The Plainfield Enterprise - Our Newspapers Work!

A total of 22 top 25-place performances were recorded by the nationally fifth-ranked University of St. Francis women's indoor track and field team this Saturday (Feb. 1) at Grand Valley State's Mike Lints Alumni Open, which was held at the GVSU's Kelly Family Sports Center.

The non-scoring meet featured several NCAA schools such as Hillsdale, Ferris State, Michigan State, Western Illinois, Davenport, Calvin, Trine, and host Grand Valley State along with NAIA-affiliated members Indiana Tech, Taylor, and USF.

The Saints were represented by two squads in the 4x400-meter relay event. The 'A' team of Talia Jones-Wright (JR/Justice, Ill.), Makayla Barefield (FR/Joliet, Ill.), Eva Bruno (JR/Marseilles, Ill.), and Celina Mayforth (JR/New Philadelphia, Ohio) clocked a 4:06.25 time to earn fourth place and USF's 'B' squad, which consisted of Laura Rodriguez-Lugo (FR/Coldwater, Mich.), Megan Krisch (SO/Oswego, Ill.), Evelyn Odum, and Emma Clapp (FR/Grayslake, Ill.) placed 12th as a result of posting a 4:27.60 time.

The 600-meter run had three USF runners finish among the top 12 placings. Celina Mayforth claimed runner-up honors with a 1:40.29 time while Makayla Barefield was two places in back of Mayforth with a fourth-place time of 1:41.39. Emma Clapp was the third Saints' finisher as she turned in a 1:56.32 time for 12th place.

USF claimed five of the top 25 placings in the 3,000 meters, led by Laisha Corona (JR/Lockport, Ill.)'s ninth-place time of 10.18.99. Corona's time represented both NAIA 'A' and 'B' qualifying standards. Katherine Bakken (FR/Rochelle, Ill.) crossed the finish line in a time of 10:35.54 for 14th place and Bre Rodriguez (SR/Dwight, Ill.) took 16th place following a time of 10:43.05. Charleen Mascote (JR/Streator, Ill.) registered a 10:56.70 time to achieve 18th place and Tara Janney (FR/Brookfield, Ill.) ran a time of 11:15.38 to garner 25th place.

The mile run saw Sabrina Baftiri (JR/Morris, Ill.) pace USF with a fifth-place time of 4:58.23, which represented both NAIA Qualifying 'A' and 'B' standard marks. Taylor Conroy (SR/Marengo, Ill.) compiled a NAIA Standard 'B' time of 5:11.81 to earn 16th place and Veronica Navarrete (JR/Berwyn, Ill.) managed to take 19th by running a 5:14.13 time. In the 800 meters, Eva Bruno generated a time of 2:17.62 to take home fourth place and posted a NAIA 'B' qualifying standard mark. She was followed by Elyse Panzella (SO/Tinley Park, Ill.), who netted 19th place with a 2:31.40 time and Annet Juarez (FR/Joliet, Ill.) was 24th following a time of 2:48.17.

Alyssa Dolan (FR/Plano, Ill.) garnered eighth place in the 60-meter hurdles with a 9.52 time while Talia Jones-Wright raced to a 16th-place 26.63 time in the 200-meter dash.

MEN'S TRACK

A pair of University St. Francis athletes, Davual Bailey (FR/Joliet, Ill.) and Andrew Martinez (SR/Salinas, Calif.), each claimed event titles at this Saturday's (Feb. 1) non-scoring Grand Valley State Mike Lints Alumni Open, which was held at GVSU's Kelly Family Sports Center.

The annual meet featured several NCAA-affiliated schools such as Lewis, Hillsdale, Ferris State, Davenport, Trine, and host Grand Valley State along with NAIA members Indiana Tech, Taylor, and nationally seventh-ranked USF to name a few.

Davual Bailey, a freshman, made his USF debut a memorable one by clocking a NAIA Standard 'B' time of 6.93 to capture first place in the 60-meter dash.

In the 5,000-meter run, Andrew Martinez crossed the finish line ahead of all the event's runners in a time of 14:49.22 to achieve first-place recognition while setting both NAIA standard 'A' and 'B' marks. Mark Dames (FR/Channahon, Ill.) (FR/Channahon, Ill.) also registered a top 20-place performance in the 5,000 meters by garnering 20th place as a result of a 16:01.22 time.

The Saints performed well in the mile run as four individuals finished among the top 15 placings. Leading the way was Omar Paramo (SO/Plainfield, Ill.), who ran a time of 4:12.87 to place third. Carlos Martinez (SO/Valparaiso, Ind.) would claim seventh place as a result of posting a 4:15.24 time. Pedro Ocampo (FR/Berwyn, Ill.) turned in a time of 4:18.71 to take 14th place followed by Matt Wilson (SR/Lowell, Ind.), who ran a 15th-place time of 4:19.74.

In the 600-meter finals, Elihu Young (SO/Blue Island, Ill.) was USF's highest finisher with an eighth-place 1:23.36 time. Thomas Brown (SR/Olympia Fields, Ill.) placed ninth following a time of 1:24.13 and Kaizer Giddie (SO/Plainfield, Ill.) would place 18th after recording a 1:30.56 time.

Timothy Wade (FR/Joliet, Ill.) led the Saints in the 3,000 meters with posting a 9:09.02 time to finish 34th place. Seth Joder (FR/Minooka, Ill.) would claim 43rd place in the 3,000 meters by registering a 9:19.74 time and Chris Pagan generated a 9:29.08 time to garner 50th place.