Men's track and field wins third Region I title in four years; women second
Mesa, AZ – The 13th-ranked Mesa men's track and field squad easily out-distanced sixth-ranked Central Arizona to capture its third Region I championship in the last four years Thursday at John D. Riggs Stadium.
MCC scored 302 points to 204 for CAC, with Paradise Valley finishing third with 134.
The T-Bird women, also ranked No. 13 in the nation, placed second behind No. 4 CAC, 257-179.5, with Pima third at 135.5.
Along the way members of both teams won numerous individual titles and set new, or improved, NJCAA qualifying marks.
On the men's side, Marcus Naisant added yet another event to his NJCAA list, the 100-meter hurdles. He bettered the standard with a 15.06 clocking.
Van Harvey Vance improved his qualifying standard in the 400 by winning in 47.90. James Kenyata took the 100 meters in 10.68 and Tristant Stellmach was victorious in the 1500 in 4:01.68, an NJCAA qualifying mark, but short of a standard he set earlier in the year.
Two MCC relay teams also won conference titles. The 4x100 squad of Gevon Grimes, James Kenyata, Wallace Burgess and Van Harvey Vance won in 41.60 and the 4x400 team of Bryce Clemons, James Lara, Marquis Brown-Tiller and Vance was timed in 3:15.41.
For the women, Quinn Johnson took two events and improved her NJCAA standing in both. In the 800 her 2:16.41 was more than two-and-one-half seconds quicker and she sliced over five seconds in the 1500 with a 4:42.53.
In addition, Camille Foster won both the 100 and 200 meters. Her time in the 100 was 12.44 and she ran a 25.52 200.
Both teams will now head for the NJCAA Division I National Championships, May 16-18 in Hobbs, N.M.
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