Bulldogs Turn In Excellent Performance At Louisiana Classics

Saturday, March 19

Lafayette, La.

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Mississippi State

Louisiana Classics (O)

Bulldogs Turn In Excellent Performance At Louisiana Classics

March 19, 2011 | Track & Field

By: hailstate.com

LAFAYETTE, La. – Steve Dudley set a goal to begin qualifying for the NCAA Championships at the first meet, and as action wrapped Mississippi State had an automatic qualifier amongst its midst.

“I set a goal to give it our all and hopefully qualify for nationals and we did that, so I am very pleased with today's performances,” the MSU head coach said. “We are becoming one team, not a men's team and a women's team, but one team that relies on each other and competes as one. When we get on the bus or the plane we are one team. We compete as one and that is what is going to help us succeed.”

Senior Jessica Merriweather jumped 5-10 ¾ to win the high jump and punch her ticket to nationals. Merriweather also made her way to the top of the MSU all-time record book with her jump.

“Jessica had a very solid performance today and I could not be more pleased with her,” Dudley commented. “She went out there and gave it her all and earned a ticket to nationals in the process.”

As impressive as Merriweather was, she was not the only Bulldog to claim victory at the Louisiana Classics. A host of other athletes made their way to the top, while several others brought home top finishes for the Maroon and White.

Freshman Rochelle Farquharson claimed top prize in the long jump (19-06), while sophomore Chloe Phillips came in first in the 1500m run (4:32.16). Sophomore Keisha Wallace crossed the line first in the 100m hurdles (13.79), followed closely by teammate Racquel Farquharson (14.03) in second. The 4x100m relay team of Taneisha Baker, Jody-Ann Muir, McCaleb, Wallace ran 44.03 to capture first, while the 4x400m relay team of Muir, Baker, Talisha Lee, and Brittany Covington posted a time of 3:42.35 to take second. Seniors Lee (59.96) and Baker (23.76) completed the Lady Bulldog top finishes as they took first place in the 400m hurdles and 200m dash, respectively.

Junior Ed Wesela began the day for the Bulldogs, taking first in the shot put (55-06) and second in the discus (164-01), but the winning did not stop there. Fresh off his All-American seventh place jump at the Indoor Championships, freshman James Harris jumped 7-00 ¼ to tie with teammate and fellow freshman Marcus Jackson for first in the high jump, while another freshman Jason Harper jumped 49-06 to take top honors in the triple jump. The 4x100m relay team (39.93) of Harris, Justin Christian, Garren Hendricks, and O'Neal Wilder and the 4x400m team (3:07.56) of Deaundre Barnaby, Emanuel Mayers, Wilder, and Harris, both claimed top honors. Junior Antoine Lipscomb and Senior Matthew Cameron rounded out the first place finishes as they won the 110m hurdles (15.09) and the 800m dash (1:54.91) respectively.

“We had a very solid and successful meet today, but we can't stop. We have got to get right back after it in practice and prepare for next week so we can improve each and every meet,” Dudley said.

Mississippi State will not have long to celebrate their wins, as the team must immediately start preparing for their next meet. The Bulldogs will host the SEC/Big 10 Challenge March 26th at the newly-remodeled Carl Maddox Track/Spencer Stadium. Competing in the meet will be SEC foes Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Big 10 contenders Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio State. Action will start at 9:00 am and admission is free.

Friday Evening Results
Women
Shot Put
Winner: Lakeitha Elmore, UL-Monroe, 49-08 ¼
MSU: 10. Favian Cowards, 42-02

Saturday Results
Women
Javelin
Winner: Chelsey Steele, SE Louisiana, 146-08
MSU: 25. Racquel Farquharson, 80-08

Hammer Throw
Winner: Brieanna Kennedy, LSU, 171-11
MSU: 4. Favian Cowards, 169-08

Long Jump
Winner: Rochelle Farquharson, MSU, 19-06

High Jump
Winner: Jessica Merriweather, MSU, 5-10 3/4
MSU: 4. Alyssa Hall, 5-07; 10. Racquel Farquharson, 5-01

