John Jacobs Invitational Another Success

NORMAN, Okla. The 37^th John Jacobs Invitational survived severe weather and strong winds to provide another successful scene for track and field fans at the University of Oklahoma Saturday afternoon.

With improved season bests, falling records and even some world-class competition waiting, the Sooners used every opportunity to shine.

OU alum and 2004 Olympian Laverne Jones and junior Yolanda Goff doubled up in the short sprints, placing first and second, respectively, in both the women's 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Jones, who clocked 11.51 in victory, might have eclipsed her meet record set last year of 11.43 if not for a headwind. Her winning time in the 200 was 23.47 seconds.

Complete Results: High School (April 14) | College (April 15)

For Goff, it was her first competition in both events this season after nursing injuries for the past few weeks. Still, Goff's 11.64 100 and 23.82 200 were fast enough to surpass the NCAA regional qualifying mark.

Freshman Leslie Cole placed fourth (11.81) in the 100 and third (23.82) in the 200. Junior Larica Urbina was fifth (11.90) and sixth (25.19), respectively.

OU alum Shomari Wilson, at 10.40, dominated the men's 100-meter dash, beating second-place Calvin Abram (Barton County) by .17 seconds.

Senior Josh Scott placed third (10.64) and junior Ronnie Pines was fourth (10.67).

Wilson also placed second (21.05) in the 200-meter dash. Scott reached the podium in a close race with sophomore Marcus Pugh. The duo timed in quicker than a blink of the eye at 21.30 and 21.32, respectively.

Sooners Dermillo Wise and Jason Stanley finished 1-2 in the men's 110-meter hurdles. The race was long over for everyone else as Wise clocked in with the sixth-best time in OU history at 13.87 and Stanley at 13.97. Both beat the regional qualifying standard by over three-tenths of a second.

Wise returned to place second with a gut-checking finish in the 400-meter hurdles. Running fifth in a seven-man heat entering the third turn, Wise turned on the gas to finish second behind Derrick Williams (unattached) in a regional qualifying time of 52.44 seconds.

OU alum Aldwyn Sappleton, an All-American 800-meter runner making his first career start in the 400 hurdles, placed fifth in 53.63.

Wise also toughed Saturday's humidity as the St. Petersburg, Fla., native also took runner-up honors in the men's long jump to begin a long day's work, posting a best of 23 feet, 9 inches (7.24 meters).

Sophomore Chip Heuser made the men's pole vault competition no contest as he cleared 17-8.50 (5.40) despite wind gusts of 30 miles per hour, besting second place by over three feet.

Sophomore Tydree Lewis ruled the men's triple jump competition, leaping 53-3.00 (16.23). His result was nearly six-feet better than second place. Due to high winds, however, the mark did not count in the record books.

Former Sooner and two-time Olympian Michael Blackwood cruised to victory in the men's 400-meter dash. The Jamaican completed his lap of the John Jacobs Track in 46.08 seconds.

Oklahoma's Frankie Wright was third (47.80).

Junior Kevin Bookout provided the biggest no surprise of the afternoon as he swept the men's shot put and discus events. Bookout improved his season best shot put by exactly two feet with a 59-9.00 (18.21) toss, eight feet better than second place. The Stroud, Okla., native threw the disc 170-0 (51.83), six feet better than second.

Sophomore Josh Bookout, cousin of Kevin, placed sixth in both events with respective marks of 48-1.25 (14.66) and 137-4 (41.86).

Freshman Carolyn Winchester, competing in her first collegiate meet, topped all Sooners in her two events the shot put and discus throw. Winchester placed fifth in the shot put with a mark of 40-11.00 (12.47), best by an OU woman this year, and fifth in the discus throw with a best of 130-10 (39.89).

Freshman Taylor Scott and junior Jessica Pekah became just the third and fourth Sooner women in history to compete in the hammer throw. Scott placed fifth with a best of 121-11 (37.16) and Pekah was right behind in sixth with a best of 120-6 (36.74).

Tijahnni Newton ran third (54.68) in the women's 400-meter dash, nipping on the heels of Arkansas' Tominque Boatright (53.56), a 2005 national qualifier in the event, and Sasha Rolle (53.98).

Freshman Katherine Johnson matched her collegiate best in the women's high jump at 5-8.75 (1.75) but, once again, had to settle for second place on number of attempts.

Junior Portia Nash and senior Myria Houlihan placed third and fourth, respectively, with bests of 5-3.00 (1.60).

Nash also leapt a season best 19-10.25 (6.05) in the women's long jump to place second. Arkansas' Lakiesha Martin won the event with a leap of 20-0.50 (6.11).

Freshman heptathlete Amy Backel posted a personal best long jump of 17-3.50 (5.27).

Senior Lucretia Rimmer finished runner-up to Oklahoma State's Zivile Pukstiene in the women's triple jump. Rimmer's 40-7.50 (12.38) mark was a season best, but could not match Pukstiene's 43-3.75 (13.20) bound.

Junior Cale Drumright missed setting a new personal best javelin throw by just inches. Drumright placed second with a best of 193-1 (58.85).

Sophomore Chase Bridgforth finished fifth at 160-0 (48.78).

Sophomore Shea Shelby placed second in the men's high jump with a best of 6-6.00 (1.98).

The Sooners return to action next week at the Texas Christian Invitational in Fort Worth, Saturday, April 22.