Fort Valley State’s women’s track team ran away from the rest
of the field to successfully defend their SIAC Track & Field Crown for
the fourth consecutive year.
“I have one of the best teams I have ever coached this year,” Head
Coach Darlene Moore said at the beginning of the season. She was right on point
replacing a few seasoned veterans with several very impressive newcomers. Freshman
and former Georgia High School track and field champion Moteak Sanford claimed
victory in the heptahlon and second place finishes in the 100 hurdles and high
jump. Distance runner Vanessa Najera grabbed triple gold with wins in the 3000m
steeplechase, 5000 m, and 10000 m races.
Jake McDonald Photo
FVSU's Vanessa Najera won three distance events for the Lady Cats.
The Lady Rams of Albany State gave the Lady Wildcats some competition early,
behind an impressive performance by sprinter Jasmine Peck. Peck doubled up
wins in the 100 m, 200m and anchored both winning relays. In the 4 x 400 m
relay, Peck came from behind catching and passing 100 m hurdle champ Ebony
McMath (FVSU) with 60 meters to go.
Excitement abounded throughout the day as four individual champions defended
their crowns. Jessica Render repeated as the 400 m champion, but a hamstring
injury in the 100m kept her from successfully defending her 200 m title. Render’s
2003 showing had her as the odds on favorite to win all three events. Another
favorite was Benedict College’s middle distance specialist Rosemarie
Browne. Browne, a native of Jamaica, didn’t disappoint easily defending
her title in both the 800m and 1500m. Fort Valley’s McMath and Tuskegee’s
Laquanda Nichols defended their titles with wins in the 100 m hurdles and shotput
respectively.
While the four enjoyed the view from on high, several others relished in their
overall improvement from last year. Adrian Johnson of Paine College matured
her 6th place finish in 2003 to a second place finish this year. 2004 high
jump champion Lakeisha Dupree (Albany St.) was a fifth place finisher in 2003.
Clark Atlanta’s “I’m Every Event Woman” Jonnie Williams
cut nearly a full second off her 2003 4th place 400 m time to take second this
year behind Render. Williams participated in 2 sprint events, 2 relays, 2 field
events, and the grueling 7-event heptathlon for the Lady Panthers. She tied
teammate Gabrielle Reynolds for seventh in the high jump after giving out at
1.42 m. Reynolds also made the most of the day taking 3rd in the 100 m hurdles
after failing to finish in 2003.
Jake McDonald Photo
Albany State's Jasmine Peck finishes 200m race as SIAC Champion. She
also won the 100m and anchored the winning 4 X 400m relay team.
Saturday’s competition also saw the conference pole vaulting record
fall. After finishing second in 2003, Senior Lady Ram Camiella Payton ended
her collegiate career in style with a vault of 3.20 m and a new SIAC record.
Payton and 2003 pole vault winner, teammate Dimitri Galbreath placed 1-2 to
start a trend for the Lady Rams in the field events. Jana Mrozkova and Lasheena
Rice captured both of the top spots in the triple jump. The Lady Rams also
captured first in the javelin, high jump, hammer throw for a 26-point advantage
over the Lady Wildcats in the field competition.
Fort Valley’s dominance in the distance events more than offset the
Lady Rams performance in the field events. Najera, Vernika Reeves, Janelle
Hamilton and Jenn McGahee outpaced the Lady Ram runners by 68 points to clinch
a 4-peat for Fort Valley.
