Saturday, April 8, 2000

Four triumphs for Big Country
By Bill Hart
Special to the Reporter-News

AUSTIN — Friday was a golden day for three Big Country athletes and one relay team at the Texas Relays.

Geraldine George of Abilene Christian University moved from fourth place to first with a personal best 48-4 3/4 shot put performance to win the college women’s event.

Cooper senior Dwayne Benoit came within .07 of setting a new record in the boys 1,600-meter run (4:13.46) and then Brad Parris of McMurry University won first place in the university-college division pole vault, clearing 17-2 3/4. He didn’t miss until the bar was placed at 17-8.

ACU then picked up a fourth first place after an hour’s delay in the night session because of lightning when Nic Alexander (20.27), Julian Raeboen (20.92), David Jones (46.80) and John Kemboi (1:46.61) ran a 3:14.61 sprint medley relay.

It was the Wildcats’ first relay win here since 1997 when they won three relays.

“The performance was good,” Alexander said. “We went out and ran. Our exchanges were excellent and that was the key. We didn’t let the weather bother us.’’

Benoit, running an outstanding race, held off Justin Schuelke of Lockhart, who was clocked in 4:13.67. The Cooper standout’s previous best time in the event this year had been 4:19.53.

Benoit, being recruited by Texas Tech and Baylor, among others, left the stadium after the race, then pulled out of the 3,200 meters Friday night.

It was a frustrating win for Parris because he had ordered a bigger pole which was supposed to have been delivered last week. When it didn’t arrive, the company said it would be in Abilene before the Texas Relays. It still isn’t available.

“I just ran out of pole and I needed a bigger one to go higher,” Parris said. “I borrowed one from Trafton Rodgers (former ACU vaulter), and although I appreciated it, the switch (in poles) threw my timing off. I feel like I could have gone 18 feet or higher today the way I was jumping if I had had time to work with a larger pole.’’

Parris was unaware that he had won because he didn’t know if Brad Tyler of Arkansas State had any misses. Three others also cleared 17-2 3/4 but he knew they had misses.

“I was jumping clean (no misses), that’s why I felt I could go higher,’’ he said.

This has been an emotional season for George, a senior from Trinidad whose mother died last month. She has dedicated this season to her.

She had a best of 46-8 1/4 going into the final throw and it was good for fourth place. Then she uncorked her personal best by nine inches, which qualified her automatically for the NCAA Division II meet.

Then she had to sweat out three more throws. Adrienne Moss of the University of Miami came close, but wound up second (47-11).

“I knew I needed help, so I prayed while I waited for the others to finish,’’ George said. “I wanted to do well for my mother, I needed strength from her to do it.

“I haven’t changed my technique any, but today I was able to keep both my feet on the ground when I threw and that helped.’’

Disaster struck the Abilene High boys 1,600-meter relay team. Shawon Harris was tripped, fell down and got up, but was in last place. Jonathan Johnson’s 46.2 anchor lap brought the Eagles to sixth place, but the 3:23.28 time wasn’t good enough to make the finals.

“We had 10 teams in our heat (on a nine-lane track) and the runners were tight when it happened,’’ AHS coach Randy Martin said. “Shawon got boxed in and I don’t know if he stepped on someone or they stepped on him. All I know was he fell and we were out of the race. Maybe we will learn something from this, but right now it really hurts because we could have won that race.’’

ACU got another automatic qualifier for nationals when Nic Alexander ran a 10.31 to qualify for today’s 100-meter finals. Also in the race will be teammate Oscar Meneses (10.47). Shawntel Newhouse of ACU ran a personal best 13.70 in the 100-meter hurdles, but failed to reach the finals by one place. Maresa Cadienhead was sixth in the high jump (5-8 1/2) in an event won by Erin Aldrich of the University of Texas, whose meet record (6-4 3/4) is the best in the world so far this year.

ACU got a tie for sixth in the pole vault (12-1 1/2) from Meredith Garner and the 4x400 relay improved its national provisional qualifying mark to 3:51.56, but failed to make the finals.

In the high school division, Kristen Adkins of Abilene High ran a 11:29.12 in the 3,200 and finished 10th.

Abilene Christian High was seventh in the sprint medley, running 4:13.86, thanks to a 2:12.5 anchor lap by Ruth Nanyinza. She got the baton about 100 yards behind in last place and passed two runners.

Trey Smalley of Breckenridge pole vaulted 14-0 and finished 11th.

A large contingent of area high school athletes competed, but failed to make the finals.

Friday's results

AUSTIN (AP)— Results Friday from the Texas Relays at the University of Texas at Austin:

Men

University/College Division

Long Jump (Section A)—1. Savante Stringfellow, Mississippi, 26 feet, 3 1/4 inches. 2. Darvis Patton, Texas Christian, 26-3. 3. Marcus Thompson, Louisiana State, 26-0 1/4. 4. Melvin Lister, Arkansas, 26-0. 5. Joe Allen, Florida State, 25-10. 6. Walter Davis, Barton County, 25-7 1/4.

