PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The LSU track and field team was in top form on day two of the 106th Penn Relays at Franklin Field Friday afternoon, as the Lady Tigers claimed a pair of relay titles, while both teams advanced well toward Saturday’s finals in other areas.
Despite cold and sometimes rainy conditions, the Lady Tigers managed to win both the shuttle hurdle and 4×100-meter relay titles Friday afternoon.
“The conditions weren’t ideal, but that can happen this time of year in the Northeast,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry. “The bottom line is we were able to win two relay titles and get some fine individual performances as well. To win the 4×100-meter title with the field on hand is particularly rewarding because we’ve been close against Texas a few times and today we put it together.”
The Lady Tigers regained the 4×100-meter relay title they surrendered a year ago, avenging a pair of defeats to Texas earlier this year by beating their main rivals with a time of 43.98 seconds. The foursome of Joyce Bates, Valma Bass, Myra Combs and Peta-Gaye Dowdie gave LSU its seventh 4×100-meter relay title in the last 10 years. Texas finished second followed by South Carolina.
The Lady Tigers then set out to defend the shuttle hurdle relay title it claimed a year ago with three-quarters of the defending champion team returning. It appeared as if LSU finished second to Ohio State, but the anchor leg of the Buckeye’s relay team took off early and they were disqualified, giving the group of Loren Leaverton, April Sams, Ashley Bethel and Bates LSU’s fourth title in 10 years with a time of 54.57.
Bates, a native of Philadelphia, continued her tremendous day, winning her heat in the 100-meter hurdles in the third fastest preliminary time of the day. The former Simon Gratz High School standout blew through the preliminary rounds in a time of 13.16 to advance to Saturday afternoon’s final.
LSU also advanced to Saturday’s 4×200-meter final despite not using its top group. The foursome of Jemia Ellis, Bass, Somalia Lindsay and Combs finished second in their heat in a time of 1:36.91. The will be seeded seventh for Saturday afternoon’s final, but will add Dowdie and Sams to the group, as LSU tries for its sixth title in seven years in the event.
Dowdie will also headline the field in the 100-meter dash after blazing through the preliminary rounds Friday afternoon with a time of 11.39, well ahead of the second fastest qualifying time, an 11.75 registered by Heather Sumpter of Tennessee. Dowdie will be gunning for her second Penn Relays 100-meter title. The senior All-American won the event in 1998 and can become only the second Lady Tiger ever to win two 100-meter titles, joining 1993 and 1994 champion Cheryl Taplin.
NCAA Indoor triple jump champion Keisha Spencer suffered a rare defeat in her signature event, although it was not to an American collegian. Spencer jumped 44 feet 9 inches, but fell to Althea Williams of the University of Toronto, who jumped 45-0 +. Spencer had been a perfect 10-0 between the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Elsewhere in the field, Alex Forst won the championship section of the men’s discus with an NCAA provisional toss of 188-11. The Penn Relays title is the first for the 1998 NCAA runner-up in the discus. Marcus Thomas finished fifth in the men’s long jump with a leap of 25-3 +.
On the track on Friday the Tigers qualified for Saturday afternoon’s 4×100-meter final, winning their heat with a time of 40.66, as the group of Carlos Garcia, Derrick Brew, Deryell Patterson and Dwhyte Barrett ran the fifth fastest qualifying time on the day.
The 106th Penn Relays conclude tomorrow afternoon with a number of significant relay titles still to be decided, as well as all sprint finals. In addition, Russ Buller will look for his second career Penn Relays pole vault title, while Thomas will take aim at his first triple jump crown.