Marilee Lorusso
Staff Writer
The University of La Verne men’s and women’s track teams kicked off their season with top performances in the Caltech All-Comers Meet in Pasadena on Saturday.
The 4×100-meter relay, including Krystle Luckey, Erica Holmes, Lauren Johnson and Kristine Stokes, and the 4×200-meter relay, including Janelle Daniel, Stokes, Holmes and Luckey, both took first place.
“I think we have a strong team with a lot of talent this year. Our goal this season, as it every season is to become SCIAC champions,” junior Kristine Stokes said.
Senior Ellen Soakai exceeded the 40 feet mark in the women’s shot put event.
As for the men’s team, Blaine Bacher, Phillip Craig, Darnell Gilbert and Jethro Acenas took first place in the 4×100-meter and Donte Witherspoon, Craig, Bacher and Gilbert took second in the 4×200-meter relay.
Junior Blaine Bacher won the 400-meter hurdles, beating All-American Roman Mernan from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Mernan defeated Bacher in the past in the same event.
Other notables were Witherspoon, who marked 20 11/12 feet in the long jump. In the triple jump, junior Phillip Craig was marked at 42 2/3 feet. Sophomore Darnell Gilbert had a great showing in the 100-meter race with a time of 10.7 seconds. Sophomore Efrain Partida had a top performance in the mile race with a time of 4.31 minutes.
The men’s and women’s teams competed in their first indoor meet Feb. 5 at the Mountain T Invitational in Flagstaff, Ariz. where both the men’s and women’s teams had top performances.
At the Mountain T Invitational, sophomore Chelsea Shire broke a ULV record of 11 1/6 feet set in 1998 by Jamie Lawrence.
Shire’s vault cleared 11-7 3/4 feet qualifying her for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Indoor Championship.
“I think everybody stepped up and we held our own against Division I schools,” sophomore Erica Holmes said.
Another preseason meet that the Leopards participated in was the Citrus All-Comers Meet held in Glendora on Jan. 24.
Junior Erica Pembleton broke a school record of 150 feet in the hammer throw.
“I expect both teams to compete for the championship,” head coach Pat Widolff said.
“We’re doing good, and we have a good coaching staff,” he said.
The Leopards continue their season Saturday at the Pomona-Pitzer All-Comers meet in Claremont.
Marilee Lorusso can be reached at mlorusso@ulv.edu.
