Time is running out

This past weekend the Portland State Vikings traveled to Forest Grove to compete in the Pacific Twilight. With only one more meet left in the regular season, the Pacific Twilight was a chance for the athletes to compete in their secondary events, and to take a break from their main focus.

“Some people did events they haven’t done in a month, which helps them go into conference ready to perform instead of feeling stale,” assistant coach Cassie Stilley said.

Some of the major highlights of the meet came from sophomore Geronne Black and seniors John Lawrence and Karene King.

A native to Reno, Nev., Lawrence ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the first time in about a month due to an injury, and came in first. The last meet at which he competed in the steeplechase was the Pacific Preview on March 12, where he came in first and qualified for the championship as well. Lawrence returned to action last week at the Oregon Relays and came in eighth in the 1,500-meter.

King took first in the 200-meter, setting a new meet record with a time of 24.54 seconds. Former Viking Jernise Sanders had held the previous meet record, but King broke it by a narrow .10 margin. In additon, Black, a New York native, won her respective event, the 100-meter. Her time of 12.24 was only a mere .02 seconds away from setting a new meet record. Sanders also set the original record.

Junior P’Lar Dorsett also had a strong meet. She ran in the 100-meter, coming in only seconds behind Black to finish third with a time of 12.67. She also came in third in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.27. Another close Viking was senior Nate Endicott, who came in second to Lawrence in the steeplechase, missing the qualifying mark by only .24 seconds with his time of 9:35.24. Then in the men’s 100-m, sophomore Jordan Bird ran a new personal record by .03 seconds, his new record standing at 11.48 seconds.

Out in the field, junior Spencer Moe did well on a personal level, throwing about five meters further than usual, with a mark of 46.85 meters. Then in men and women’s javelin, junior Sean Mackelvie and freshman Allison Burkett came in third and fourth, respectively. Mackelvie threw 201 feet, his second throw over 200 this season, while Burkett had a heave of 131. Also, Mackelvie participated in the triple jump for the second time this season and was only .25 inches short of tying his previous mark by jumping 43-7.75 feet.

Freshman Shae Carson has also been showing signs of consistency over the past couple of weeks by throwing the discus around the 130-foot range, and this weekend’s mark landed at 128-1. Junior J.J. Rosenberg finished fourth in the men’s long jump with a distance of 21-06 feet.

Sophomore Brittany Long ran her second best time in the women’s 3,000-m steeplechase, running the event in 12:03.30 minutes and placing fifth overall. Junior Quiana Jackson ran a new personal record in the 400-meter with a time of 58.47, placing her fifth overall.

Next week the Vikings will be traveling down to Eugene for their third appearance this season at Hayward Field. They will be competing in the Oregon Twilight, which will be their last meet before the Big Sky Outdoor Championship. The championship will be held in Sacramento on May 11–14. ?