Traxk and Field: Jones, Maes, Breaux shine for UL track

The Advertiser, February 27, 2013

Special to the Advertiser

JONESBORO, Ark. — A trio of Cajuns earned medalist honors as the Ragin’ Cajuns men’s and women’s track and field team wrapped up competition in the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships.

Justin Jones grabbed a podium finish after placing second in the 55 meter dash finals with a time of 6.39 seconds. Jones’ eight points collected in the event were the highest by a Cajuns male athlete of the final day of the league meet.

Sophomore Sander Maes finished third in the heptathlon as he picked up medalist honors in the event for the second straight season. Maes first place finish in the pole vault portion of the heptathlon with a clearance 4.61m/15-1½ was his day two highlight. He finished the championship with 5,163 points.

Morgan Breaux of nearby North Vermilion High collected the podium finish on the women’s side as she placed third in the 55-meter dash finals with a time of 7.04 seconds. The time marked Breaux’s 2013 indoor season best.

The Cajuns men picked up an additional 30 points, adding to the 39 posted on day one on Sunday. UL finished with 69 total points and placed fifth. UL was eight points behind fourth-place finisher Middle Tennessee.

The Cajuns women scored 23 points and finished in a seventh place tie with Georgia State.

Other highlights for the Cajuns on the men’s side included a Top 5 finish from Morgan Cormier in the 55 meter hurdles (7.74) and Justin Victor in the weight throw (18.24m/59-10¼). Both athletes collected season bests in with their performances.

UL’s 4×400 relay squad consisting of Justin Jones, Zach Meche, Keygan Keys and Antoine Jackson recorded a time of 3:18.85 which placed the group fifth in the event. It was the season best time for the Cajuns, who saw a significant improvement in the event throughout the season (previous best time was 3:21.50 at Samford).

On the women’s side, Meredith Driskell was the day’s top field performer as she finished fourth in pole vault. Driskell’s vault of 3.55m/11-7 ¾ gave the freshman her fifth straight meet with a height greater than 11 feet.

Kacey Elphage improved upon her preliminaries performance in the 55 meter hurdles, clocking in at 8.02 seconds to finish fourth. Elphage added five points to the Cajuns team total.

Anna Devitt earned a Top 10 finish in the women’s 5,000 meter run, claiming seventh place in her first individual event at the SBC Championships. The Christian Life product from Baton Rouge timed in at 17:54.47 as she topped her previous season best (18:14.24) by 20 seconds.

Tarvia Conway led a quartet of Cajuns in the triple jump with a leap of 11.73m/38-6. Conway had the seventh-best mark, her highest finish in the event in the SBC Championships.

UP NEXT

For most of the Cajuns squad, the 2013 indoor season came to a close. Select athletes will be back in action on Saturday, March 2 at the LSU Last Chance at the Carl Maddox Field House in Baton Rouge.

Arkansas will also play host to the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 8-9 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville to wrap up the indoor season.

2013 Sun Belt Indoor Track & Field Championships

Arkansas State Convocation Center, Jonesboro, Ark.

MEN’S TEAM SCORES

1. Western Kentucky 139

2. North Texas 126

3. Arkansas State 104

4. Middle Tennessee 77

5. Louisiana 69

6. South Alabama 54

7. UL Monroe 35

8, FIU 34

9. UALR 24

10. Georgia State 1

WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES

1. Arkansas State 122.5

2. North Texas 117.5

3. FIU 103

4. Middle Tennessee 87.5

5. Western Kentucky 73

6. South Alabama 62.5

7. Georgia State 31

7. Louisiana 31

9. Florida Atlantic 25

10. Troy 10

MEN’S PERFORMANCE LIST

Triple Jump — Quadaex White (8) 14.07m/46-2; O’Daylon Thibeaux (14) 13.80m/45-3½;

Weight Throw — Justin Victor (5) 18.24m/59-10¼; Kenneth Nassar (16) 13.40m/43-11¾;

1 mile run — Scott Brewster (14) 4:25.45; Cole Stafford (22) 4:30.48;

400 meter dash finals — Zach Meche (8) 49.25;

55 meter dash finals — Justin Jones (2) 6.39;

55 meter hurdles finals — Morgan Cormier (5) 7.74;

5,000 meter run — Zach France (21) 15:58.41; Corbett Ourso (25) 16:02.05; Trey Bonin (26) 16:04.37;

200 meter run finals — Justin Jones (7) 21.95;

4×400 relay — Justin Jones, Zach Meche, Keygan Keys, Antoine Jackson (5) 3:18.85;

Heptathlon – Sander Maes (3) 5,163 points; Wes Gonzales (11) 3,977;

55 meter hurdles — Sander Maes (4) 7.99 — 836; Wes Gonzales (6) 8.22 — 779;

Pole Vault – Sander Maes (1) 4.61m/15-1½ – 793;

Wes Gonzales (7) 4.31m/14-1¾ – 705;

1,000 meter run — Sander Maes (8) 3:08.30 — 585; Wes Gonzales (9) 3:09.80 — 571.

WOMEN’S PERFORMANCE LIST

Triple Jump – Tarvia Conway (7) 11.73m/38-6; Ta’Shania Bean (10) 11.43m/37-6;

Jasmin Fusilier (12) 11.35m/37-3;

Tia Mitchell (14) 10.91m/35-9½;

Weight Throw — Jana Jones (13) 14.90m/48-10¾; Brittany Blunt (15) 14.82m/48-7½; Diamond Higgins (20) 13.15m/43-1¾;

1 mile run — Bree Fontenot (25) 5:31.75;

55 meter dash finals — Morgan Breaux (3) 7.04;

Pole Vault — Meredith Driskell (4) 3.55m/11-7¾; Mary Clements (12) 3.10m/10-2.

55 meter hurdles finals — Kacey Elphage (4) 8.02;

5,000 meter run — Anna Devitt (7) 17:54.47; Ashley Irwin (23) 18:42.21.

800 meter run finals — Danielle Castaldi (7) 2:18.59;

4×400 relay — Krystal Chevis, Stacy Imagbe, Danielle Castaldi, Amanda Roberts (8) 3:55.85;