Jones' mind filled with Olympic dreams

Sports Opinion

By Tom Carpenter
Daily Cougar Staff

UH's men's and women's track squads went about their business Saturday, skirting the voids left by injuries to finish second and third, respectively, at the Houston Indoor Invitational at Yeoman Field House.

Cougar track head coach Leroy Burrell put everything in perspective.

Leroy Burrell

"I'm pretty happy with the men's team. They had a good meet. Our seniors really did a good job. But right now, we've got to get a few more people on our team going a little bit better," Burrell said.

The Cougar's own "fab five," comprised of Jenny Adams, Ifoma Jones, Anthony Authorlee, Karim Alston and Jeff Mueller, put forth their typical "Yeoman" effort in their specialties.

Adams, a two-time All-American senior and one of the Cougars recovering from the injury bug that bit the team, is back on track; she captured the women's 60-meter high hurdles with a respectable time of 8.47 seconds. Senior Latoya Reed scored points for the Lady Cougars by posting a fourth-place finish with a time of 8.87 seconds.

Adams also finished second in the long jump with a leap of 19-09, pretty close to what she was leaping earlier in the year. Freshman Briana Bassler broad jumped 17-05.5 to land in ninth place for the Lady Cougars.

Jones soared 5-10 to win the women's high jump. Her heptathalon mate Bassler cleared 5-04 to capture fifth place and sophomore Deonna Brown leaped 5-01.75 to finish in ninth place.

The senior distance runner captured the mile run for the Lady Cougars in 4:54.99 minutes. Freshmen Julie Perez and Crystal Ryan finished fourth and sixth with times of 5:26.53 and 5:30.21 respectively. 

Junior pole vaulter Rhian Clarke sailed over the bar at 12-07.5 to land in the winner's circle and score 10 points for the Lady Cougars.

Sophomore Chigozie Chuku chucked the women's shot 44-06, far enough to finish in fifth place. Ifoma Jones tossed the shot 30-11.25 to finish 11th.

Junior Tiana Smith, senior Emma Lindblom and junior Karina Quesada finished in the eighth, ninth and 10th positions in the women's 800-meter run with times of 2:20.49, 2:20.83 and 2:21.59 to round out the Lady Cougars' efforts for the day.

"The people we expected to do well, did well; good enough to win. A few didn't perform as well as we hoped they would perform, but I know when it counts they'll be ready," Burrell said.

Senior sprinter Anthony Authorlee continues to dominate whatever race Burrell assigns him to run. Authorlee blitzed to victory in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.64 in this marquee event, besting his nearest competition by .31 seconds.

Senior Karim Alston was one of the Cougars who stepped forward and gave a great effort.

Alston captured first place in the 400-meter dash in 49.1 seconds. Senior teammate Malid Belgrave finished third with a time of 49.76 and also ran on the first place 4x400-meter relay team that zipped around the track in 3:14.82.

Sophomore Kevin Ward blazed to victory in what some track aficionados claim is the greatest race in track and field, the mile run. Ward posted 4:15.26 to capture first place, while teammate Ron Pascucci was right on his heels with a fine 4:19.50 effort and a fourth place finish.

Junior Adonis Coles finished seventh in the men's 60-meter high hurdles with a time of 8.38 seconds.

Senior high jumper Jeff Mueller levitated 7-01 to tie Rod Newton of Mississippi State for first, but Newton was awarded first place on fewer misses. Junior Jorge Rodriguez cleared 6-05 to land in seventh place.

In the men's 800-meter final, senior Howard Sterling zipped around the track in 1:58.10 to capture sixth place and score a point. Teammate senior Ebony Scott finished eighth, with 1:58.71. Distance man Pascucci ran a respectable 2:00.64, followed closely by Damiem Montgomery and freshman Bucky Dennis in 2:01.20 and 2:02.98, respectively.

"We're getting better, but I know everyone is getting a little tired. I think a change of scenery next week in Arkansas will be good for the squad.

"We have a few technical issues to work out with our jumpers, but all in all, I'm pretty happy about the way we performed," Burrell said.