The 43rd Pelican Relays held April 12-13 at A.W. Mumford Stadium on the Roscoe Moore track featured a very relaxed atmosphere and something for everyone.
“This relay was the very best that we have ever put on for the public. This was the most family oriented relay ever,” said Southern head coach Johnny Thomas.
This meet produced outstanding results for the SU track and field team. The crowd was given a show the entire meet. With participants ranging in age from seven to 51 this was a meet for everyone to participate in and for the spectators to enjoy.
“The team over all had a outstanding performance all they have to do is improve and duplicate for SWAC,” said Thomas.
Southern men won the meet with 65 points, the women placed third with 33 points, with the women of Grambling State University finishing in first.
Highlighting the men’s win were four qualifying times for the NCAA national meet. Brian Johnson improved his provisional qualifying time in the 100-meter dash from 10.28 seconds to 10.24 moving him up on the list. Devin Daniels automatically qualified in 200-meter dash running a 20.44 time. In the preliminaries Jamie Mclendon provisionally qualified in the 110 hurdles with a time of 13.81. The 4×100 relay team provisionally qualified running a time of 39.96 the relay team included Noel Parnell, Devin Daniels, Adrian Williams and Brian Johnson running in that order.
In the 400-meter dash placing second and third were Peppi Underwood with a time of 48.39 and Harold Brown with a 48.40 time. Charles Moon placed second in the 1,500 meter run with a time of four minutes 3.97 seconds. In the 400-meter hurdles Jamie Mclendon placed second with a 54.45 time. In the relay SU men cleaned house, placing first in the 4×200 relay clocking in at 1:22.59, first in the 4×400 running a 3:11.34, they placed third in the 4×800 with a 7:47.25 time, the sprint medley team placed third with a 3.31.78 time and the distance medley placed first clocking a time of 10:22.75 time.
Brian Johnson, currently the best long jumper in the nation, wowed the crowd with a jump of 26-feet-seven-inches. Michael McKinney jumped 6-06 in the high jump, in the triple jump Jeremy Pierre jumped a 15-42. Kenneth Johnson came out for the first meet since Indoor Track and field season and throw a 50-04.50 in the shot put placing first; coming in second was Austin Mumphrey throwing a 50-03. In the javelin Nicholas Young place third throwing 167-06.50.
“It is a very well run meet and with a good atmosphere it is fun to see how we compare to other school,” said Nicholls State head coach Matt Panusa whose girls won the their first relay meet ever in the distance medley.
SU women did well but were not in tip-top shape due to key members being hospitalize due to a stomach virus. However, that did not effect their performance completely Vanessa Young is steadily improving in the 200, in which she placed third.
In the 3000-meter run Rayla Hunt ran an 11:18.63 placing third, coming in at fourth was Leah Walker with an 11:29.12 time. In the hurdles Francella Williams give her usually show placing second in the 100 hurdles with a 14.11 time and clocking 1:00.91 in the 400 hurdles.
Two Southern women’s relay teams gave outstanding performances placing first in the 4×800 with a time of 9:27.16 time and the women’s distance medley relay team placing second with 12:48.18 time. In the field the women were on top of things in the shot put Rochelle Knighten placed first throwing 43-10.25, Silvers Fultz placed third. In the high jump Kashanna Bridges placed third jumping 5-02, and in the javelin Danielle Frank placed first throwing 130-02.75.
SU is now concentrating on getting ready for SWAC which is right around the corner and getting more people automatically qualified for nationals.
After an off weekend, the team will travel to Mississippi Valley State University April 26-27.
