Lincoln women win eight events at SBU Invitational

BOLIVAR - The Lincoln women's outdoor track and field team won eight events and won the title at Saturday's Southwest Baptist University Bearcat Invitational.

Lincoln racked up 171.5 points to beat the host school, which finished with 161 points. Missouri S&T (148.5), Missouri Southern (132), Evangel (16), Cottey College (14) and Drury (10) rounded out the field.

Lincoln was dominant in the sprint events, no more evident than in the 100-meter dash, where the Blue Tigers posted five of the top eight finishes. Janae Johnson won the event in 11.77 seconds, a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Division II Championships, and Yanique Ellington was the runner-up in 12.03. Also for Lincoln, Keja Christie was third (12.24), Adewumi Ademuwagun was fifth (12.73) and Erika Spencer (12.97) took eighth.

Johnson also won the 200-meter dash (23.92) while Ellington was second (24.23), Christie was third (24.05) and Ademuwagun was seventh (26.64).

Nadia Harriott won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.15 and Ladonna Richards won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:01.77, a provisional qualifying time. Lovan Palmer came in fourth in the 400 hurdles (1:05.41), while Harriott was sixth (1:07.04) and Ebony Rose was seventh (1:10.73).

Lincoln also swept the relay events, with the foursome of Christie, Ellington, Richards and Johnson winning the 4x100-meter relay in a provisional qualifying time of 45.98. The team of Palmer, Willomena Williams, Jhevere Hall and Monique Thompson won the 4x400-meter relay in 3:43.28, a provisional qualifying time, while the foursome of Richards, Ebony Rose, Christie and Harriott came in second in that event (3:50.48).

Lincoln got another win in the 800-meter run, where Hall took first (2:10.39) and Thompson took third (2:12.85). The duo hooked up again in the 1,500-meter run, where Hall was fifth (4:40.51) and Thompson was sixth (4:45.20).

Jonelle Campbell won the triple jump with a provisional qualifying mark of 39-1 and was sixth in the high jump (4-93/4).

In the 400-meter dash, Willomena Williams took second (56.31), Palmer was fourth (57.32) and Ebony Rose was sixth (59.12).

Also for Lincoln, Ademuwagun was third in the long jump (18-3), Akeeba Rose was fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (13:26.22) and Naomi Bryant was sixth in the triple jump (33-4).

Several area athletes posted top-eight finishes at the event, led by Missouri Southern's Melanie Bower (Linn High School) winning the pole vault by clearing 12-4.

Missouri S&T's Katlyn Meier (Vienna High School) was second in the 400-meter hurdles (1:02.72), fourth in the 100-meter dash (12.60) and a member of the 4x100-meter relay team that placed fourth (49.58).

Missouri Southern's Adelene Mengwasser (Chamois High School) came in third in the 3,000-meter run (10:43.83) and seventh in the 1,500-meter run (4:49.33); Southwest Baptist's Emily Cumpton (Blair Oaks High School) was sixth in the 3,000-meter run (10:55.28) and a part of the Bearcats' 4x400-meter relay team that placed seventh (4:31.65); and Missouri Southern's Miranda Hill (Russellville High School) was eighth in the 3,000-meter run (11:08.33).

On the men's side, Missouri S&T won going away, amassing 275 points. The host school was second once again, collecting 156. Lincoln was third (131), followed by Missouri Southern (103), Evangel (35), John Brown (15) and Drury (4).

John Karsten (Blair Oaks High School) helped lead the Miners to the victory, as he won the shot put with a heave of 46-31/2, took first in the discus (141-3) and placed second in the hammer throw (167-3).

For Lincoln, Darran Hunter won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.81, a provisional mark, and also finished third in the 110-meter hurdles (15.55).

Lincoln's other wins came from Sedeekie Edie in the long jump with a leap of 24-3/4 and Jeromia Riley in the 800-meter run with a mark of 1:50.92, a provisional qualifying time.

The Blue Tigers excelled in the 100-meter dash, claiming four of the top seven finishes. Jakiel David was second (10.94), Khorey Spalding was third (11.38), Tristan Hayes was sixth (11.51) and Christian Thompson was seventh (11.79).

Winston Edwards took third in the 400-meter hurdles (55.24), Alva Henry placed fourth (55.30) while Stallone Watson finished seventh (58.71).

Orneldo Thomas was second in the long jump (23-71/2), while Hampton Mayson came in second in the discus (132-9).

Lincoln also had two other runner-up results, including Wesley Best in the 200-meter dash (21.77) and the 4x400-meter relay team of Edwards, Edie, Hunter and Miguel Barton (3:16.58).

Owen Smith placed third in the triple jump (46-51/2) and fifth in the javelin (135-2), while Edwards was sixth in the javelin (133-9) and Mayson was seventh in the javelin (130-11).

Also, Barton was fourth in the 400-meter dash (48.19) and David was fifth in the 200-meter dash (22.42).

Competing unattached, Kiefer Smith (Linn High School) was second in the pole vault (15-11/2).

Competing for Missouri Southern, William Rush (Linn High School) was third in the 1,500-meter run (3:59.70) and fourth in the 3,000-meter run (8:53.60) and Tom Zeilman (Fatima High School) placed fourth in the 800-meter run (1:56.16).

Evangel's Steven Gunn (Calvary Lutheran High School) was eighth in the discus (94-2).