by RBR AdminThis is the second piece by David Hunter, one of our top commentators, on day two the 2013 Jesse Owens Track Classic….
2013 Jesse Owens Classic / Day Two
Day Two: King’s Royal Triple
Three Wins For Indiana Tech Sprinter Prove To Be Special
April 20, 2013
Columbus, Ohio
Under cloudy skies and tricky swirling winds, 495 athletes representing 55 teams converged upon the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for Day Two of the Jesse Owens Track Classic. While many undoubtedly shivered in the unseasonably cold weather, Indiana Tech senior 
Adella King had to be warmed by her career day which featured victories in the 100, the 200, and a scintillating second leg on the Warriors’ winning 4 x 100 relay team.
The day kicked off with the 4 x 100 relays – and with a difficult start for the host Buckeyes. The OSU women’s quartet – sporting 4 accomplished sprinters – was plagued by progressively-eroding baton exchanges. When the ladies completed the final pass well outside the exchange zone, meet officials mercifully hoisted the disqualification flag. Indiana Tech handily captured the win with a time of 45.69. In the men’s race, OSU leadoff runner Brandon Blackwell suffered a hamstring pull – always a heightened risk on a cold, blustery day – as the Buckeyes limped in with an 8th place finish. Indiana State – holding off a fast-finishing Kent State foursome – bested the field with a winning time of 41.06.
The precarious hurdle events often produce unexpected results. Today was no exception. With the matriculation of OSU’s hurdle phenom Christina Manning, the women’s 100 hurdles event was thought to be a wide-open affair. But Ohio State sophomore Alexandria Johnson showed she might be able to keep it all in the family for a few more years as she snapped over the hurdles in 13.92 for the win. Christienne Linton – Johnson’s senior teammate – got up for second in 14.04 to complete the Buckeye’s 1-2 sweep.
In the men’s 110 hurdles, the hometown fans winced when Demoye Bogle – a pre-race favorite – was sent packing after a false start. Sensing an opportunity, Indiana State’s Greggmar Swift picked up the pieces with a workmanlike 14.04 victory.
Aided somewhat by a modest reprieve from the wind just before the gun, Kent State junior Shanequa Williams got out quickly and held on gamely down the home stretch to capture the victory in the 400. Her winning time of 55.10 spoke volumes about the troublesome wind conditions.
In the men’s 400, OSU graduate Thomas Murdaugh – lifting down the final straightaway – notched a victory, posting a winning time of 47.73.
Adella King – fully rejuvenated after her two-hour recovery from the 4 x 110 – drove to victory in the women’s 100. The petite Indiana Tech speedster exhibited great leg turnover as she easily vanquished the field, stopping the clock at 11.50.
It was all Ohio State in the men’s 100. Running into a nasty crosswind, Ohio State’s sophomore sprint star Tim Faust – who captured the 200 title at Knoxville’s Sea Ray Relays the prior weekend – clocked a 10.56 to gain a narrow victory. Teammate Demoye Bogle erased some of the sting of his earlier DQ in the hurdles by getting up for second [in 10.62] to complete a 1-2 sweep for the Buckeyes.
Buckeye successes continued in the women’s 800. New OSU women’s middle distance coach Khadevis Robinson had to be smiling broadly as two of his sophomore protégés – Katie Borchers and Janel Olberding – snatched the top two spots in the women’s 800. Borchers – whose mark of 2:06.95 this past winter set a new OSU indoor record in 800 – was in full control as she powered down the final straightaway to post a winning time of 2:10.76. Olberding – whose 2:08.95 clocking the prior weekend represents the third fastest women’s 800 time in OSU history – followed closely in 2:11.92 to secure the runner-up spot and complete the 1-2 scarlet and gray sweep.
In the men’s 800, a rabbiting duo led the field through the 400 in 51.90 and turned the race over at about 550 meters. And while pacing assistance helped, it could not overcome the challenges presented by the blustery, shifting winds. Ashland sophomore Drew Windle willed his way through the headwinds to finish first in 1:49.33. He was followed by Michigan State senior Joe Banyai in 1:51.32 while Akron junior Jake Hiltner grabbed 3rd in 1:52.31.
