Track/Cross Country Story

Lady T-Birds ‘tune up’ for nationals

February 20 – Hobbs, NM. Score another pair for the New Mexico Junior College women’s indoor track team.

Nine Lady Thunderbirds now have qualified for 11 events in the National Junior College Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Championship March 3-4 at Kansas State University. Two team members made the cut during competition Feb. 18 at the Sooner Indoor Track and Field Meet in Norman, Okla.

Melesia Mafileo had an uplifting day, qualifying for nationals in the long jump. She pulled down a fifth-place finish in Norman, marking off 5.41 meters. She also earned third place in the triple jump at 12.19 meters.

Terri Hannah, too, will have a shot at national competition in the 60-meter hurdles after qualifying Feb. 18.

“Oklahoma was not our best meet. We were 12th, but we did not run as well as I know we can,” coach Keith Blackwill said. “It was a tune-up meet for nationals. We found out where we need to get fine tuned, for sure, and we’re doing it.”

Kashain Page took sixth in the 60-meter hurdles with a 9.34 after advancing on a fifth-place finish at 9.14 in the preliminary event.

Eunice Jepkogei turned in a 5:46.64 in the women’s one-mile run to finish eighth, and an 11:36.53 in the 3,000-meter run put her in sixth place.

Deidra Harrison posted a 26.78 in the 200-meter dash – good enough for ninth place – and a 1:01.91 in the 400-meter dash for 12th place.

Monique Davis mounted a 1:34.02 in the 600-yard run to come out in third among a field of five.

In the 800-meter run, teammates Gabriela Rodriguez and Melshanda Speed claimed the 10th and 11th spots. Rodriguez ran a 2:36.97, while Speed crossed the finish line at 2:38.04.

Cottrell Martin grabbed sixth place in the 200-meter dash with a 26.09.

NMJC’s 4x440-yard relay team placed fourth, coming in just less than 12 seconds off first-place Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Competition for the Lady T-Birds at the Feb. 18 meet included squads from schools such as the University of Oklahoma, North Texas, Missouri Southern, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Howard Payne, Huston-Tillotson and Paul Quinn.