KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.  – The Indiana State Sycamores either won or finished as the top collegian in 12 events led by the record breaking performance of senior Brandon Pounds at the 2013 Billy Hayes Invitational Friday at Indiana University.

Pounds broke his own school record to win the men's hammer throw while Greggmar Swift posted a victory in the men's 110 meter hurdles, Taylor Head won the 3000 meter steeplechase, Max Tuttle finished as the top collegian in the men's 400 meter hurdles, and Chris Fields was the top collegian in the men's shot put.

Carmelia Stewart captured the women's 100 meter hurdles with Katie Wise winning the 100 meters, Shelby Higginbottom the 400 meters, Felisha Johnson the hammer throw and the discus, Shalesa Smith the triple jump, and the 4x100 meter relay team was also a winner.

Pounds' best throw came on his fifth attempt as the broke the school record by nearly a foot with a toss of 215'-2” (65.58m) and beat Indiana State volunteer assistant coach Timothy Morse (unattached) who threw 210'-8” (64.21m). Pounds had the Indiana State record at 214'-4” (65.34m) which he threw at the 2012 Auburn Tiger Track Classic.

Three other Sycamores placed in the top 10 with Justin Applegate fourth with a career best 190'-4” (58.01m), Chris Fields fifth at 186'-6” (56.86m), and Derek Bunch with a career bet 166'-4” (50.70m) to place ninth.

Fields placed second overall but was the top collegian in the shot put at 55'-7½” (16.95m).  Corey Martin (Nike) won the event with a track record distance of 67'-0” (20.42m). Bunch was sixth overall at 50'-6¼” (15.40m) with Sean Dennis eighth at 50'-1¾” (15.28m).  

Johnson had a throw of 176'-3” (53.73m) on her first attempt in the hammer throw which held up as she won the event. Johnson won her second event of the competition later in the day as she had a throw of 163'-8” (49.89m) in the discus to win by more than five feet.

Smith soared to a career best distance of 41'-2½” (12.56m) to win the women's triple jump which is the third best distance in school history.

It was a good day for the Sycamore hurdlers with Indiana State recording two victories out of the four events and posting the top collegiate time in a third.

All five Indiana State competitors in the women's 100 meter hurdles advanced to the finals with Stewart running 13.84 to win the event. That is the second fastest time in school history as she moved past former Sycamore Erica Moore who ran 13.88 in 2008. Stacia Weatherford holds the school record of 13.68 set last year.

Taylor Gilles posted the fourth fastest time in school history with a 13.95 finish in the preliminaries. She placed second in the finals with a time of 14.00. Jaleesa Holmes is now ninth on the ISU Top Ten list after running 14.28 to place fourth in the finals while Jalencia Lemons was fifth in a career best 13.38 and Kelly Steffen eighth in a season best 13.81.

All four Sycamores in the men's 110 meter hurdles also reached the finals with Swift running a season best 13.62 in winning the event. Maurice Lyke was right behind and finished second in 13.83 which puts him sixth on the ISU all-time list. Adarius Washington ran 14.27 to finish fifth and Duane Brown was timed in 14.32 as he finished seventh.

Max Tuttle finished second overall but was the top collegian in the men's 400 meter hurdles as he ran 52.66. Arqeil Shaw ran a career best 53.14 to place third overall (second collegian) with Ray Skamay sixth overall in 53.98. Jermel Kindred (unattached) won the event in 51.23.

Three Sycamores finished in the top eight of the women's 100 meters led by Wise who ran the third fastest time in school history of 11.50 in winning the event. She moved past Jeanné Middleton (11.53 in 2009) and trails Holli Hyche (11.03 in 1994) and Omegia Keeys (11.38 in 1996). Demetra Camble finished third in 11.76 seconds (sixth fastest all-time) with Macey Black sixth in a career best 12.02.

Shelby Higginbottom ran a season best 56.63 to win the 400 meters while Kaisha Martin, Black, Camble, and Wise combined to win the 4x100 meter relay with a time of 45.64.

Taylor Head ran 9:13.84 to win the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase with Bryan Horsman posting a career best 9:43.85 to finish fourth and Gabe Ocasio running 9:50.72 to place fifth.

Also on the track for the Indiana State women: Holmes was fourth (25.89), Gilles sixth (26.52), and Lemons eighth (27.12) in the 200 meters; Leeann Michl second in the 800 meters (2:08.39); Hanna Mercer third in the 1,500 meters (4:56.50); Brittany Housel seventh (1:05.79) and Amy Fanella eighth (1:06.38) in the 400 meter hurdles; and Kalli Dalton eighth in the Invitational 1500 meters (4:43.52).

Nicole Hope and Richelle Kimble tied for second in the pole vault as each cleared 13'-0¼” (3.97m). Nicole Hope was fifth at 12'-2½” (3.72m), Alyssa Markiewicz and Hannah McKnight tied for sixth at 11'-8½” (3.57m), and Lauren Rice tied for eighth at 11'-2½” (3.42m).

In other field events: Katy Rutz placed second in the shot put with a career best heave of 43'-10¾” (13.38m) with Walker third at 42'-7”: (12.98m); Ioanna Koltsidou was fifth in the high jump as she cleared 5'-5¼” (1.66m) with Kalyn Davis seventh at 5'-3¼” (1.61m); Rachael Johnson fifth in the long jump with a career best 16'-9¼” (5.11m); Steffen fifth in the javelin with a season best 100'-3” (30.57m), and India Williams sixth at 99'-5”  (30.30m); Whitney Walker eighth in the discus with a career throw of 137'-7” (41.93m)

Dustin Betz ran the fourth fastest 1500 meters in Indiana State history but still placed ninth in the men's Invitational 1500 meter run with a time of 3:47.44.

Also on the track for the Indiana State men: Shaun Smith placed sixth (10.62) and Devin Price eighth (10.87) in the finals of the 100 meters; Justin Baxtron was third (21.67), Keith Housley fourth (21.68) and Adarius Washington sixth (21.92) in the 200 meters; Brian Martin eighth (49.38) in the 400 meters; Corey Hahn ninth in the 800 meters (1:55.31); and Brad Adams ninth in the 1500 meters (4:16.37).

The Sycamore 4x100 relay of Housley, Swift, Baxtron, and Smith placed second in 40.64 seconds which is the fourth fastest time in school history. The 4x400 relay team of Ryan Dickson, Ryan Henrickson, Martin, and Skamay was third in 3:18.01.

In other field events: Pounds added a second place finish to his day's work as he had a distance of 166'-6” (50.74m) in the discus with Fields sixth at 148'-3” (45.18m); Robert Webb had a career best leap of 46'-9½” (14.26m) to place third in the triple jump; Jordan Colanese placed third in the javelin with a distance of 180'-3” (54.94m) with Austin Schulthies fourth at 174'-6” (53.18m) and Brenner Stage fifth at 174'-5” (53.17m); and Wes Schenck tied for third in the pole vault by clearing 15'-11¼” (4.86m) with Connor Curley tying for sixth at 15'-5½” (4.71m).