All Sport meet proves to be all Southeast

Southeast Missouri State University proved to be a rude host during Saturday's 21st annual All Sport Classic at the Abe Stuber Track & Field Complex.

Southeast dominated the competition, winning the men's, women's and combined team championships. Six squads competed in both the men's and women's divisions.

"It was an outstanding day for us," Southeast coach and meet director Joey Haines said. "It's the first time we've won all three divisions."

The Southeast men won nine events and had 196 points to ease past runner-up Western Illinois (155). The Southeast women captured six events and totaled 194 points to outdistance second-place Western Illinois (150). In the combined competition, Southeast scored 390 points and Western Illinois was second (305).

"We had a lot of really outstanding performances all the way across the board," Haines said. "Our athletes always enjoy competing at home and they did a really good job. Overall, it was an excellent meet and the weather was good."

In the men's division, Southeast senior Glenn Haley captured both hurdles events as he pushed his All Sport victory total to seven. Haley has won all four of the All Sport 110-meter high hurdles events he has competed in and he has won three times in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.

"I was second in the 400 last year and this year I really wanted to get them both," Haley said. "It's always real nice to run at home in front of parents and friends. Everybody hears a lot about the football team and basketball team, but this shows them that we also have a good track team here."

Jaret Willi defended his title in the pole vault while other winners for Southeast's men were Jay Heddell (shot put), Shelton Scott (triple jump), Jason Campbell (400), Adam Shupe (800), Chad Sierman (3,000 steeplechase) and Kelly High School product James Brainer (javelin).

On the women's side, Central High School graduate Courtney Haman won her second straight javelin title.

"It's a little bit of a home-court advantage," said a smiling Haman. "It was really exciting to have our teams win everything."

Other winners for Southeast's women were Sara Kaznica (pole vault), freshman Meleisa Greene (long jump), Laura VanHoevelaak (400 hurdles), Kaci Pilcher (1,500) and the 1,600 relay team of VanHoevelaak, LaQuita Andrews, Lyndsey Stevenson and Hannah Stuckenschneider.

"It's nice to win at home," Stuckenschneider said. "We always like to show the community and our friends what kind of team we have."

Southeast will get the opportunity to show off at home again May 3-4 when the Ohio Valley Conference Championships come to the Stuber Complex.

"We're already looking forward to that," Stuckenschneider said.

One of the stars of the All Sport Classic was Western Illinois' Amber Crumbo. After setting a meet record in the hammer throw Friday, she came back Saturday to win both the shot put and discus by wide margins.