Sparks Takes First Place in Women's 400-Meter Hurdles at Pacific Preview

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Jewell Sparks (Jr., San Francisco, CA/Lick Wilmerding HS) of Willamette University won the women's 400-meter hurdles on Saturday, March 11, as the Bearcats competed at the Pacific Preview. Sparks won the event with a time of 1:05.75, just 0.16 away from her career-best result. Roazena Miller, competing unattached, was second in 1:06.01.

Sparks was joined in the 400-meter hurdles by teammate Sallie Tucker (Fr., Buena Vista, CO/Buena Vista HS), who took fifth place in 1:08.55. Tucker won the second of two heats against the clock.

In the women's high jump, Brittany Broughton (Fr., Fort Worth, TX/Boswell HS) from Willamette finished second at 4' 10.25". The winner was Justine Benner from George Fox University who cleared 5' 0.25".

Teneah Rushen (Jr., Portland, OR/Franklin HS) provided the Bearcats with third place in the women's 200-meter dash. She registered a time of 26.81 seconds. Rushen also placed sixth in the women's 100-meter dash in 13.04 seconds.

Jack Kobylka (Jr., Napa, CA/Vintage HS) earned third place in the men's 1,500-meter run. His time was 4:05.39.

In the men's 400-meter dash, Riley Burton (Fr., Seattle, WA/Seattle Prep) of WU took fourth place in the 400-meter dash at 52.15 seconds. D'Angelo Guiton (Jr., Alameda, CA/Bishop O'Dowd HS) added a ninth place finish in the men's 100-meter dahs in 11.65 seconds.

Hope Duenas (Fr., Covina, CA/Covina HS) finished fifth in the women's discus throw. She registereed a top mark of 126' 6.50".

Bridgette Peirce (Jr., Reno, NV/Earl Wooster HS) placed sixth in the women's 400-meter dash with a time of 1:03.02.

Other Top Performances for the Bearcats

Tucker and Melissa Scott (Fr., Tustin, CA/Beckman HS) tied each other for fifth place in the women's 100-meter hurdles, as they both reached the finish line in 16.95 seconds.

Angie Turpen (Sr., Alsea, OR/Alsea HS) placed seventh in the women's hammer throw with a distance of 125' 5.50". She was 10th in the women's discus at 110' 9".

Elijah Hall-Crockett (Fr., Phoenix, AZ/Cesar Chavez HS) tied for seventh in the men's high jump at 5' 9.75 inches. Devin Geiger of GFU won the event at 6' 3.50".

The men's shot put included Saige Swan (Fr., Crescent City, CA/Del Norte HS) in eighth place and Josh Martin (Fr., Medford, OR/St. Mary's School) in 11th. Swan's top throw covered 43' 6". Martin's best toss went 42' 5.50". Swan added ninth place in the men's hammer throw at 126' 2.75".

Marisa Hamilton (Sr., Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) was 10th in the women's shot put at 33' 10.25". She also placed 11th in the women's hammer throw at 118' 11.50".

In the women's triple jump, Alex Stacy (So., Loomis, CA/Del Oro HS) was 11th with a combined distance of 32' 9.50". Brian Peck (Fr., Reno, NV/Reno HS) took 13th place out of 29 competitors in the men's long jump with a top leap of 19' 4".

Up Next for the Bearcats

Willamette will host crosstown rival Corban University in a duel meet this coming week, with parts of the competition set for Tuesday, March 14 through Thursday, March 16.