April 25, 2008
Results
DES MOINES, Iowa -
Unseasonably cold conditions at the 99th Annual Drake Relays did not affect senior Devon Williams as she heated up competition and earned her ticket to the finals of the 100-meter dash. The Oswego, Ill., native sprinted to a season-best finish of 11.86 seconds to place eighth out of a grueling field of 21 participants on the Jim Duncan Track in Drake Stadium Friday.
It was a busy day for the women's squad as a total of four relays, with Williams as a vital member of three of those, were run throughout the day. Illinois State head track and field coach Elvis Forde could not be more please with the effort his team displayed.
"Devon, Melissa (Clarke), Kyndra (Curtain) all had to run several relay events, especially Devon who also had to run an individual event," said Forde. "They all had to warm up and cool down several times during the course of the day. It was difficult and I have to give Devon credit in terms of the 100 meters. She ran her best 100 meters of the season. I still see a few things that we can polish to get her down to 11.40 and 11.50 (seconds), but she is going to be going fast once mid-May comes around."
Seniors Anna Lovell, Melissa Clarke, Kyndra Curtin and Williams combined for their first 4x100-meter relay of the season and clocked in with a time of 46.52 to take 14th in the preliminary heats among 28 other teams. While the squad did not qualify for the finals, the foursome did post the fastest time among all other Missouri Valley Conference competitors (Southern Illinois, UNI, Missouri State and Drake). The same group then ran together again to place 10th with a time of 1:42.18 in the 4x200-meter relay.
The quartet of Officer, Clarke, Williams and Lovell ran a season-best time of 3:49.95 to take 19th in the prelims of the 4x400-meter relay.
The women's distance medley relay strung together four solid performances to place sixth with a time of 12:01.18. Freshman Michelle Brunk led off with the 1,200-meter run, with junior Brianna Officer handling the 400. Freshman Jenny Kraakevik moved the squad up in the 800, before handing off to senior Suzy Turner who anchored the relay for the last mile, edging out Iowa in the last 50-meters to take sixth overall.
Junior Samantha Springer threw the discus 151-03 to take 11th place in the preliminaries.
"Sam had a good day throwing the discus," said Forde. "She threw about two feet under what she is capable of, but she had to deal with a wet ring, wet shoes and muddy conditions in the field. It is all about effort and that is what we saw from the athletes competing today and we cannot ask for much more."
On the men's side, in their first running the 4x1,600-meter relay, sophomore Scott Krapf, freshman Matt Mroczynski, junior Mike Richardson and freshman John Navarro claimed 11th place with a time of 17:25.78. Later, sophomore Rob Barkulis, Mroczynski, Navarro and freshman Jon Roberts combined to run the 4x800-meter relay with a time of 7:53.69 (12th place).
"This was a young group competing," said Forde. "You have to give them credit running the mile so well with the winds swirling so much in here on the back stretch (of the track). There were tough conditions, but this is our sport and whatever it brings we just have to handle it because everyone else is dealing with it too."
The Redbirds will wrap up their performances at the Drake Relays Saturday, senior Alex Straughn will begin the day at 10 a.m. in the high jump.
