Track and field rehearses for championships

The Viking track and field teams were in Monmouth, Ore., last Saturday for the Western Oregon University Scoring Meet, where they faced off with the host school and the University of Portland.

This dual scoring event was the first that the Portland State teams have taken part in this season. It proved to be a valuable test of their winning potential.

“The double duo at Western Oregon this weekend is a pre-Big Sky meet for us because it duplicates multiple races and field events that the team will experience in May at the championships,” said Viking head coach Tony Veney. “Scoring meets help to sharpen the competitive instincts.”

Tenacity and endurance were certainly vital keys to success on Saturday, when nearly every athlete participated in at least two events. The Viking teams stepped onto McArthur Field and proved they had what it takes to win.

The women swept the competition, defeating both U of P (110-64) and WOU (106-85) by significant margins, while the men trampled U of P (110-39) but fell to WOU (98-90).

Before the meet, Veney stated he hoped to see four to six more of his athletes qualify for the BSC Championships in the upcoming weeks, and it looks as if the Vikings are well on their way to completing that goal.

Ryan Brown had another banner weekend, taking first place with BSC qualifying marks in the long-jump, triple-jump and high-jump events. Brown also proved valuable in the 4×100 relay race in which he led the Vikings to a first-place victory.

Anthony Robinson went on to qualify for the BSC Championships with a time of 48.64 in the 400m dash, and Jim Sattem qualified in the 100m with a first-place time of 10.79.

Other BSC qualifiers for the men included Jim Webster, who tossed 51 feet, 5.5 inches in the shot-put competition, and Tim Overfield. Overfield placed third in the 110m hurdles with a qualifying time of 15.05, but also qualified with his first-place time of 52.57 in the 400m hurdles.

Ena Shemi turned in some impressive performances for the women, qualifying for the BSC Championships for a second time in the 100m dash with a season-best time of 12.18. Shemi also took home the first-place title in the 200m dash.

Gayle Imran and Keisha Harvey took the first- and second-place spots in the triple jump, earning their first qualifying marks of the season. Jenny Rodgers and Annie Kawasaki similarly dominated in the 1,500 meters, finishing in first and second place.

Holly Dimmel placed second in the javelin throw with a qualifying distance of 124’8″, and Lisa Gunderson won the high-jump title with her qualifying height of 5’7″.

The Vikings track and field squads have the week off to rest and rejuvenate for the following weekend, when they travel to Eugene, Ore., April 26 for the Oregon Invitational.