Long Jump (Section B) —1. Joe Allen, Florida State, 25-10 1/4. 2. Tommy Oleksy, Rice, 25-4 1/2. 3. Garfield Swaby, Southwest Texas, 24-8 1/2. 4. Ramon Washington, Arkansas, 24-6 1/2. 5. Chris Vantassel, Wisconsin, 24-5 1/2. 6. Quinton Furr, Concordia, 24-13/8.

Shot Put (Section B)—1. Ty Williams, Texas Tech, 55-9. 2. John Cross, Arkansas, 55-3. 3. Richard Legarra, Arizona, 55-0 1/4. 4. Barry Mott, Texas, 55. 5. Russ Bell, Missouri, 54-9 1/4. 6. Rob Salamo, Wisconsin, 54-5 1/4.

Triple Jump (Section B)—1. Richard Duncan, Unattached, 54-6 1/2. 2. Ike Olekaibe, Purdue, 53-8 1/4. 3. Leonard Cobb, Unattached, 53-5. 4. Bryant Wesco, Louisiana Tech, 53-0 1/4. 5. Charnc’Ey Brown, Texas, 52-9 1/4. 6. Greg Hughes, Southwest Missouri, 51-3.

Discus (Section A) — 1, Reedus Thurmond, Auburn, 198-feet, 7-inches; 2, Janus Robberts, Southern Methodist, 193-8; 3, Mark Simmons, Southern Methodist, 193-6; 4, Zech Schiebout, Iowa State, 188-1; 5, Curry Dawson, Angelo State, 186-1; 6, Russ Bell, Missouri, 184-2.

Discus (Section B) — 1, Zech Schiebout, Iowa State, 177-feet, 5-inches; 2, Jim Roberts, Brigham Young, 173-8; 3, Anders Holmstrom, Wisconsin, 172; 4, Bill Powers, Barton County, 171-4; 5, Lance Jauron, Tennessee, 168-11; 6, Kyle Caskey, Texas A&M, 167-5.

Pole Vault (Section B) — 1, Brad Parris, McMurry, 17-2.75; 2, Brad Tyler, Arkansas State, 17-2.75; 3, Jon Nance, Texas A&M, 17-2.75; 4, Tom Swan, Stephen F. Austin, 17-2.75; 5, Geoff Fairbanks, Soutwest Texas, 17-2.75; 6, Justin Norberg, Illinois, 16-8.75.

1,500 meters —1, Cesar Perez, Texas-El Paso, 3:50.49; 2, Daniel Lincoln, Arkansas, 3:51.81; 3, Kevin McGinn, Kansas, 3:53.44; 4, Robert Walterscheid, Louisiana Tech, 3:54.06; 5, Adam Dailey, Arkansas, 3:54.14; 6, Jared Christianson, Tulsa, 3:54.90.

High School

1,600 meters—1. Dwayne Benoit, Abilene Cooper, 4:13.46. 2. Justin Schuelke, Lockhart, 4:13.67. 3. Nick Davenport, North Mesquite, 4:16.17. 4. Pete Belman, Uvalde, 4:18.49. 5. Juan Cardenas, Lockhart, 4:19.69. 6. John Arnold, Katy Taylor, 4:20.45.

High Jump—1. Chris Proples, Ft. Wort Dunbar, 6-10. 2. Virgil Brock, Converse Judson, 6-8. 2. Jason Krueger, Calhoun, 6-8. 2. Gavin Booth, South Grand Prairie, 6-8. 5. Kenneth Shelton, Port Arthur Jefferson, 6-8. 6. John Irvin, Lake Highlands, 6-8.

Long Jump (Section A) — 1, Brian Veal, Galveston Ball, 23-feet, 10.5-inches; 2, Daray Sims, Corsicana, 23-1.50, 3, Brandon Bray, Diboll, 22-11.75; 4, Anderson Smith, Pflugerville, 22-11; 5, Adam Black, Cyprus Falls, 22-8.25; 6, Jamaal Moore, Ardmore, OK, 22-6.50.

Long Jump (Section B) — 1, Andrew Gamble, Converse Judson, 23-feet, 3-inches; 2, Steven Fryer, Richardson, 23-2; 3, Brian Carter, Jenks, OK, 22-11; 4, Brandon Ellis, Arlington Bowie, 22-6; 5, Shane Christian, Seymour, 22-3.5; 6, Chris Brooks, Killeen Ellison, 22-1.25.

Shot Put (Section B) — 1, Walter Badgett, Westwood, 57-feet, 11.75 inches; 2, Michael Tolbert, Austin Reagan, 57-10.5; 3, Lamarquin McGrew, Hearne, 57-7.75; 4, Jeff Barker White, Pensacole Catholic, 56-5.75; 5, Clint Gillespe, Arp, 56-4.5; 6, Bill Hobson, Katy Taylor, 55-10.75.

