OTAHKIANS BLOW PAST FIELD AT ALL SPORT MEET

There weren't exactly perfect conditions for a track and field meet, but host Southeast Missouri State University and Missouri-Kansas City were able to brave the weather to claim titles Saturday during the 19th annual All Sport Classic.

Southeast won the 10-team women's division, scoring 152 points to ease past UMKC (124) and Southern Illinois (119.5).

UMKC captured the nine-team men's division with 140 points as the Kangaroos finished ahead of pre-meet favorite Memphis (117). SIU (113) and Southeast (107) rounded out the top four.

In the combined team race, UMKC slipped past Southeast, 264 to 259. SIU was third with 232.5.

"We really wanted that one (the combined title), but we're redshirting some key people with our men's team who would have done well," said Southeast coach Joey Haines. "We fell a little bit short, but I thought we had a good meet overall. And Missouri-Kansas City did a good job."

Of the weather, with featured plenty of wind and brisk temperatures, Haines said, "The wind was brutal on all the runners. It wasn't great weather, but it could have been worse. The sun was out and it warmed up a little. In weather like this, it's who's the toughest. A lot of people can run when the weather is great."

Southeast's women won eight of the 19 events and got their usual stellar performances from standout sprinter Heather Keltner and star weight thrower Lutricia Purham.

Keltner won both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes, with times of 24.36 seconds and 55.82 seconds, respectively. She also ran legs on the Otahkians' victorious 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.

Purham, who finished 15th in the shot put in last year's NCAA Championships, captured both the shot put (48 feet 10 1/2 inches) and discus (151-1).

"Heather was Heather and Lutricia was Lutricia," said Haines. "They just go out and score a lot of points every meet."

Joining Keltner on the 4x100 relay squad (46.73) were Shauna Birge, Kim Stewart and Natalie Talley. Others on the 4x400 team (3:44.15) were Hannah Stuckenschneider, Stewart and Robbi Durham.

Also winning titles for the Otahkians were Talley in the 100 (11.97) and Kelly High product Amy Arteme in the 5,000 (18:01.10).

"In this wind, Amy had a great effort," said Haines.

The Otahkians finished an impressive one-two-three in the 100 as Birge placed second and Stewart nabbed third.

"We weren't expecting to get the top three in the 100," Haines said. "That was big for us."

Other second-place finishes for the Otahkians were turned in by Sara Kaznica in the pole vault, Cape Central graduate Courtney Haman in the javelin and Leslie McNamara in the 3,000.

Also turning in top-five finishes for the Otahkians were Stuckenschneider (third, 400); Birge (third, 200); Kim Demers (third, 400 hurdles); Becky Shull (fourth, javelin); and Jessie Thompson (fifth, 3,000).

Haines also pointed to a sixth-place finish by Jackson product Jennifer Brown in the 5,000 as a pleasant surprise.

"This is the first time she's run track in the spring because she's played soccer in the past," he said. "She gave a great effort."

Southeast's men won three titles, with Brandon Myer capturing the discus (159-6 1/2), Perryville product Tyson Brown claiming the 800 (1:54.78) and the 4x400 relay team of Jared Rybacki, Brown, Jared Tanz and Jason Campbell prevailing (3:19.14).

Meyr was second in the shot put while also placing second were Perryville grad Tanz in the 800, Campbell in the 400, Collin Sheridan in the pole vault and Adrian Barnhill in the high jump.

Other top-five finishers for the Indians were Rybacki (fourth, 400); Sheridan (fourth, javelin); Chris Donze (fourth, long jump); Garvin Ambrose (fourth, high jump); Jeremy Benberry (fifth, shot put); and Scott Shelton (fifth, triple jump).

Jackson product Ryan Steck was seventh in both the 100 and 200.

Results of the meet are in 'Scoreboard' on 2B.