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Men Sweep, Women Fall to CLU at Final SCIAC Multi-Dual

(Photo by Kay Hurd)
(Photo by Kay Hurd)
By Lindsey Foster
Athletics Communication

 

PASADENA, Calif. – The University of La Verne track and field teams concluded their SCIAC dual meet season against Cal Lutheran, Caltech and Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday in Pasadena.

The men swept, beating Cal Lutheran, 83-76, Caltech, 139-19, and Pomona-Pitzer, 109-54. The women suffered its first dual meet loss of the season against Cal Lutheran, 92-71, but defeated Caltech, 128-21, and Pomona-Pitzer, 105.5-51.5. Both the men and the women finished with multi-event finishes and some top-three finishes.

Emotions were high in the men's 4x100m relay after an upsetting decision that cost the Leopards a first place finish. Chancise Watkins was ready to go and make up a few meters until Cal Lutheran's third-leg sprinter fell down into Watkins's lane. Watkins had to jump over him and do what he can, but it was already too late. When head coach Pat Widolff asked the judge in that zone what he saw, the judge claimed he didn't see anything and La Verne settled for second with a time of 42.09 seconds.

Although the men lost five points, the women's 4x100 came back just as hard taking a first place finish over the Regals with a time of 47.78. It's the first time the women have gotten under 48 seconds.

It's always exciting to see athletes channel their anger from a previous event and continue on to their next event to win. Nick Gonsalves and Robert Oshodin ran the first and third leg of the men's 4x100 relay team, respectively, and both took the first and third spot in the 100 meter race. Gonsalves won the race with a time of 10.80 while Oshodin ran a 11.10, finishing third.

In the 400 meters, Watkins was not going to let anybody beat him. Watkins took first and finished with a final time of 48.92 seconds. The All-American also claimed the 200 at 21.68.

Tanner Long took first place in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:01.07.

Coming off yet another record-breaking performance in the 5,000 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays just a day before, Lenore Moreno finished second in the 1500-meter run at 4:41.22.

Freshman Alexa Smith took second for her team in the 400m run with a final time of 1:00.42.

Tiahana Gillon and Nicole Crutchfield finished 1-2 in the women's 100 meters. Gillon finished first with a time of 12.34 seconds and Crutchfield took second with a time of 12.39 seconds.

Teammates and coaches were excited for Gillon as she broke 26 seconds and ran the 200m in 25.94 seconds making that a new personal best for her. Gillon finished second overall.

Gearing up to run a fast two laps, Michael Ramirez was out of those blocks first and finished the 800 meter race first. Ramirez final time was 1:56.38.

There weren't any Leopards in the women's 100 hurdles and needed someone to make up points for that. Jasmin Gonzalez did just that by taking second in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:06.72.

Bryan Hayes and Long were able to score for their team as they finished first and third, respectively, in the 5000 meter run. Hayes crossed the finish line at 15:34.24. Long ran a 16:02.95.

There was no chance the Lady Leos were going to let the women of Cal Lutheran think they had any chance of beating them in the 4x400. With a first place finish and a time of 4:04.56 the Leopards were pumped and happy to have swept the Regals in both relays.

Over on the field, La Verne had all around top finishes including a school record performance by Deanna Doss.

Deanna Doss continues to show growth each and every week as she competes. Doss won the hammer throw with a school-record mark of 175-05 (53.46m). Doss also tied for first in the discus throw with her teammate Jaclyn Castleberry with a toss of 127-03 (38.79m) and scored more points by taking a pair of second place finishes in the shot put (38-09.75/11.83m)

Castleberry added a third place finish in the hammer throw (130-00.50/39.64m).

Freshman Chris Gura didn't perform like a freshman. Gura finished first in the discus with a mark of 42.65m and finished third in the shot put with a throw of 13.23m.

In the Javelin, teammates Matthew Rehder and Christiana Coughlin both were able to score for their team with third place finishes. Rehder finished with his best mark of 179.06.50 (54.73m) and Coughlin finished with her best mark of 116-11.5 (35.65m).

James Francis was the lone ranger in the high jump for La Verne and secured a first place finish with a jump of 6-02.75 (1.90m). Francis also won the long jump with a leap of 22-03.50 (6.80m)

Angelyn Caldwell took first in the women's high jump with a clearance of 4-11 (1.50m), Krystal Gutierrez and Angelina Arreola were in a five-way tie for second with leaps of 4-09 (1.45m).

Jason Nicholls and Taylor Schulze each took first in the men's and the women's pole vault with clearances of 14-09 (4.50m) and 10-05.75 (3.20m), respectively.

Jacob Lopez (44-10/13.67m), Stewart McKenzie (41-09.50/12.74m) and Art Hinojosa (41-06-25/12.66m) went 1-2-3 in the men's triple jump.

The Leopards will be back in action on May 2 as they take on all of SCIAC for the 2014 SCIAC Championships, hosted by Whittier at the Occidental College.

La Verne Hosts Tri Meet
March 1, 2014 La Verne Hosts Tri Meet