Women

University/College Division

1,600 sprint medley relay (Section B)—1. Mississippi State, 3:58.28. 2. McNeese State, 3:59.26. 3. Southwest Missouri, 3:59.79. 4. Southern Mississippi, 4:00.63. 5. Texas-San Antonio, 4:02.06. 6. Florida A&M, 4:02.39

Javelin (Section B)—1. Beth Burkett, Kentucky, 150-5. 2. Amy Curtis, Brigham Young, 147. 3. Mary Varga, Akron, 146-4. 4. Liz Williams, Nortwestern State, 144-3. 5. Susan Guillory, McNeese State, 135-1. 6. Audra Akin, Southwest Missouri, 121-9.

High Jump (Section A)—1. Erin Aldrich, Texas, 6-43/8. 2. Robyn Burkhart, Texas A&M, 5-103/8. 3. Bianca McKell, Southern Methodist, 5-93/8. 3. Ifoma Jones, Houston, 5-93/8. 3. Nakeitra Jones, Auburn, 5-93/8.

High Jump (Section B)—1. Terresha Derossett, Kansas State, 5-93/8. 2. Erin Anderson, Kansas State, 5-93/8. 3. Jacqueline Canton, Northwestern State, 5-8. 3. Hoope Sinclair, Southern Mississippi, 5-8 1/2. 3. Britany Sublet, Southern Mississippi, 5-8 1/2.

Long Jump (Section A)—1. Kristin Bolm, Brigham Young, 21-6. 2. Jenny Adams, Houston, 21-5 1/4. 3. Alice Falaiye, Rice, 21-3 1/2. 4. Tiffany Greer, Arizona State, 21-2 1/2. 5. Monique Freeman, Louisiana State, 20-103/8. 6. Valarie Williams, Arizona State, 20-7.

Long Jump (Section B)—1. Lynette Wigington, Odessa College, 21-63/8. 2. Marieke Veltman, Hsi, 21-2 1/2. 3. Tisha Ponder, Illinois, 20-93/8. 4. Christi Smith, Akron, 20-53/8. 5. Brandi Bentley, Michigan, 20-2 1/2. 6. Kerine Black, South Florida, 20-1.

Pole Vault (Section A)—1. Rhian Clarke, Houston, 13-7 1/4. 2. Erin Anderson, Kansas State, 13-7 1/4. 3. Dena Dial, Oral Roberts, 13-1 1/2. 4. Andrea Neary, Arizona, 12-7 1/2. 5. Marion Meyer, Texas-Arlington, 12-1 1/2. 6. Yuliya Kostina, Texas El Paso, 12-1 1/2.

Pole Vault (Section B)—1. Melissa Pundt, Southwest Texas, 12-1 1/2. 2. Lindsay Osborne, Florida State, 11-73/8. 3. Andrea Cook, 11-73/8. 4. Keclie Harvey, Akron, 11-73/8.4. Amanda Ross, Arkansas, 11-73/8. 6. Misty Ballard, Stephen F. Austin, 11-73/8.

Shot Put (Section B)—1. Geraldine George, Abilene Christian, 48-43/8. 2. Adrienne Moss, Miami, 47-11. 3. LeAnn Comb, Southern Methodist, 47-6 1/4. 4. Destine Smith, Stephan F. Austin, 48-83/8. 5. Jessica Longfors, Oklahoma, 45-10. 6. Diane Slinden, Tennessee, 45-5 1/4.

Discus (Section A)—1. Aretha Hill, US West TC, 193-6. 2. Lori Williams, Bowling Green, 166-10. 3. Makibi Batten, Florida State, 161-8. 4. Bambi Carson, Oklahoma, 161-6. 5. Megan Koonce, Texas A&M, 158-2. 6. Lametria Green, Southwest Texas, 156-1.

Discus (Section B)—1. Lametria Green, Southwest Texas, 163-8. 2. Jessie Shernan, Akron, 155-8. 3. Christina Arrants, 153-1. 4. Gia Lewis, Illinois, 151-6. 5. Melissa Gibbons, Louisiana Tech, 151-2. 6. Jenny Webster, 150-2.

High School

1,600 meters-—1. Virginia Coindreau, Georgetown, 4:59.94. 2. Bridget Tidwell, Crawford, 5:02.51. 3. Candice Colb, Cedar Park, 5:04.70. 4. Jessa Vacek, Southlake Carroll, 5:07.62. 5. Tracie Akerheilm, North Hopkins, 5:10.61. 6. Jennifer Marable, Canyon, 5:11.03.

Shot Put (Section B)—1. Nicole Brathwaite, Sharpstown, 41-3 1/2. 2. Tiffany Bunton, Forth Worth Arlington Heights, 41-1 1/4. 3. Kasey Cash, Freer, 39-93/8. 4. Lauren Reimer, New Braunfels, 39-6. 5. Benita Heoge, A&M Consolidated, 38-9. 6. Bridgette Brown, McNeil, 38-4.

3,200 meters — 1, Candice Kolb, Cedar Park, 10:58.24; 2, Bree Wilson, San Antonio MacArthur, 11:04.54; 3, Brooke Stewart, A&M Consolidated, 11:05.58; 4, Virginia Coindreau, Georgetown, 11:13.18; 5, Renee Metivier, Marcus, 11:13.37; 6, Valarie Laurer, Allen, 11:15.73.