The All State

» By MARLON SCOTT – mscott@my.apsu.edu

All they do is run.

Step by step, they eat up miles running up hills, around sinkholes, through the woods and over bridges.

That is the best way to describe the Govs and Lady Govs cross country teams.

On Friday, they were one of 11 schools who gathered at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, to do some more running in the Belmont Opener, the first meet of the season.

“The first meet you show up and see where our training is at and what you need to do, what you need to work on,” said head coach Doug Molnar. “That is the biggest thing we will take away from today. It will give us a point ‘A’, a starting point of where we are, where we need to go.”

LADY GOVS

At the starting line, the Lady Govs were the red part of a large, colorful multitude of tense athletes that sprang into action after a single, echoing gun shot at Percy Warner Park.

Vanderbilt’s Jordan White was the first woman to cross the finish line of the four-kilometer race with a time of 14:05.45.

Sophomore Xiamar Richards was the first Lady Gov to finish. She earned the 28th spot in 15:17.66. She was one of seven Lady Govs who ran the course. The team finished seventh overall.

“Richards ran a really strong race. She started out strong and I thought she had an excellent race,” Molnar said. “I think the biggest problem on the women’s side was we were not aggressive enough early in the race. “
GOVS

After the dust settled from the women’s effort, the Govs were part of an even larger pack of men who trampled the grass in a five-kilometer path.

Kentucky’s Luis Orta captured first place with a time of 15:22.40.

Senior Boniface Yator led the six-man Govs team with a 29th-place finish. He crossed the finish line in 16:17.99.

Next, both teams will travel to Huntsville, Ala. to compete in the Fleet Feet Sports/Earl Jacoby Memorial meet on Saturday, Sept. 10.

“We will work from here to improve each and every week. That is the biggest thing, looking for that improvement week to week and getting ready for the conference meet at the end,” Molnar said. TAS

Photos by Mateen Sidiq

By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer

Despite missing several team members including recent school record breaking sophomore jumper Cenitra Hudson, the Lady Govs track team posted several season’s best at the TSU Invitational in Nashville, Saturday, Jan. 29.

In the field events, freshman April Hollman tied her season best in the high jump. She cleared 1.62 meters to earn third place in the event.

Freshmen Molly Basch and Caitlin Tassell took the top two spots in the pole vault. Basch earned first place with a 3.2 meter vault. Tassell cleared 3.05 meters for second place.

On the track, sophomore Leigha Tolliver posted two season best times as she progressed through the 55-meter hurdles. She finished the event in third place with a final time of 8.59 seconds.

In her debut in the 5000-meter run, freshman Xiamer Richards earned second place with a time of 18:50. The feat was even more impressive because Richards performed despite being in a car accident the night before the meet.

According to APSU Sports Information, head coach Doug Molnar described the efforts of his team.

“April’s getting more consistent and a little better each week. Leigha’s getting closer to where she needs to be as well and Obi ran a really good race,” Molnar said.

“I can’t say enough about Richards and the effort she put up today. With everything that went on, she came in healthy and got it done. Janelle Avery was sick and posted a great mile time in the distance medley. She finished that race well.”

Lady Gov senior Chiamaka Obi finished sixth in the 200 and was one of the members of the 4-by-400 meter relay that broke the four-minute mark for the first time this season.

Obi along with junior Jasmine Scott, sophomore Ashley Carson and freshman Alyxandra Pinkston finished fourth with a time of 3:58.41.

The distance medley team of Avery, Richards, freshman Taelor Slaughter and Shannon Christian also posted a season best.

“With all the season bests we had today,” Molnar said. “I still think we need to come out with a little more intensity. Even with everything that happened today, I didn’t see a real sense of urgency. I think this team has a lot more to give.”

The Lady Govs will travel to three more meets in February. Next they will go to Carbondale, Ill., Friday Feb. 4, to compete in the SIU Invitational. The Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships begin Friday, Feb. 25. TAS

By MARLON SCOTT | Senior Staff Writer

Sophomore Cenitra Hudson made school history Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Ed Temple/Tennessee State Invitational held at the Gentry Center in Nashville, Tenn.

In addition to improving her personal best in the 200-meter dash, Hudson set a new school record in the triple jump. She jumped 12.45m (40-10. 1/4), breaking the record held by APSU Hall of Famer Ayesha Maycock.

When asked how it felt to break a school record, Hudson said, “It feels good, but it feels weird at the same time because I never broke any kind of record for anything.”

According to APSU Sports Information, head coach Doug Molnar said Hudson’s jump was the result of a lot of hard work.

“Cenitra had a huge day. I knew her jump was going to be close,” Molnar said. “She’s put a lot of work in and I’m glad to see her effort pay off. A school record is always a big deal.”

Hudson said before the season started, the coach made her write a goal sheet and breaking the record was on the list. To do so, she focused on improving the second phase of her jumps, which she said was always short and kept her from clearing 35 feet before.

Hudson was not aware she had cleared 40 feet until a coach told her afterward.

