Lynchburg Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Both Win ODAC Championships
For immediate release - 4/23/2011 - #361
Lynchburg Men's and Women's Track & Field Both Win ODAC Championships
SALEM, VA – The Lynchburg men's and women's track & field teams both captured Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday. It is the third straight ODAC outdoor track and field title for the men's team and 25th overall. The Lynchburg women won their first outdoor title since 2005 and their eighth overall.
The men's team earned 236 points overall spanning both Friday and Saturday. Washington & Lee was second in the ODAC with 89 points. Junior Mark Chauteh (Falls Church, VA/Bishop O'Connell) finished third in the 200m dash in 22.79 seconds. Fellow junior Evan Ellison (Atlanta, GA/McCallie) finished second in the 400m dash in 50.07. In the 1500m run, sophomore Nolan Compton (Manassas, VA/Osbourn Park) finished first in 3:57.88. Freshman Rachad Davis (Virginia Beach, VA/Ocean Lakes) finished first in the 110m hurdles in 14.97 with junior James Bell (Huddleston, VA/Staunton River) right behind him, crossing the line at 15.14.
Davis placed first in the 400m with a run of 55.06. Junior Daniel Cutright (Montpelier, VA/Louisa County) finished in first place in the 3000m steeplechase with a mark of 9:43.90. Lynchburg finished second in the 4X100m relay in 42.70 while the LC team in the 4X400 relay composed of Davis, senior Rashard Adams (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge), junior Evan Ellison (Atlanta, GA/McCallie), and sophomore Dakota Pellman (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage) finished first in 3:20.03.
In the high jump, freshman Shawn Minor (Powhatan, VA/Powhatan) took first with a leap of 6'6", junior James Bell (Huddleston, VA/Staunton River) placed second with a jump of 6'4", and freshman Tristan Boysaw (Wytheville, VA/George Wythe) was right behind him in third, jumping 6'2".
Junior Thomas Clark (Alexandria, VA/TC Williams) was first in the pole vault at 14'9" with Bell finishing second at 14'32.5". Bell took first in the long jump with a leap of 20'9.75".
Sophomore Demetrius Irving Jr. (Madison Heights, VA/Amherst) was second in the triple jump at 45'2.50" with freshman teammate KeDarrius Bruce behind him in second with a mark of 43'5.25"
Senior John Michael Pavia (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) won the shot put with a throw of 44'8.75". Sophomore Lesley Waddy (Montpelier, VA/Louisa County) won the discus with a toss of 131'. Pavia finished second at 131'01" and took first in the hammer throw with a mark of 169'03".
Freshman Greg Wilson (Sagamore Beach, MA/Bishop Stang) was second in the hammer throw at 143'04" and Ralph Davis behind him at 140'05".
On the women's side, Lynchburg won the women's title with 195 points, with Roanoke taking second with 135 points.
Freshman Candice Hairston (Midlothian, VA/Manchester) took second in the 100m dash in 12.99, senior Shawn Jackson (Virginia Beach, VA/Floyd E. Kellam) finished third in 13.23.
Senior Jessica Gibbs (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor) placed second in the 200m with a mark of 26.88, freshman Jasmyne Johnson (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) was third with a mark of 26.95. Junior Christina Washington (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) took first in the 400m with a run of 57.55. Gibbs finished third in 1:01.77.
Freshman Naomi Tice (Houston, TX) placed second in the 800m in 2:23.24. Senior Jennie Pernisi (Camden, NY/Altmar-Parish-Williamstown) took second in the 1500m in 4:51.06. In the 400m, Lynchburg sophomore Mel McFayden finished first in 1:05.91. Pernisi also finished third in the 3000m steeplechase.
Lynchburg took first in the 4X100 relay (Washington, Hairston, Hubbard, and Johnson) with a time of 49.38 and took first in the 4X400 relay in 3:59.07 (Gibbs, McFayden, Johnson, Washington). Freshman Caitlin Walton (Richmond, VA/Mills E. Godwin) finished second in the pole vault with a mark of 9'05.25". Hubbard, Gibbs, and Hairston placed first through third respectively in the long jump for Lynchburg.
Senior Ashley Allen (Richmond, VA/Hermitage) took second in the shot put with a throw of 40'2", while taking third in the discus (115'10") and second in the hammer throw (151'10").
Senior Krystle Landes (Staunton, VA/Wilson) finished first in the javelin (124') while Leah Heal (Center Harbor, NH/New Hampton) placed second with a throw of 111'04".
Lynchburg track & field athletes will attempt to qualify for national competition at the Liberty Twilight meet on May 5th. Award winners will be posted when announced.
