Bucs garner five top finishes in today’s events

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 5, 2021) – The ETSU Track and Field team finished the first day of the Buccaneer Track and Field Invitational on Friday afternoon populating the leaderboards, grabbing five top marks in the track events inside the ETSU Mini Dome.

The Bucs were back at home for the first time since this event a year ago, unable to hold their season opener inside the Mini Dome for only the second time in seven seasons after the ETSU Track and Field Invitational in January was canceled.

Among the many highlights, Lindsey Stallworth again topped the list in the mile run for the second-straight meet. After producing wins in the VMI Team Challenge as well, Miguel Parrilla and Matthew Scarr defended their place at the top of the group by winning both the men’s mile and the 800m. Jessica Lord and Gavin Cooper also found the top spot in today’s action, holding the crown in the women’s 800m run and the men’s 3000m run.

Podium Finishes

First - Lindsey Stallworth, Jessica Lord, Gavin Cooper, Miguel Parrilla, Matt Scarr, Margaret Hayden (Unattached)
Second - Molly Rhudy, Genevieve Schwarz, Evan Guzman, Phelani Maduwa, Malachi Thomas
Third - Kendra Whitehurst, Colbie Williamson, Seth Bowden, Myles Stoots (800m and mile)

Personal Bests

Women - Alyssa Ceja-Pena (Weight Throw, 14.19m), Margaret Hayden (Weight Throw, 17.16m), Molly Rhudy (Long Jump, 5.39) Paige Peterson (Long Jump, 5.18m), Atlantis Warren (Weight Throw, 14.28m), Jaclyn Wright (Long Jump, 5.03m)

Men - Gavin Cooper (3000m, 8:42.43) Marcus Evans (Long Jump, 6.67m), Zach Fejeran (Weight Throw, 14.43m), Spencer Fejeran (Weight Throw, 12.66m), Evan Guzman (Mile, 4:18.00), Matt Scarr (Mile, 4:09.67), Myles Stoots (Mile, 4:19.27; 800m, 1:57.73), Malachi Thomas (High Jump, 2.01m)

Track Highlights-Day One

• The Bucs set the tone in the first event they competed in, claiming three of the top four spots in the women’s mile run. Stallworth led the way with a 4:56.74 time, over 10 seconds ahead of the next runner. Genevieve Schwarz followed in second with a time of 5:07.07, while Makayla Shaw’s 5:18.83 proved good for fourth.
• The men followed suit in the mile, taking the top three spots in the race. Scarr’s time of 4:09.67 gave him nearly a 10 second lead at the top, while Evan Guzman and Myles Stoots finished with times of 4:18.00 and 4:19.27 for second and third, respectively.
• Kiera Snyder and Lindsay Holliday recorded second and third in the women’s 3000m run, recording times of 10:50.42 and 10:59.41.
• The Blue and Gold dominated in the men’s 3000m, securing three of the top four spots in the event. Cooper led the pack, finishing at 8:42.43, a near half-minute gap between him and second place. Seth Bowden and Jordan Thomas followed up with a third and fourth-place finish, registering times of 9:12.89 and 9:17.84.
• Four Bucs finished in the top-7 in the women’s 800m run, led by Jessica Lord’s 2:18.89 time. Colbie Williamson (2:21.51) and Julia Karsten (2:22.07) finished in third-fourth, while Hannah Burkhart (2:25.12) rounded up the Bucs with a seventh-place finish.
• ETSU went first-second-third in the men’s 800m, led by a 1:53.45 time from Miguel Parrilla. Phelani Maduwa finished marginally behind Parrilla with a 1:53.88 finish, Stoots recording his second third-place finish of the day with a 1:57.73 time

Field Highlights

• Mary Brown led a group of Bucs with a 14.42m toss in the women’s weight throw for fourth. Atlantis Warren followed behind with a throw of 14.28m, while sophomore Alyssa Ceja-Pena finished with a sixth-place, 14.19m toss. Margaret Hayden finished first as an unattached participant, nearly 1.5m ahead of the next closest with a toss of 17.16m.
• Marcus Evans made his season debut with a 6.67m, sixth-place finish in the long jump.
• Patra Williams was one of three women to finish third, leaping for 1.55m in the high jump. Jaclyn Wright followed closely with a 1.50m effort.
• Tied for the best mark in the men’s high jump, Malachi Thomas marked 2.01m on his second leap, only behind Chandler Morris of Southern Wesleyan who leaped for the mark on the first attempt.
• Molly Rhudy and Kendra Whitehurst finished second-third in the women’s long jump, right behind first place with leaps of 5.39m and 5.34m.

Thoughts From Coach Watts

On being able to compete at home: "We had a successful first day of three days of competition scheduled between today and Sunday. It was great to get our second meet of the season underway and welcome back our officials, many of whom are Track and Field alum of the program. The format of the Buccaneer TF Invitational is different from meets we host. Today on the track we ran the middle distance and distance events. The sprints and hurdle races will be tomorrow. Each day we'll have a throw and a horizontal and vertical jump."

On the women's team: "The women had a very good day with seven podium finishes including three wins and 15 personal or seasonal bests.  The throwers had an excellent competition by taking 4 of the top six places led by redshirt Margaret Hayden's win.  Mary Brown was just short of her personal best and did a great job to finish 4th in the event.  Finishing right behind Mary with career bests were Atlantis Warren and Alyssa Ceja-Pena."

On women's distance: "I was very happy with the overall effort of the 800m and mile runners.  Lindsey Stallworth remains undefeated for the season with her win in the mile leading a 1-2-4 finish and Jessica Lord improved her season best to win the 800 as they matched the milers with a similar finish."

On the men's team: "The men had strong day with nine podium finishes and 12 personal or seasonal bests. The groups in the events we contested today showed big improvement from our first meet."

On the men's field events: "In the field events we had pleasant surprises from Marcus Evans in the Long Jump with a personal best and frosh Malachi Thomas with a second-place finish and PB as well. Our throwers came through with strong performances in the weight throw as brothers Zach and Spencer Fejeran threw career bests."

On the men's track events: "The mid distance and distance runners came through with three wins including a sweep of the top three spots in the mile and 800m. Matt Scarr looks stronger every time he races and along with Miguel Parrilla in the 800 are undefeated as we reach the halfway point in the season. Gavin Cooper is one of the most improved runners on the distance squad and continues to get better with each outing."

 For a full list of results of day one of the Buccaneer T&F Invitational, use the link on the right side of this page.

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