Aggies have productive first day at Big 12 Indoor

Aggies have productive first day at Big 12 Indoor

Feb. 26, 2010

DAY ONE RESULTS


AMES, Iowa - LIVE RESULTS: Big 12 Indoor

BIG 12 INDOOR

Women's scores (6 finals): 1. Texas Tech 48.5; 2. Nebraska 47.5; 3. Kansas 27.5; 4. Iowa State 26; 5. Kansas St. 25; 6. Texas A&M 13.5; 7. Oklahoma 12; 8. Texas 11; 9. Colorado 8; 10. Baylor, 6; 11. Missouri 4; 12. Oklahoma State 0.


Men's scores (5 finals): 1. Nebraska 48; 2. Oklahoma 27; 3. Texas 25; 4. Texas Tech 21.5; 5. Iowa State 17; 6. Kansas 13.5; 7. Baylor 12; 8. Texas A&M 10.5; 9. Oklahoma State 7; 10. Kansas State 6.5; 11. Missouri 6; 12. Colorado 1.


AMES, Iowa - Strong qualifying rounds and some key points from finals held on the first day of the Big 12 Indoor Championships have the Aggies in solid position to contend for team titles on Saturday at the Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility on the Iowa State campus.

Through the first day of action team scores have Nebraska leading the men's competition with 41 points with five finals completed. The Aggies are in eighth place with 10.5 points.

The top women's team is Texas Tech with 48.5 points through six finals. The Aggie women have 13.5 points and are currently in sixth place.

A highlight among finals on day one included Joe Sauvageau moving from 10th to fifth place over the latter half of the 5,000 meters. Sauvageau passed three positions ahead of him on his final lap as he finished in a personal best of 14:16.18, the third fastest all-time at A&M.

Then in the distance medley relay, which closed out the first day, the Aggies placed seventh to grab two more points. The foursome of Wes Caceras, Kyle Dykhuizen, Oscar Ramirez and C.J. Brown clocked a time of 9:50.66, eighth fastest at A&M.

Qualifying for Saturday's finals included Aggies advancing in 23 positions (14 women's, 9 men's) over nine events.

The Aggie women advanced four hurdlers and three sprinters to the finals of the 60 and 60 hurdles. Then in the 200 four A&M women advanced with the top four qualifying positions.

Gabby Mayo claimed a spot in the final of each of those three races. Earning double duty were Porscha Lucas (60/200), Jeneba Tarmoh (Mt. Pleasant HS, San Jose) (60/200), and Jessica Beard (200/400).

For the A&M men three qualifiers advanced in the 200 and 400 along with a pair in the 600 yards. Gerald Phiri was the lone doubler (60/200).

Mayo is the defending champion in the 60 meters and 60 hurdles as well as the high point scorer from a year ago. The closeness of the two events, with the finals only 20 minutes apart on Saturday, is a plus for Mayo.

"Because the hurdles are first I'm warmed up for the 60," noted Mayo. "My legs are loose, which helps since I use more power in the 60 compared to the hurdles. I'm able to run faster in the 60 after a hurdle race.

"I want to come out here focused and ready. I want to do the same thing again and hopefully I can come out on top."

Even though the A&M squad has won three indoor conference team titles in a row, thoughts are centered only on the current meet being held.

"We just have to take it one year at a time, not dwell on the past," said Mayo. "We just come in here thinking we have to do well this weekend on this particular day. That's all that matters."

The lone defending champion for the men's team is Zuheir Sharif (Franklin HS, Elk Grove) in the triple jump. It's an event he claimed as a freshman the last time Iowa State hosted the Big 12 Indoor in 2007. While seeking a third conference title in this event on Saturday, he is eager to see the Aggies contend for the team title.

"Anything is possible this weekend," Sharif stated. "Right now I'm just taking in the moment. We have a really good team here.

"More than anything, since I already have my individual contentness from the Big 12, I'd really love to see a team championship occur. However, it would feel really good to win a third Big 12 triple jump title in four years. It would be a capstone to a good indoor career."

Sharif leads the nation with an A&M school record of 54-3.75 and has company among the top marks this season with teammates Julian Reid, who briefly held the school record with a 53-11.75 mark, and Tyron Stewart, who has an indoor best of 53-10.25. They currently rank 1-2-3 in the nation.

"That is the point of having a really good program," noted Sharif. "We aim to get the most possible points we can in each event we have multiple athletes competing.

"This is something Coach VanHootegem aims for and it's something we train for and expect of ourselves. It's not surprising since I see the amount of hard work we all put into this everyday in practice. But we keep our head low, stay humble, remain below the radar and keep working hard."

FRIDAY FINALS

Deidre Tarver placed fifth in the weight throw with an effort of 59-1.5 (18.02). Laura Asimakis tied for sixth in the pole vault by clearing a12-8.75 (3.88).

Another sixth place finalist was Vashti Thomas (Mt. Pleasant HS, San Jose in the long jump with a leap of 20-3.5 (6.18). Sasha-Kay Matthias finished in eighth place with a 19-11.75 (6.09) as Ashika Charan (West Covina, California/Claremont HS) placed ninth with a 19-6.75 (5.96) effort.

