Falcon Women's Rally Falls Short at GNAC Track and Field Championship Meet
May 8, 2004

Complete Meet Results

MONMOUTH, Ore. (May 8) ­ A young, injury-riddled Seattle Pacific University track and field team made a late surge for the women's team title Saturday but came up second to Western Oregon at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships amidst intermittent rain squalls at McArthur Field.

The Falcons, who trailed by 40 points with four events remaining, got wins from Sara Johnson (Jr., Kennewick, Wa.) on her final throw in the javelin and three second-place marks, but the Wolves successfully defended their crown, 231 1/2-216 1/2.

"I think the injuries caught up with us, and Western Oregon really relied on Monica Smith and she came through for them," said SPU Coach Jack Hoyt.

Middle-distance runner Jennifer Marsh (Fr., Kirkland, Wa./Juanita) led SPU with 18 points, winning the 800 meters (2 minutes, 15.50 seconds) and taking second in the 1500 (4:43.09). Marsh was one of 14 Falcon freshmen and sophomores to earn all-conference honors.

Joining Marsh and Johnson as women's winners were intermediate hurdler Janna Schaafsma (So., Soldotna, Ak.) and the 400 relay, which set a meet record of 47.87 seconds to make the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying list. Linda Blake (So., Richland, Wa.) had won the heptathlon Apr. 23. Tim LeCount (Jr., Battle Ground, Wa.) provided the SPU men's highlight, claiming first in the 5000.

Western Oregon's Smith was voted the meet's outstanding female performer. Smith won the 100 hurdles and set a meet record in the high jump. She totaled 31 points altogether.

In the men's team race, host Western Oregon was a runaway winner for the fifth year in a row with 253 1/2 points. An injury-depleted SPU was sixth with 32.

Seattle Pacific, which was second to the WOU women by two points last season, was missing two key members of the squad­pole vaulter Ally Studer, a redshirt, and injured long-jumper Danae Clark­which claimed the GNAC indoor title. Plus, Danielle Ayers-Stamper, who won three outdoor conference titles in '03, has missed the entire season with a back injury.

Still, the underclassmen kept SPU in contention. Schaafsma won her second straight 400 hurdles in 1:03.72 and Kelsey Gleason (So., Salem, Or./Salem Acad.) was next in a PR 1:04.39. Johnson's javelin win (141-10) was her sixth in nine meets. The Falcons also got another 1-2 finish in the 800 from Marsh, with her third win, and Victoria Perkins (Fr., Kent, Wa./Kentwood), who ran a PR of 2:16.92.

Sprinter Kinyatta Leonhardt (Fr., Petaluma, Ca.) was next to Marsh in total points with 16. Leonhardt was runner-up in the 200 (25.96) and 400 (57.33) to Central Washington's Terran Legard. Leonhardt also ran on the winning 400 relay and the second-place 1600 relay (3:57.83).

Improving her provisional qualifying time in the 5000 was Karen Dickson (Fr., El Dorado Hills, Ca.), who ran a close second in 17:49.55. More second-place points came from Jean Kolb (So., Eugene, Or.,/South Eugene) in the 100 (12.85); Allie Hedges (So., Richland, Wa.), who matched her career best at 12-1 1/2 in the pole vault; and Sharon Bjella (Fr., Everett, Wa./Everett), with a season-best clearance of 5-4 1/2 in the high jump. Smith set a meet record of 5-6 to prevail.

LeCount took the lead with about 1000 meters remaining and cruised to a 13-second victory in the 5k, finishing in a personal record of 14:58.98. Otherwise, the top placement was Eddie Strickler (Fr., Richland, Wa.), taking fourth in the 400 in a season-best 49.36. Chris Randolph (So., Lone Tree, Co.) returned after missing six meets with an ankle sprain. His best finish was sixth in the javelin (157-3). Micah Kellcy (Sr., Lakewood, Wa./Clover Park was sixth in the 400 hurdles (57.01).

Other SPU women earning all-conference honors by finishing among the top three were Abby Groth (So., ) in the 3000 (10:58.39), Julienne Duringer (Fr., Monroe, Wa.) in the 400 (59.15), Kristin Janney (Fr., White Salmon, Wa./Columbia) in the 100 hurdles (15.42), Amy Harris (So., Philomath, Or.) in the pole vault (11-5 3/4).

Next Saturday is the final opportunity to post national qualifying marks, and Seattle Pacific hosts the Ken Foreman Invitational at the Southwest Athletic Complex in West Seattle.