Clemson took the top four spots in the men’s 100m dash
Saturday to highlight the final day of action at the Orange & Purple
Classic. All four sprinters recorded personal bests and
regional-qualifying times, led by Jacoby Ford’s NCAA-leading time of 10.11
seconds. C.J. Spiller (10.22) was runner-up, followed by Justin Murdock
(10.30) and Trenton Guy (10.34). The times were recorded with an
NCAA-legal wind reading of +2.3 meters per second.
Ford’s time is the fastest recorded in the 100m dash so far in the 2009
season. Trindon Holliday, who finished runner-up to Ford in the indoor
60m dash at nationals, had previously run a 10.12 for LSU on April 4.
Ford’s time also ranks fourth-best in Clemson history, behind only three
former Olympians in Travis Padgett (9.89), Michael Green (10.01), and
James Trapp (10.03).
Spiller’s time in the 100m dash was a personal best, as his previous best
was 10.29 last season at the NCAA East Region Championships. Spiller now
ranks in a tie for 10th on the Tigers’ all-time performance list with
former two-sport standout Airese Currie. Murdock and Guy also produced
personal bests in the event. Murdock’s previous best this season was
10.75 at the ACC Championships, while Guy had previously run as fast as
10.51 in the event.
Ford was scratched from the 200m dash, and Spiller took advantage by
claiming first place in the event. He had a personal best after clocking
a 20.91 with a legal tailwind. Murdock concluded his outstanding meet
with a personal best and NCAA East Region qualifying time of 21.02 in the
200m, finishing in third place. Guy was sixth with a time of 21.28.
In the 4x100m relay, Clemson easily finished in first place with a time of
39.45 seconds. The team consisted of Murdock, Ford, Guy, and Spiller.
The middle legs propelled the Tigers into the lead, then after a bit of a
slow final exchange, Spiller brought it home for the Tigers. In total,
Clemson had eight regional-qualifying performances from the men’s sprint
group on Saturday.
Kristine Scott was third in the women’s 100m dash. She posted a time of
11.72 as Clemson’s lone entry in the event. She also competed in the 200m
dash, where she placed runner-up with a time of 23.80.
Miller Moss was Clemson’s only competitor in the high hurdles. The
Sumter, SC athlete posted a personal best time of 15.06, six tenths better
than his previous best from last season.
Will Noble was runner-up in the 800m Saturday. The Gray Court, SC native
posted a time of 1:52.37 and was beaten in a photo finish by Dreyfus
Clemons of Morehouse College. Jasen Turnbull had a time of 1:53.08. In
the men’s 5K, Shane Reighard won the event with a time of 15:55.71.
Candace Sapp and Sunday Ford produced third-place finishes in the 800m and
1500m, respectively. Ford was third in the 1500m run with a time of
4:54.77, while Sapp crossed the finish line in 2:16.44 for the 800m event.
Kim Ruck went wire-to-wire to win the 5K. She posted a time of 17:41.38
and was not challenged.
Alex Padgett was unquestionably the biggest bright spot for the Tiger
field event athletes on Saturday. Already a regional qualifier in the
hammer throw, he added a second event for this season in the shot put
after winning with a personal best of 56’10”. He jumped from 10th on the
school’s all-time performance list to fifth with his monumental effort.
Padgett was the state of South Carolina champion in the shot put as a high
school senior in 2006.
Kathleen Majester won the pole vault in a jump-off. Four
student-athletes, including three from Clemson, cleared 12’1.5”. Majester
was the only one able to clear 12’3.5”, therefore claiming the title.
Emily Barlage was second, while school outdoor record-holder Caroline
Kennedy placed third. Majester’s clearance puts her in sole possession of
fifth place in the Clemson record books for the outdoor pole vault.
Linda Buchholz was runner-up in the javelin throw. The junior from Bad
Segeberg, Germany posted a throw of 138’5” in the finals. Buchholz shined
later in the afternoon in the high jump, where she recorded an outdoor
personal best. She won the event with a clearance of 5’8.75”, which
qualifies her for the NCAA East Region Championships later this month.
Her clearance ranks in a tie for second on the school’s all-time
performance list. She is now a regional qualifier in both the javelin and
high jump.
The men’s javelin was supposed to feature a pair of Tigers, but Scott
Pauga was scratched and Moss was guilty of three fouls in the preliminary
round. Stephen White finished sixth in the discus with a throw of 151’5”,
while Moss was 11th with a top mark of 133’8”.
The Tigers return to action next weekend in Atlanta, GA. Clemson will be
sending most of its team to the Georgia Tech Invitational, while Moss is
slated to compete in the decathlon in a meet at Wake Forest.
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