Tyron Stewart tied for sixth in the long jump with mark of 24-7.25 (7.50) while other teammates finished outside of the scoring range. Melvin Echard placed ninth (24-4.25), Julian Reid finished 11th (24-0.25) and Zuheir Sharif was 14th (23-5.5).

Of the finals held on Friday, the pentathlon had the earliest start of the Aggie pair of Daphne Fitzpatrick and Bonnie Richardson, who placed sixth and 16th in the field of 17 competitors. Nebraska placed 1-2-4 in the event for an early 23 points.

Fitzpatrick scored 3,692 points for a career best total that places her seventh on the A&M all-time list. She bettered her previous best of 3,627 set earlier this season. Richardson, who cleared just one height in the high jump and didn't register a mark in the long jump, totaled 2,817 points. Richardson entered the meet with a season best of 3,647 points.

Starting with a 9.19 (871) time in the 60 hurdles, Fitzpatrick equaled the best high jump in the competition with a clearance of 5-8 (891). Then she had a 36-8.5 (608) in the shot put and 17-1.5 (620) in the long jump. Fitzpatrick closed out the pentathlon with a 2:29.27 (702) in the 800.

The first men's final had Cole Knuth placing seventh in the weight throw with a mark of 59-4 (18.08). It was the second best effort ever by Knuth, just one inch and a quarter off his best, and ranks as the fifth best performance at A&M.

Brett Bennett tied for eighth in the pole vault, clearing a personal best of 16-5.5 (5.02). Kaleb Schrader tied for 15th with a 15-5.75 (4.72) clearance.

Christina Munoz placed 10th in the 5,000 meters with a time of 16:46.22, the second fastest time of her career indoors.

QUALIFYING

Natasha Ruddock led A&M in the 60 hurdles with an 8.11 clocking while Mayo posted an 8.16. They each won a heat in the semifinals. Vashti Thomas finished second to Mayo in 8.32 while Dominque' Flemings placed fourth in 8.53.

In the women's 60, Tarmoh won the first semifinal in 7.34 seconds while Lucas placed third in 7.42. Mayo finished second in the other semi with a 7.33 clocking.

Lucas led the qualifiers in the 200 with a 23.38 followed by Beard (23.47), Tarmoh (23.48) and Mayo (23.49). Dominique Duncan (23.98) just missed by 0.01 as the ninth finisher.

For longer sprint races the Aggies advanced Beard in the 400 along with Sandy Wooten and Andrea Sutherland to the finals of the 600 yards.

Beard, who is a two-time indoor and two-time outdoor conference champion in the event, ran the top qualifying time of 53.24 in the 400. She bettered the field by nearly a full second with the next fastest time a 54.14.

Wooten, the defending champion in this event, won her section in 1:21.96 the third fastest qualifying time and second fastest ever at A&M only to her school record of 1:21.50.

Sutherland placed second in her section in 1:21.94 second fastest on the Aggie all-time list to Wooten. Tiffany Singleton placed 12th overall in 1:24.85, but only eight advanced to the finals.

The Aggie men sent three sprinters to the finals of the 200 and 400 meters and added two more in the 600 yards.

Curtis Mitchell paced the 200 field with a 20.90 clocking as Gerald Phiri clocked 21.16 and Tran Howell posted a 21.21. Earlier in the 60, Phiri claimed the second of three semifinal races running a time of 6.79. Howell (6.86) and Mitchell (6.87) were both fifth in separate heats and placed 13th and 14th overall without advancement to the finals.

Tabarie Henry was the top 400 qualifier in 46.81 followed by Demetrius Pinder with a 46.95. Bryan Miller posted a 47.36 to also reach the final eight. Just missing a spot in the final was Kyle Dykhuizen at 47.67, the ninth position and only 0.03 behind the eighth qualifier.

Joey Roberts recorded the fastest qualifying time in the 600 yards with a 1:09.64, the fourth fastest time ever at A&M. Michael Preble finished second in his section and eighth overall to nab the final qualifying position as he finished in a tie with Oklahoma's Jarell Warren.

In the men's 60 hurdles De'Lon Isom ran a season best of 7.90 to place sixth in his semifinal. He placed 10th overall and did not reach the final.

RESULTS - DAY ONE - BIG 12 INDOOR


FINALS

Women 5000: 10. Christina Munoz, 16:46.22. DMR: no entry for Texas A&M. PV: =6. Laura Asimakis, 12-8.75 (2.5 points) LJ: 6. Vashti Thomas, 20-3.5 (3 points); 8. Sasha-Kay Matthias, 19-11.75 (1 point); 9. Ashika Charan, 19-6.75. Wt: 5. Deidre Tarver, 59-1.5 (4 points) Pent: 6. Daphne Fitzpatrick, 3,692 (3 points); 16. Bonnie Richardson, 2,817.


Men 5000: 5. Joe Sauvageau, 14:16.18 (4 points). DMR: 7. Texas A&M, 9:50.66 (2 points). PV: =8. Brett Bennett, 16-5.5 (0.5 points); =15. Kaleb Schrader, 15-5.75. LJ: =6. Tyron Stewart, 24-7.25 (3 points); 9. Melvin Echard, 24-4.25; 11. Julian Reid, 24-0.25: 14. Zuheir Sharif, 23-5.5. Wt: 7. Cole Knuth, 59-4 (2 points)

Courtesy Texas A&M