“Actually, I was surprised because I thought I fouled at first. My second phase was very short,” Hudson said. “Then, the lady was like, ‘you jumped very far.’ I said ‘I think I fouled’ and she said ‘no, you jumped the 40.’ Then, I said ‘quit playing,’ and that is when the coach said yeah I jumped the 40. I was so happy. I didn’t know what to do. The rest of the jumps, I scratched all of them except for the first one.”

The jump earned Hudson third place in the event. She also earned a top-10 finish in the 200m.

Hudson was also named the Adidas Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Field Athlete of the Week.

Both Molnar and Hudson agree the jump has changed her expectations for the rest of the season.

“That was a huge jump and big mark for her. It sets her up and gives her an idea of what her capabilities are this year,” Molnar said.

“I feel a little pressure,” Hudson said. “A lot of people expect me to hit 40 and up and not go down. There is a little pressure to not go in the 30s.” Next, Hudson will compete at the ETSU Niswonger Invite in Johnson City, Tenn. TAS

Quick Facts

•Cenitra Hudson is a sophomore majoring in Health and Human Performance

•She is 1-of-13 children.

•Hudson is from Memphis, Tenn. She attended White Station High School

•Her personal bests in the 2010 Indoor season were 10.21m in the triple jump and 5.26m in the long jump.

“The key to my success was a lot of hard work and dedication, along with a great support system. I approached this year with a new work ethic and passion, knowing that it was my last year of intercollegiate athletics. I didn’t want to go out knowing that I didn’t try my hardest. Also, my coaches, teammates, friends, and family have encouraged me during the rough times and celebrated with me during the good times, so I couldn’t ask for a better cheering section.”

“The right coach is very important to a team’s success, particularly in encouraging the team to do its best. Knowing the technicalities of everything, like the proper form in the pole vault, is obviously important, but so is the coach’s ability to spark a fire in his/her team and push people to do their best. And by doing their best, I don’t mean just in athletics. The right coach pushes people to be the best all-around person they can be, whether it be in sports, academics, or their everyday interactions with people. The right coach cares about his/her athletes and lets them know that, no matter the level of success the team reaches during the season.”

By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer

Not including superheroes, it is hard for most people to clear anything in a single bound or run against the wind. But the breezy conditions did not hold back the Lady Govs as they hosted the Governor’s Invitational, the second meet of the outdoor track and field season, Saturday, April 3.

“I thought we competed very well. The girls really got after it today,” said head coach Doug Molnar. “It started as a rainy day and a little bit windy. There were some good teams here and I thought we did an outstanding job today.”

The Lady Govs competed against six schools including Tennessee State, Western Kentucky and Taylor and earned top spots in multiple field events.

Senior vaulter Carrie Burggraf cleared 3.88 meters (12’ 8.75”) to take first in the pole vault. It was her first meet of the outdoor season due to an injury and she qualified for the NCAA Regionals.

Teammate sophomore vaulter Brianna Lococo finished third in the event.

The Lady Govs continued to out jump the competition in the high, triple and long jumps. Freshman Leigha Tolliver earned first place in the long jump with a 5.34 meter (17’ 6.25”) distance. She also placed second in the 100 meter hurdles. New team member freshman Zakia Alcantara took first in the triple jump.

Senior Amanda McCoy continued her consistent success this season with first place in the high jump and the 100-meter hurdles. McCoy said she tried to break the school record in the high jump.

“Overall season so far, especially outdoors, has been amazing. I didn’t think I would do this well. Because of coaches, I am,” McCoy said. “We started really well. Today in hurdles we had a big headwind. But all of us, including myself and the rest of the Austin Peay girls, did really well today. I was impressed with everybody and how they have been competing.”

In addition to McCoy, the Lady Govs earned three of the top five spots in the high jump. Junior Latoya Monger tied for second place and freshman Jessica Runyon-Davis placed third. In her first time running the 200 this season, junior Chiamaka Obi took first place in 25.14 seconds. Obi was also part of the first place 4×400 relay team that also included freshman Ashley Carson and juniors Candace Cullors and Candace Johnson.

Sophomore Janelle Avery had solid finishes in both the 800 and 1500. In the 1500 she finished third and in the 800 she finished second, just ahead of her teammate Arianne Clark.

“We did pretty well considering we had a hard practice this week. But we stuck to it,” Avery said. “We finished strong and we raced strong. I was pretty excited about it.”

Clark added the team as a whole is stronger this year.

“I feel like the team is really strong. This is one of the strongest teams we’ve had in a couple of years,” Clark said. “I am really excited to see how we finish up this season with the PRs (personal records) and things like that, which we have been producing this year.”

Clark is not the only one excited about the team this season.

Coach Molnar said he likes the way his team is working and is looking forward to qualifying more members for the NCAA Regionals.

“We are really excited about this season. We have a great group of gals and they work really hard everyday. They get better and better each week,” Molnar said. “Our mantra for the year, for this outdoor season, has been ‘Get out of your comfort zone.’ And I think we continually continue to do that in the meets and in the practice, and it shows up on the track.”