Sunday, April 22, 2012

SAC Falcons Win 15th Straight CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Title


COACH GEORGE WILLIAMS
SAINT AUGUSTINE'S COLLEGE

PETERSBURG, Virginia  -  Saint Augustine's College coasted to victory on the men's side while Virginia State University earned a hard-fought win in the women's events at the 2012 CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at Rogers Stadium on the campus of Virginia State University.

The Falcons, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II men's rankings, claimed their 15th straight league outdoor crown and 29th title in the last 30 CIAA championship outdoor meets under legendary head coach George Williams by a lopsided score. They compiled 216 points to easily defeat the rest of the men's field. Virginia State was second with 88 points and Johnson C. Smith University was third with 84 points.

The women's championship was the first for the Lady Trojans, who rallied late to overtake first-day leader Johnson C. Smith. The Lady Trojans scored 139.5 points followed by Johnson C. Smith (129 points) and Saint Augustine's College (115 points).

Andrew Chebii of Winston-Salem State University was named CIAA men's track MVP while DeJon Wilkinson of Saint Augustine's College and Randale Watson of Johnson C. Smith shared men's field MVP honors. Samantha Elliott of Johnson C. Smith was chosen women's track MVP and teammate Xahnn-Georgia Reid was selected women's field MVP.

For the St. Aug men, the outcome was never in doubt once the championship meet started. The Falcons built a 15-point lead after four events Friday and steadily increased the margin Saturday after each event. The only question was how much the Falcons would win by.

The depth and talent of the Falcons were simply too much to overcome. They took the top three places in the 800-meter run, the 110-meter hurdles and the high jump, and had two of the top three finishers in the 400-meter hurdles, the 100-meter dash and the 400-meter dash.

Wilkinson added a victory in the triple jump to go along with his long jump win on Friday. Other winners for the Falcons on Saturday included Ramaan Ansley (100-meter dash), Marcelis Lynch (800-meter run) and Jason Boyd (110-meter hurdles). The Falcons won the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays. Christopher Copeland captured the high jump Friday. Boyd is No. 3 in the nation in the 110 hurdles, and Copeland is No. 4 in Division II in the high jump.

Wilkinson joined Chebii and Akino Ming of Johnson C. Smith as double winners in the men's events. Chebii won the 1500-meter and 5,000 meter run, and Ming is the league champion in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes. Ming is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 400 dash.

Other men's winners were Daniel Ross of Virginia State (400-meter hurdles), Hildrew McNair of Virginia State (pole vault), Watson of Johnson C. Smith (shot put), Ahmad Garrison of Livingstone (discus) and Bryan Aycoth of Livingstone (javelin).

The women's meet turned into a two-team duel between Virginia State and Johnson C. Smith, which started the day with the lead. Virginia State, in fourth place entering Saturday, surged into contention early, and the lead flip-flopped between Johnson C. Smith and Virginia State. The Lady Golden Bulls eventually gained breathing room again and led 110-88.5 with four events remaining.

The Lady Trojans started their rally in the 800-meter run, where Sierra Clayton led a 1-2 VSU finish. The 1,500-meter run was a VSU sweep of the top three places with Taylor-Ashley Bean winning the event. After two runners scored in the 200-meter dash, the Lady Trojans had reclaimed the lead 134.5-123 with one event left.

It was a team effort for the Lady Trojans, who won six individual events. Samantha Edwards of the Lady Trojans won the 400-meter dash. She is ranked fourth in Division II in the event.

Shanika Lamons of Winston-Salem State and Elliott of JCSU were both winners in two events Saturday. Lamons was first in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, and Elliott finished first in the 100-meter and the 400-meter hurdles. Elliott entered the CIAA championships ranked No. 2 in Division II in the 400 hurdles and No. 3 in the 100 hurdles.

Andrea Powell of Saint Augustine's College won the high jump and Brittany Abraham of Virginia Union won the triple jump to go along with her long jump win on Friday. Marcia Higgins of Johnson C. Smith won the discus, and Saint Augustine's College swept the 4x100 and 4x400 races. On Friday, Imeshia Jones of Johnson C. Smith won the javelin, Brelyn Finley of Bowie State won the shot put and Bean of Johnson C. Smith won the 3,000-meter run.

Johnson C. Smith won the league's team outdoor track and field highest grade point average award, and Saint Augustine's College won the CIAA team outdoor track and field highest GPA honor.

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