Southeast off to good start in OVC track

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State track and field coach Joey Haines believes his program is positioned well to make a run at both the men's and women's titles in the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships.

After Friday -- and with the bulk of the meet still to come today -- Southeast's favored women led host Eastern Illinois 43-40, while Southeast's men trailed favored Eastern Illinois 58-54.

There were several finals held Friday.

On the women's side, the distance medley relay team of Jennifer Burke, Brooke Woodruff, Taryn Phillips and Lindsay Zeiler won with a time of 12:12.55.

Kathy Coleman was second in the long jump, while Lindsey Meyr was third with a career-best effort.

Jennifer Caywood was second in the 5,000-meters and Kris Woolf was fourth, while Nicole Portell was third in the weight throw.

For the men, Daniel Jones defended his title in the weight throw (56-1) and Brian Knippen was second (55-10 1/4).

Andrew Lambert was second in the high jump and fourth in the long jump; Brian Whitehead was third in the 5,000, with Brandon Karcher seventh; John Berry was fifth in the long jump; and the distance medley was third.