SAN ANGELO, Texas- The West Texas A&M Buffs and Lady Buffs bring home the Lone Star Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship titles for the fourth consecutive year! The Buffs achieved their highest score in WT history with 284.50 points. The Lady Buffs achieved their second-highest score with 274 points. The LSC men's second place went to TAMU Kingsville with 122.50 points while the women's place was host Angelo State with 168.50.
POINTS BREAKDOWN
The Buffs and Lady Buffs scored in every possible category including sprints, hurdles distance, throws, jumps, relays and multis. The breakdown of points is as follows: 1
st place (10pts)., 2
nd (8 pts), 3
rd (6 pts), 4
th (5 pts), 5
th (4 pts), 6
th (3 pts), 7
th (2 pts) and 8
th ( 1 pt).
Buffs: Sprints (33); Hurdles (25); Distance (111); Throws (35); Jumps (55.5); Relays (14); Multis (11).
Lady Buffs: Sprints (60); Hurdles (19); Distance (90); Throws (42); Jumps (39); Relays (12); Multis (12).
DISTANCE DOMINATES
If the Buffs and Lady Buffs distance squads competed as their own team, then they would have each placed third overall in the team scores. Out of 10 distance events, WT scored 8 first place finishes, one second place finish and one event where no one was entered to compete. WT won 80% of their distance races, had 28 athletes place in the top eight, and achieved five podium sweeps.
Florance Uwajeneza and
William Amponsah remained undefeated by taking first in the 5,000m and 10,000m. Both are national leaders in the 10,000m this season. At the LSC championships, Uwajeneza finished the 10,000m in 37 minutes, 5 seconds while Amponsah finished in 31 minutes, 3 seconds. Amponsah went on to set a new facility record at the LeGrand 1
st Credit Union Field at Angelo State University by running the 5,000m in 14 minutes, 3 seconds.
Betty Bajika won her first LSC Championship gold in the 1500m running in 4 minutes, 30 seconds marking the 10
th fastest time in WT history. Freshman
Sarah Koomson took second and
Kalkidan Vincendeau third, respectively in the event. Koomson made the podium in both her events, the 1500m and 5,000m.
Aziz Mohammed placed first in his two events, the 800m and 1500m. In the 800m, Mohammed ran in 1 minute, 48.4 seconds marking the third fastest time in WT history and in the 1500m he ran in 3 minutes, 46.3 seconds to mark the fourth fastest for WT. He took first in the 1500m by 4 seconds ahead of second place WT teammate,
Louis Moreau (3:50.7).
Matthys Bourse made his debut in the LSC championship in the 3,000m steeplechase by taking first in 9 minutes, 21 seconds marking a full 5 seconds ahead of the competition.
SPRINT U
The Buffs and Lady Buffs both took first in the 4x100 relay and the 200m dash. Olympic qualifier,
Isaac Botsio, easily ran ahead of the competition in the 100m at 10.22 seconds to garner first and defended his title from last year.
Jerry Jakpa claimed first in the 200m running in 21.16 seconds and earned his first individual gold in an LSC outdoor championship. He placed second in the 100m (10.34) and was the second leg of the Buffs 4x100 relay that placed first. Freshman
Jace Lynch and
Jeremiah Lauzon each ran a part of the 4x100 relay with Botsio finishing the fourth leg.
The Lady Buffs 4x100 consisted of
Joy Udo-Gabriel,
Deborah Acheampong,
Amari Weatherford and
DeOndra Green as they finished in 45.11 seconds to take first.
Corrssia Perry made the podium in both of her events with a first-place finish in the 400m in 52.88 seconds marking the fourth fastest time in WT history. Perry took bronze in the 200m.
Deborah Acheampong ran the 8
th fastest time in WT history in the 200m in 23.53 seconds to take gold at LSC.
Amari Weatherford finished in second at 23.89.
FIELDING FOR GOLD
Luke Holcombe earned the most points for the throwers by making the podium in all three events; hammer, discus, shotput. On Saturday he took gold in the shot put (16.94m) and added to his already bronze performances in the discus and hammer throw. Combined Holcombe brought in 22 points for the Buffs. Teammate
Jon Tucker made the podium in the shot put in his last competition in the maroon and white.
Meadow Gallentine and
Jada Sewell placed first and third, respectively in the women's hammer throw.
Joseph Oreva took gold in long jump at 7.63m or 25 0.5 feet. That's equivalent to jumping two and a half average sedans parked bumper to bumper.
Miriam Zanovello and freshman
Manuel Cuesta each earned a gold medal in the triple jump with 12.79m and 14.89m jumps, respectively. Sophomore local
Kailee Benton took bronze in the long jump with 5.89m.
MULTIS
Laiten Greeson took first in the heptathlon with 5,238 points, the second most in WT history and
David Richards took bronze in the decathlon with 6,557 points.
COMING UP
The Buffs and Lady Buffs track and field teams will await declarations for the NCAA Division II National Championship to be released later tonight, on NCAA.com.
For full results from the LSC Championships fans can go to
Mile Split Timing HERE.
