CCC Roundup -- UW Open Indoor Meet

2/18/2008 8:55:02 AM

Click here for UW Open Meet results

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Following is a Cascade Conference roundup of results from the University of Washington Open Indoor Meet this weekend:

CASCADE

The men's and women's track teams began the 2008 season with the Univeristy of Washington Indoor Open, with several athletes turning in solid performances.

Junior Chris Smerke won his heat in both the 200m and 400m, and junior Stephan Valverde won his 400m heat as well. Freshman Eric Lagerstrom outpaced all of his competitors in his heat in the 1 mile run, and posted a lifetime best in the 3000m run by a 19 second margin.

Zinzile Maseko was the lone female competing, and she won her heat in the 200m.

"It was a great start to the season." said coach Ryan Rouse. "The times posted by the returning athletes were very close to where they ended the season last year, so they have shown real improvement. Eric (Lagerstrom) looked very strong, and will only get stronger as his freshman year progresses."

Chris Smerke: 200m - 23:77
400m - 54.16
Stephan Valverde: 400m - 54:28
Eric Lagerstrom: 1 mile - 4:41.34
3000m - 9:13.14
Shane Sibold: Triple Jump - 10.88m
Zinzile Maseko: 200m - 28:25


COLLEGE OF IDAHO

Tyler Hopper took home the title in the men's 1,000-meters and Stephanie Helm recorded the third-fastest 3,000-meter time in the NAIA this season, as The College of Idaho track team had a banner day at the Husky Open, hosted by the University of Washington, inside the Dempsey Indoor Track.

Hopper bestest the field with a time of 2:30.44 - improving his NAIA "A" qualifying time that he met back in December. He also recorded an NAIA "B" mark in his heat of the 3,000 - running in 8:47.97.

The story was Helm, who shattered The C of I school record in the 3,000, running a 10:08.97 - nearly 20 seconds faster than her previous best. Only two other runners in the NAIA have posted a faster 3K than the freshman from Challis.

Also breaking a school record was Katie Ball, who met the NAIA "A" mark in the women's mile, running her heat in 5:14.32.

Rounding out the Coyote crew was Jesse Chlebeck, who met the NAIA "A" mark in the 3,000 - running a personal best time of 8:43.87.


CONCORDIA

Closing in on the final weeks of qualifying for the NAIA Indoor National Championships, Concordia received five automatic berths and four additional provisional marks at the University of Washington Open held at Dempsey Indoor on Sunday.

With a 10-second personal record, Tim Badley placed second overall in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:32.86 for his second auto bid of the season. Badley will also be qualified to compete at nationals in the 5,000.

Trailing Badley, Charles Cummings and Eric Burke dipped under the provisional standard (8:51.80) in the event with Cummings placing 11th with an 8:48.85 and Burck crossing in 8:50. 99.

Also recording a second automatic entrance mark to the national meet, Lakeesha Cadogan soared 18-0 1/2 in the long jump, falling close to three inches past the 17-10 automatic barrier. Cadogan is also registered for nationals in the triple jump with a 36-9 leap earlier in the season to place her 11th on the current NAIA performance list.

Back on the track, after posting a 9.32 in the prelims of the 60-meter hurdles, Eunice Makinde slashed .12 off the time for a 9.20 in the finals to equal the NAIA’s automatic standard.

The men’s squad also received auto marks in the pole vault and the weight throw. Already provisionally qualified, Seth Cordell used a 15-11 3/4 clearance to win the event by nearly a foot as the next closest competitor yielded a height of 15-0 1/4.

An NAIA All-American in the hammer throw, Greg Schultz will make a return appearance at the championships after a 56-1 heave in the weight throw in a second-place result, easily eclipsing the 52-6 standard. In third place, Jeremiah Drelleshak’s toss of 51-7 1/2 in the weight throw nearly split the difference of the qualifying standards.

On the women’s side, national champion discus thrower Annie Hess provided the team’s final provisional mark with a 41-7 effort in the shot put, one inch shy of auto standard.

Along with Cordell’s win in the pole vault, Concordia also received winning performances by Cadogan and Steven Marshall in the triple jump and by the women’s 1,600-meter relay team comprised of Tanya Baker, Eunice Makinde, Stephanie Persaud and Cortney Bannister.


EVERGREEN

Evergreen averaged a record apiece for the seven team members that competed in the University of Washington Indoor Open meet Sunday.

Miguel Pineda (Sr. Tumwater High School) led off for the team with a school best in the 1,000 meter run with a time of 2:38.54, placing 7th. The little run distance is an event at the Indoor National Championships, but ESC has no previous documented time for the distance. Pineda came back two hours later to win his heat of the 800 meters and break his own school record with a 1:59.82. He placed 11th out of 47 competitors.

Women's team member Lindsey Farah (Jr. Yelm High School) set the standard for the 600 meters with a 1:53.73 for 9th place. Like the 1000 meters, the 600 is only raced indoors.

Jason Shoemaker (Jr. Raymond HS) broke his own 60 meter sprint record with a time of :7.73. Shoemaker competed in the 200 meters with a finishing time of :24.81. Shoemaker was joined in that event by freshman Ryan Lara (Franklin Pierce HS) who won his heat in a school record and personal best time of :23.89. Lara's time was under the school's outdoor standard of 24.2 set in 1985. In the 400 meters Lara bettered the school record he set last month with a time of :51.99. His time was close to the outdoor standard as well and he placed 14th overall. Teammate Kellen Plomski (Sr. Shelton HS) also competed in the 400, his first college race. His time was :56.31.

In the longest race of the day, the 3000 meters, Emily Uhlig (Sr. Liberty HS) came within 4 seconds of her previous best with an 11:00.01 performance. Uhlig had been hampered by nagging injuries since her half marathon two weeks ago but managed an excellent performance. Eric Jones (Jr. Columbia River HS) hit a personal best and school indoor record with his 9:14.82 effort for 8th place in the second heat. Assitant coach and former team member, Jason McConnell had a personal best as well, bettering his time set last month with a 9:12.39.


NORTHWEST

Three NU Eagles had successful showings in the University of Washington Indoor Open Meet in the Dempsey Indoor Facility.

Eagle Jimmy Reed (So., Bothell, WA) surpassed the NAIA A Qualifying standard of 1:21.50 with his time of 1:21.23 in the men's 600m run. He won his heat and took second overall, in addition to setting a school record.

Freshman Megan Groff (Lake Steven, WA) added 4 inches to her vault which already stood as #2 on the NU all time list.

Senior Crystal Gubler (Republic, WA) finished 5th overall in the 600m with a time of 1:43.57.

NU takes to the track on February 23 as they travel to Portland, Oregon to take part in the Lewis & Clark Open.