4x100m Relay
Winner: MSU, Baker, Muir, McCaleb, Wallace, 44.03

1,500m Run
Winner: Chloe Phillips, MSU, 4:32.16
MSU: 3. Katie Huston, 4:41.32; 4. Haley Greenwell, 4:41.43; 6. Kalli Dalton, 4:47.44; 9, Adriana Poole, 4:52.53

100m Hurdles
Winner: Keisha Wallace, MSU, 13.79
MSU: 2. Racquel Farquharson, 14.03; 8. Brittany Covington, 15.57

100m Dash
Winner: Tiffany George, Tulane, 11.84
MSU: 2. Richesa McCaleb, 11.96

800m Run
Winner: Rebecca Coady, Tulane, 2:11.67
MSU: 3. Chloe Phillips, 2:13.33; 4. Skylar Warren, 2:13.67; 10. Chelsea Raye Smyth, 2:16.93; 11. Dominique Lockhart, 2:16.36; 15. Christina Coleman, 2:23.50

400m Hurdles
Winner: Talisha Lee, MSU, 59.96
MSU: 3. Brittany Covington, 1:02.67

200m Dash
Winner: Taneisha Baker, 23.77
MSU: 5. Richesa McCaleb, 24.18; 7. Jody-Ann Muir, 24.66; 9. Racquel Farquharson, 24.93; 10. Keisha Wallace, 25.21

4x400m Relay
Winner: Northwestern St. 3:41.86
MSU: 2. MSU, Muir, Baker, Lee, Covington, 3:42.35

Men
Shot Put
Winner: Ed Wesela, MSU, 55-06 ½

Long Jump
Winner: Kenneth Bellard, UL-Lafayette, 23-04
MSU: 3. Antoine Lipscomb, 22-11 ¼

Pole Vault
Winner: Kovey Simmons, SE Louisiana, 16-00 ¾
MSU: 8. John Bourgeouis, 14-01 ¼

Discus
Winner: Joey Torres, South Alabama, 166-08
MSU: 2. Ed Wesela, 164-01; 19. Antoine Lipscomb, 99-07

High Jump
Winner: James Harris, MSU, 7-00 ½; Marcus Jackson, MSU, 7-00 ½
MSU: 7. Josh Tucker, 6-04 ¾

Triple Jump
Winner: Jason Harper, MSU, 49-06 ¼

4x100m Relay
Winner: MSU, Harris, Christian, Hendricks, Wilder, 39.93

1,500m Run
Winner: Richard Chautin, LSU, 3:57.08
MSU: 3. Adam Lenz, 3:59.46; 8. John Valentine, 4:05.53; 10. Michael Clark, 4:06.53; 15. Carson Britton, 4:09.05; 19. Cameron Vernier, 4:15.35

110m Hurdles
Winner: Antoine Lipscomb, MSU, 15.09

400m Dash
Winner: Keith Griffith, LSU, 47.40
MSU: 2. Emanuel Mayers, 47.45; 4. Randy Patterson, 47.60

100m Dash
Winner: Armanti Hayes, Tiger Olympics, 10.55
MSU: 4. Garren Hendricks, 10.76; 6. Justin Christian, 10.80

800m Run
Winner: Matthew Cameron, MSU, 1:54.91
MSU: 3. Carter Hewitt, 1:55.30; 4. Juan Sanchez, 1:55.84; 24. Brian Brochman, 2:02.84

200m Dash
Winner: Armanti Hayes, Tiger Olympics, 20.91
MSU: 2. James Harris, 21.15; 6. Garren Hendricks, 21.65; 10. O'Neal Wilder, 21.83; 12. Emanuel Mayers, 21.85; 13, Deaundre Barnaby, 21.75; 17. Justin Christian, 22.09; 23. Randy Patterson, 21.90

4x400m Relay
Winner: MSU, Barnaby, Mayers, Wilder, Harris, 3:07.56