KU Relays: Huffman wins vault as area athletes dominate

Sunday, April 21, 1991

By DICK LIPSEY Associated Press Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Barton County Community College and Kansas State led the way as area athletes overcame cold and windy conditions to dominate the 66th annual Kansas Relays this weekend.

Beverly McDonald was among four multiple winners for Barton County. She won the 200-meter dash in a meet record 23.48 seconds, won the 100 meters and ran on the winning 440- and 880-yard relay teams.

Former Kansas All-American Scott Huffman came home again to win the invitational pole vault at 18 feet, 1/2 inch.

"It was very strange weather conditions because the tailwind was inconsistent," Huffman said. "I had a decent jump and I'm happy with it, but I thought everybody would jump higher."

Huffman missed three attempts at 18-5.

Barton County women also won the 400-meter dash and the 100 hurdles, with Dionne Rose setting a meet record of 13.44 in the hurdles. Barton County men won the 400, 800, 400 hurdles, triple jump and three relays.

Kansas State teammates Ernest Greene and Thomas Randolph finished first and second in the 100 meters, with Greene winning in 10.49, and also won the 880-yard relay.

The Wildcats also beat host Kansas in a 4-mile relay that came down to a sprint to the finish. Jason Goertzen held off the Jayhawks' Sam Froese to win.

"It's a rivalry," Froese said. "I hate to see them beat me."

Steve Fritz won the decathlon only a month after hanging up his basketball uniform at Kansas State.

Kansas State's Janet Treiber won the women's 10,000-meter run, and Paulette Staats led from the start and was never pressed in winning the 3,000-meter run.

"The wind was really chilly," Staats said. "It tightened me up. There were a lot of good girls running. I guess they just didn't want to go with me."

Treiber finished in 36:10.56 to win by more than 100 meters over second- place Kim Mount of Arkansas.

"I was pleased with the race," she said. "I really did not have a time in mind that I wanted to run because it was my first (10,000) ever."

The Wildcats took first and second in the women's shot put, with Angie Miller beating Shanele Stires based on a better second toss after the two tied with best efforts of 49 feet, 2 1/4 inches.

Other Kansas winners included John Bazzoni in the collegiate pole vault, the men's distance medley relay team, the women's 2-mile relay team and Marybeth Labosky in the women's high jump.

"It was very difficult to stay warm," Labosky said. "In the high jump, you can easily get cold fast waiting for your turn to jump. However, I don't think the weather affected my performance overall."

Michael Cox broke out of a pack of five runners with 300 meters to go and anchored the Kansas distance medley relay team to a 10-meter victory in 9:50.7.

"We were a little worried about where we would place," Cox said. "I am very happy with the way I am running as a freshman. I didn't expect to run this well. It was a big deal to win."

Cathy Palacios took the baton for the anchor leg of the women's 2-mile relay neck-and-neck with Khalilah Muhammad of Kentucky. The two ran together for a lap before Palacios pulled away to win by about 15 meters.

"It really feels nice to win at home, especially with the crowd behind us," she said.

Juliet Campbell won the women's 400 meters for Barton County, teammate Dionne Rose won the 100-meter hurdles and the 440-yard relay team won handily over Kansas State.

Bobby Gaseitsiwe, Marlin Cannon and Daphnie Saunders of Barton County each won two events.

Cannon won the men's 400 over Tyrone Watkins of Kansas State. Barton County teammates Wes Russell and John Little were third and fourth.

"The weather was a big effect," Cannon said. "I can't get loose when it's this cold outside. I wasn't happy with my time. I know I can run faster."

Penny Near won the women's discus in a meet record 199 feet, 11 inches competing for the Nike Coast Club.

Missouri athletes were involved in several close finishes, with the men's team third in the mile relay and 2-mile relay and second in the 880-yard relay. Rick Lyle placed third in the shot put and Tommy Jordan was second in the collegiate pole vault for the Tigers, while Felecia Allen was second in the women's long jump.

Missouri Baptist's Faith Idehen was third in the women's 100 and 200, and Brenda Hayes of Southwest Missouri was second in the women's 800.

Nearly 2,600 athletes were entered in the meet, according to meet manager David Kaiser.

Copyright 1991 By The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.