Sports

Coachman meet marred by rain

• For the first time in 16 years of holding the Alice Coachman Track & Field Invitational, the meet doesn’t finish Saturday due to continious bad weather.

Scott Chancey

ALBANY — The Alice Coachman Track & Field Invitational could not catch a break.

Rain slowed the completion, and lightning occasionally halted it.

Just minutes after the 12th of a possible 21 events was completed, making it an official meet according to SIAC rules Saturday at Hugh Mills Stadium, the rain stopped — for good.

“When the meet is over, the rain stops? Oh, come on!” Albany State men’s coach Marvin Oliver exclaimed with a laugh.

All 21 events were not completed for the first time in the 16-year history of the event, but the host school still managed a strong showing. Coach Kenneth Taylor’s Lady Rams were hardly contested, scoring 192.5 points and winning for the 15th time (Fort Valley State is the only other team to win it in 2000), and the men were second to Morehouse (172) with 114. The women won nine events, and the men four.

“I’m not shocked we weren’t able to complete the meet, we knew what we were up against,” Taylor said. “We just tried to stretch it out.”

Many events, due to concerns about the wet track, did not even have a full field.

The women’s 400 meters only had two runners and the men’s 1,500 featured one.

Oliver, however, was glad the program’s athletes could run in the rain in preparation for a worst-case scenario at nationals.

“The rain was a wakeup call, if nothing else,” he said. “Even if it rains at nationals (May 21-24, Pomona, Calif.), they have to run if it rains. The only way it would be stopped is by thunder or lightning.”

OUT FOR MOORE

Estella Moore, who set the school record in the 100-meter dash at last spring’s NCAA Division II outdoor meet, won Saturday’s event at 11.88 seconds, provisionally qualifying for nationals.

“I think things went pretty well since I didn’t run at the last meet,” said Moore, who has battled leg soreness. “At times, you’ve just got to stay focused in meets like this and block out the rain. I was worried about that.

I’m just thankful I didn’t get hurt but at the same time I was want to compete.”

Taylor, although he admitted Moore has gotten off to a slow start this season, is optimistic better things are in the future for her after her lastest win.

“I feel she’s getting back on track to where she needs to be,” Taylor said.

MAKING STRIDES

Tamika Kinchen was the only Albany State athlete who won two individual events Saturday, placing first in the 400 (58.50 seconds) and 800 (2 minutes, 20.08 seconds).

“Her times weren’t that good, but the weather had an impact on that,” Taylor said. “During the 800, she even was trying to help a teammate (Robin Thomas) qualify for nationals, but Robin wasn’t able to do it.”

Kinchen, although she won two individual events, still wants to keep pushing herself since the SIAC track meet is April 16-19 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Not only was the women’s 400 small with two runners, the 800 was not much larger with four.

She still, however, met a personal goal in the 800.

“I had been working on the first lap, wanting to get my time down to 1:02 or 1:03,” she said. “And I was right on time at 1:03. And during the 400, I just worked on speed for the 800.”

OTHER ACCOLADES

ASU’s Roxie Griffin won the 200 (26.07) as did Llonisha Lee (1,500, 5:04), Shaneka Birdsong (100 hurdles, provisional national qualifier 14.31), the 4x100 team of Candice Camp, Griffin, Moore and Cherrisa Brockington (47.40, PNQ). Camp won the long jump, (PNQ 5.66 meters) and triple jump (PNQ 11.65). In men’s competition, Albany State’s Ronnie McGirt placed first in the 110 hurdles (14.80), the 4x100 team of Rodney Coley, Garrion Martin, Isaiah Gay and Timothy Ellsberry (PNQ 41.34), Will Jackson (discus, 41.49) and Eric McCrary (javelin, 52.75).

MCGIRT IMPRESSES

During last spring’s conference meet, Oliver thought McGirt could be one of the program’s most versatile athletes by his senior year.

“I’m still excited about Ronnie,” Oliver said. “He’s a tremendous athlete, and he’s very respectful. Maybe he’s too nice on the track. We’re trying to make him tougher on the track and help him develop more of a killer instinct.”

McGirt, whose personal best is 14.60, is continuing to work at it.

“It’s coming along pretty well,” he said. “I’m trying to get some things down, trying to go harder from the start.”

IN THE SUNSHINE STATE

Some members of Albany State’s team competed in the University of Florida relays Friday in Gainesville, Fla. Coley was 18th in the 100 (10.51) and Martin was 21st (10.51).

Coley, who finished second in the 60 meters indoor national final, is trying to trim his time to 10.40.

“I was a little bit disappointed because I wasn’t able to do that (Friday),” Coley said. “It’s better to progress than to digress.”

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