Ryan Booth and Jeff Roy had big days for EOU Saturday in Nampa.
NAMPA, Idaho -- Following the first day’s success at the Boise State Team Invite, day two served up some fireworks as well with another school record and a number of EOU top five all time marks.
The second day of the Heptathlon ended well Eastern’s Dustin Cloud and Asa Miller. Cloud ended the day in fifth with 4,382 points and Miller ended the day in seventh with a score of 4,186 points. Fourteen individuals started the event and 10 finished. Historically, Cloud’s overall score would make it into the field of 16 at the National meet.
The women’s weight throw and men’s shot put started things off for the Mountaineers Saturday. Marybeth Nash threw right around her personal record in the 20-pound weight. Chris Dilley and Andy Munsey had solid day’s in the shot put, with Dilley making it into the finals against NCAA Div. 1 and 2 competitors.
Later in the day, Dilley, Munsey, and Mitch Wheelhouse made the finals in the 35-pound weight throw, the 6 other competitors all came from NCAA Div. 1 programs. Wheelhouse and Munsey both recorded season best marks, and Dilley finished fourth overall.
In the long jump, Larry Warren made the finals and nearly made it into the National meet.
Competing on tired legs from a heavy training cycle geared towards the National meet, the female sprinters competed well. Orie Gamez ran herself onto yet another top five indoor list in the open 400 meters with a time of 60.61. The junior is already the school record holder in the 60 meters, part of the school record 4 x 400-meter team, and on the top five list in the 200 meters. Gamez was joined on the top five list by mid-distance specialist, Talissa Baldovino, who finished with a time of 61.39 in her indoor 400 meter debut.
Alma Garcilazo ran a superb tactical race in the 800 meters to finish in second place overall. The sophomore’s performance was a personal record. She smashed the National qualifying mark and closed in on Colleen Qualm’s indoor school record. The Umatilla, Ore. native, ran 2:15.02 to miss the win by .03 in a thrilling down to the wire finish with Jaclyn Puga of Northwest Nazarene. The National qualifier is 2:19.00 and Qualm’s record is 2:14.54 set in 1990.
The men’s 800 meters also provided a great finish. Jeff Roy won heat two with a time of 1:56.24 to narrowly miss the NAIA Auto qualifying mark of 1:56.00. Roy also ran his way onto the EOU top five list for the indoor 800.
Ryan Booth stole the show by winning the 800 over a runner from UCLA in a school record 1:52.16. Booth timed his kick perfectly to come from behind in the last lap and take over the lead with only a few meters left.
Closing out the day in near record fashion, Booth, Carlos Quintana, Roy, and Tyler June teamed up to run 3:25.31 in the men’s 4 x 400-meter relay to narrowly miss the school record of 3:25.09 set back in 2006.
Eastern Oregon travels to the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho for the Idaho Collegiate Meet Friday at 3 p.m.