburg State, 15-1.

Long jump — 1. Dane Magloire, St, Augustine’s, 24-8 1/4; 2. George Sheppard, A&M-Commerce, 24-7 3/4; 3. Victor Tolstov, Lewis, 24-5; 4. David Clark, Clarion, 24-3 3/4; 5. Maurice English, St. Augustine’s, 24-2 3/4; 6. Tim Rusan, St. Augustine’s, 24-1 1/2; 7. Justen Lockhart, North Dakota State, 23-11 1/2; 8. Lancelot Gooden, St. Augustine’s, 23-10 1/4.

10,000 — 1. Brandon Leslie, Adams State, 30:15.68; 2. Matt Hoyt, South Dakota, 30:23.76; 3. Jim Shine, Western State Colo., 30:28.07; 4. Trent Briney, Colorado Springs, 30:29.83; 5, Jim Carney, Millersville, 30:31.68; 6. Jeff Kaiser, Cal-Davis, 30:35.38; 7. Jeff Barker, Edinboro, 30:43.78; 8. Jose Saenz, Chico State, 31:00.69.

WOMEN

Heptathlon

Points — 1. Kis Schiemenz, Northern Colorado, 3,472; 2. Meredith Davis, Morningside, 3,240; 3. Laura Widman, Seattle Pacific, 3,215; 4. Jennifer Higgins, St. Cloud, 3,142; 5. Andi Noel, North Dakota State, 3,098; 6. Naquisha Moulton, Cal-Stanislaus, 3,096; 7. Renee Ostertag, Northern Colorado, 2,980; 8. Tonya Kneifl, South Dakota, 2,957; 9. Sachanna Campbell, Mass.-Lowell, 2,893; 10. Reidun Dailey, Western State Colo., 2,871; 11. Alison Brown, Tarleton, 2,832; 12. Kate Wright, Tarleton, 2,799; 13. Sarah Hiss, Western Washington, 2,607.

100 hurdles — 1. Davis 13.98 (981); 2. Schiemenz 14.00 (978); 6. Brown 14.95 (848); 13. Wright 15.75 (745).

High jump — 1. Schiemenz 5-10 1/2; 2. Kneifl 5-7 (855); 9. Tie, Wright, 5-2 1/4 (745); 12. Brownh 5-1 (678).

Shot put — 1. Widman 42-10 3/4 (732); 2. Campbell 39-8 1/2 (688); 6. Brown 26-6 1/4 (2,832). 12. Wright 31-1 (506).

200 — 1.Higgins 24.50 (933); 2. Schiemenz 24.94 (892); 8. Wright 25.56 (836); 12. Brown 27.12 (702).

FINALS

Hammer throw — 1. Janet Boettcher, Nebraska-Kearney, 189-1; 2, Jackie Jeschelnig, Ashland, 184-7; 3. Natasha Carter, Truman State, 174-7; 4. Marcie Augst, North Dakota State, 174-2; 5. Farrah Sewell, Ferris State, 170-2; 6. Dhsti Fritzemeier, Pittsburg State, 169-6; 7. Cinnamon Rackley, San Francisco State, 169-6; 8. Katherine Mason, So. Connecticut, 164-11.

Long jump — 1. Nitkita Lewis, Slippery Rock, 20-1; 2. Jill Croft, Mass.-Lowell, 19-9; 3. Dolette Blake, St. Augustine’s, 19-9; 4. Dawnyel, Newhouse, ACU, 19-7 1/2; 5. Lara Woods, Tarleton, 19-7 1/2; 6. Meredith Davis, Morningside, 19-2 3/4; 7. Maisha Prewitt, Fort Hays State, 19-0 1/2; 8. Dafros Mudyirwa, Truman State, 19-0.

10,000 — 1. Sylvia Chelimo, Gardner-Webb, 35:35.68; 2. Kim Bosen, Adams State, 35:45.57; 3. Molly Wedel, South Dakota, 35:39.75; 4 Sarah Davey, North Florida, 36:14.75; 5. Beth Lubbering, Truman State, 36:40.61; 6. Araceli Martinez, Cal-Dominguez, 37:02.42; 7. Jackie Pacentrilli, Adams State, 37:18.72; 8. Michelle Woolynie, Bloomsburg, 37:19.45.