Coming off a long week, which included a forty-hour round trip bus ride to Maryland, the Jaguar track and field teams were able to put forth several great performances at the University of Houston RunSport Meet.
“I surprised myself. I did not think that I was going to run that fast in the 60 (meter dash) with the level of competition that was running. I was also surprised in the 200. It was my last event and I didn’t think I was going to do that well. Now I want to go to nationals in three events rather than two,” said senior Brian Johnson.
The crowd cheered and went wild as Johnson jumped 7.99 meters (26-02 feet), automatically qualifying him for NCAA national championship in the long jump. His jump also set a new fieldhouse record. Johnson was not finished qualifying for national events. In the 60-meter dash, he provisionally qualified with the time of 6.72 second. He also ran the 200-meter dash for the first time this year placing second in the event with the time of 21.82.
“As Kashanna (Bridges) and I are coming from another sport, we should be able to help the team in anyway possible,” said junior Felicia Gray. Gray was a member of the Jaguars women’s basketball team before joining the track squad.
The talent that in the field house was not only good for the men, but the women as well. The newcomers stepped up and showed out. Gray performed well with only a few days of practices placing fifth in the high jump. Senior volleyball player Kashanna Bridges returned for the first time this year placing eighth in the high jump Jacqueline Dix proved that she can throw shotput throwing 12.16 meters. Francella Williams got the job done like she usually does placing seventh in the 60-meter hurdle finals with the time of 8.92. Freshmen Theodoris Thyseen is becoming consistence in the triple jump with the mark of 10.89 (35-08 feet).
“The men made a vast improvement with addition of Johnson and his performance he steps the team up to another level. This was a excellent meet before SWAC championship,” said Johnny Thomas, Sr., head coach of Southern’s track indoor track squad.
The 60-meter was a very hot event with 17 heats and seven people in each heat. Placing first in their heat of the 60-meter dash was sophomore Erza Landry and junior Chermond Thomas. Another crowd pleaser was Henry Frazier who placed second in his heat in the 60-meter dash, and the 60-meter hurdles. In his third event, which was the long jump, he placed second ahead of over 35 people with the mark of 7.30(23-11). Top hurdler Jamie McLendon continues to hold his own placing second in the 60-meter hurdles finals.
The Distance Medley Relay team placed second showing good signs of consistencies. Michael McKinney returned off of a back injury this week to place sixth in the high jump. Jeremy Peirre has continued to shine in the triple jump placing second with the time of 15.19 meters (49-10).
The Jaguars have now finished their last meet before the SWAC Championships on a good note.