OSU freshman Alexis Franklin – an 8-time Maryland state high school champion and the nation’s top-ranked high school 400 hurdler last spring – ran away with the 400 hurdles, stopping the clock in 58.43.
Jermel Kindred made quick work of the field in the men’s 400H. Kindred put on a clinic as he completed his truly rhythmic circuit in 51.5. Ashland sophomore Elijha Owens [52.34] and Lake Erie sophomore Ethan Snyder [52.36] rounded out the top three.
Adella King bested the field in the women’s 200 to complete her triple. The Indiana Tech senior had to fight for it down the stretch as her wind-impeded 24.02 was just enough to hold off Kent State’s Shanequa Williams [24.14] – the earlier 400 winner – for the victory.
Tim Faust – the earlier 100 victor – made it a double-win day when he captured the 200. Showing why he is the reigning Big Ten indoor 200 champion, Faust [21.26] dug deep to hold off Ashland senior Joe Horn [21.31].
Saturday’s throws offered a few impressive marks and more spirited competition. Multiple-time Olympian A.G. Kruger toyed with the field in the men’s hammer throw. All three of Kruger’s fair attempts were at least 3 feet farther than the best his competitors could offer. The Jud Logan-coached athlete’s second round bomb of 247′ 6″ [75.43m] turned out to be his premiere throw. Kruger’s early season form suggests he could be on the right trajectory to make yet another national team.
In the women’s hammer, OSU senior Alexis Thomas’ 3rd round heave of 65.48 [214’10”] set a new OSU school record. But Thomas’ record throw wasn’t enough to overcome the winning toss of eventual winner Brittany Funk. The Akron junior’s funky winning throw was an impressive 65.96 [216’5″].
With her opening throw, women’s shot putter Nia Henderson launched a scud missile. Her first round heave of 53′ 5″ [16.28] held up and earned her the title. Jov’vonnie Mosley [51’4¼ / 15.65m] and Danniel Thomas [49’8¼ / 15.14] – a pair of Kent Staters – grabbed second and third. Findlay’s Derrick Vicar easily captured the men’s shot put with a solid second round throw of 19.27 [63’2¾”].
The fickle weather worked a hardship on the jumping events. As was the case in 2012, inclement weather drove the pole vault competition indoors. Michigan State’s Cliff Miller had an easy time of it, clearing 5.10 [16’8¾”] to win by nearly a foot over runner-up Cody Marshall [4.82 / 15′ 9¾”] of Ohio State. On the women’s side, Cincinnati vault veteran Mackenzie Fields cleared 4.35 [14’3¼”] for a six-inch win over Ashland senior Katie Nageotte [4.20 / 13’9 ¼”].
In the triple jump, Lake Erie sophomore Joseph Postwaite hopped, skipped and jumped it out to 14.80 [48′ 6¾”] for an easy, workmanlike victory. Kent State senior Keri Dantley captured the women’s crown with a 5th round jump of 12.26 [40’2¾”].
In the high jump, Edward Dudley – a Lake Erie junior – cleared 2.10 [6’10¾”] to win the men’s high jump in a jump off over Peter Stefanski of Miami of Ohio. Kent State frosh Dior Delophont sailed over 1.79 [5’10½”] to win the women’s high jump.
In the women’s long jump, Leah Eber leaped 6.19 [20’3¾”] for an easy victory over Ohio State sophomore Abie Ehimweneman [5.90 / 19’4¼”].
OSU senior Mike Hartfield – his head still spinning after eclipsing Jesse Owen’s 77-year old Ohio State long jump record earlier this month – easily won the men’s long jump. It was just another day at the of
fice for Hartfield who took only two jumps. His second attempt was his winning leap of 7.96 [26’1½”] – a mark which bettered his closest competitor by two feet.
The Buckeyes closed the show with a pair of easy victories in the 4 x 400 relays. The OSU women’s quartet – with a sparkling anchor run by Alexis Franklin – won by an impressive margin in 3:44.36. On the men’s side, OSU split up its abundant 400 talent, running “A” and “B” teams. The OSU foursomes grabbed the top two spots in 3:14.11 and 3:17.20 respectively. The best OSU lineup – which ran 3:07.92 last weekend in Knoxville – should be capable of making a little noise in the NCAA 4 x 400 final at the end of season at Hayward Field.
~Dave Hunter
