FOREST GROVE, Ore. - The Portland State track and field team opened its outdoor season this afternoon at the Northwest Conference Preview, hosted by Pacific (Ore.), and won eight events on the Boxers track. Five of the wins came on the women's side, while the men accounted for three, all of which are Big Sky qualifying marks.
Junior
Joenisha Vinson, a bronze medal-winning pentathlete two weeks ago at the Big Sky Championship, took the top-honors in the 100-meters when she recorded a time of 12.47 seconds in the race. She was followed by Vikings
P'Lar Dorsett and
Anaiah Rhodes, who respectively clocked times of 12.61 and 12.65.
Sophomore
Geronne Black won the 200-meters race at the meet with her 25.50, the second-fastest time of her outdoor career. Black finished fourth at the indoor championship in the 200-meters in Pocatello, Idaho. Vinson finished right behind black in the race with a 25.85.
Stepping out of her comfort zone, senior
Karene King entered the 400-meters and won the event with a 59.99. Her time nearly qualified her for the Big Sky Championships and she was directly followed by Rhodes, who clocked a time of one minute, 2.01 seconds.
Senior
Adrienne Davis won the shot put competition at the event with her throw of 42 feet, 0.75 inches. Davis finished sixth at the Big Sky Championships in the event.
The Vikings final victory on the women's side came in the 4x100-meters relay, with Black, Dorsett, King and Rhodes in the quartet. The team ran a 46.29 and moved up to No. 4 all-time at Portland State in the event.
On the men's side, junior
DeShawn Shead won the 110-meter hurdles with 14.60, .11 seconds shy of his career-best mark. The football star qualified for the conference's outdoor championship in the event with his time.
Senior
John Lawrence won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with his time of 9:28.78, a conference championship qualifying time and only 12 seconds shy of his career-best time.
Finally, sophomore Sean Mackelvie took first in the javelin with his throw of 195-5. It was his first outdoor meet as a Vikings.
Portland State will return to action March 20 in Track Town, U.S.A. at the Oregon Preview, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., next Saturday.
