By Daniel Gedney
sports reporter
Kerri McClung moved into fifth place in school history in the shot put event after her performance at the Clemson Relays Saturday in Clemson, S.C. McClung took first place in the event with a mark of 47 feet, 7.25 inches.
“It was a good start for Kerri, competing with some SEC/ACC schools,” head coach Scott Sehmann said. “I was pleased with how she went out and focused.”
The Clemson Relays marked the beginning of the 2003 outdoor season for the BG track and field team. Team scores were not kept. Sehmann was pleased with how his squad performed with the added pressure of competing in multiple events.
“I thought they ran fairly well and competed hard,” Sehmann said. “We asked a lot out of them. Most everybody did two or three events this past weekend so the recovery time was minimal. I think they went out and competed hard and I think that reflected in how they performed.”
The Falcons fared well in the relay events. The 4 X 100 team placed third with a time of 48.26. BG took second in the 4 X 200 with a time of 1:40.71. The 4 X 400 team placed third with a time of 3:59.08, the 4 X 800 team took fourth with a time of 9:53.36 and the 4 X 1500 team placed second with a time of 20:07.64. The distance medley team took second with a time of 12:44.86. Alicia Taylor represented the Falcons in the 100-meter hurdles and finished sixth with a time of 14.73.
In the 100-meter dash, Valerie Holland placed 10th for the Falcons with a time of 13.25.
In the javelin throw, Brooke Allen and Allyson Lee placed fourth and fifth, respectively for the Falcons. Allen recorded a mark of 114’08.00″ and Lee threw for 110’07.00″.
Nicole Carter placed fourth for the Falcons in the triple jump with a mark of 36’09.75″. She also competed in the long jump where she placed fifth with a mark of 16’03.00″.
In addition to McClung’s first place finish in the shot put, Chassity Gulley placed fourth for BG with a mark of 40’00.75″. McClung also represented the Falcons in the hammer throw, placing fifth with a mark of 149’09.00″.
Gulley’s second event of the day was the discus throw, where she placed ninth with a mark of 112’08.00″.
“Overall I thought it was a good start,” Sehmann said. “It was a low-key kind of meet where relays were the primary focus. That made it a little bit more fun for everyone versus the pressures of competing in individual events.”
The Falcons were without the services of Mary Willems, who stayed behind because of a student teaching commitment. Willems is ranked 23rd in the nation in the weight throw following a Mid-American Conference record throw at the Alex Wilson Invitational on March 7.
Next up for the Falcons is the Western Michigan Invitational on Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich. The meet is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
