by Damien Alarcon
Staff Writer
Many positive aspects and performances were shown in last Saturday’s track meet at Ortmayer Stadium as the University of La Verne held host to Pomona-Pitzer, Redlands and Cal Lutheran.
The women’s squad smoked the competition, as they defeated Redlands and Cal Lu by scores of 92-44 and 92-41, respectively.
The men’s unit stood out in many events but fell short to Cal Lutheran, 88-64, but defeated Redlands, 91-60.
“We did a lot better than I thought we would since we don’t have as many people as we did in the past,” said head coach Pat Widolff.
Many members of the squad thought the same way.
Junior team leader Patrina Hall said, “We are doing great, especially for being as small as we are. It is the support from one another that makes us do so good and keeps us in the meets.”
Hall placed first in the long jump (5.79 meters), 200m (25.8 seconds), 400m (58.1) and was a part of the winning 4×100 relay team (50.5). The other members of the 4×100 squad are senior Katrina Hall and sophomores Maxine Mitchell and Leslie Wood.
Hall’s time in the 400m and winning leap in the long jump enabled her to qualify for the NCAA national meet.
Patrina’s sister, Katrina, also had an impressive day placing first in the 100m hurdles (15.9), first in the high jump (1.5m), first in the triple jump (11.32m), second in the long jump (5.32m) and was on the 4×100 relay.
Sophomore Leslie Wood placed first in the 100m (13.4) while junior Lynsey Best took the third spot (13.9).
Sophomore Rhiannon Jensen took first in the women’s javelin (35.3m) and second in the shot put (11.60m) behind junior Eboni White (11.66m).
Jensen also placed third in both the hammer throw (101’6″) and the discus (36.62m). White placed first in the discus with a throw of 39.80 meters.
In women’s pole vault, freshman Jammie Lawrence placed first with a clearance of 10’0″.
Sophomore Maxine Mitchell placed second in the women’s 400m hurdles (1:08.9) while junior Stephanie Castillo took the third spot in the 800m (2:30.04).
As for the men, junior LaVelle Wilson placed first in the 400m hurdles with a time of (56.53). Junior Ordell Williams took first in the 400m (51.15) and freshman Ryan Travaille placed first in the long jump (6.48m).
Travaille also took second in the 100m hurdles (15.59) behind junior Sam Dodd (15.16).
The men’s 4x100m relay, consisting of Travaille, Williams, freshman Nathan Swift and sophomore Adrian Bean, took first with a time of 43.72 seconds.
“A strength we have is that we have more depth than previous years,” said Widolff.
La Verne travels to Redlands tomorrow for the Redlands Open. The Leopards return home a week from tomorrow for the ULV Invitational.
