Albany State has strong start to SIAC Track and Field Championship

ALBANY — For Albany State, the first day of the SIAC Track and Field Championships was all about laying the ground work for late push in the finals on Sunday.

Head coach Kenneth Taylor said the finals will be “a gun fight at the OK Corral,” with the Rams right in the thick of things.

The women’s team finished the day with 30 points and are currently in first, five points ahead of Benedict. The Benedict men’s team is currently in first with 41 points, with the Rams close behind with 33.

Taylor said his team came in with the right mentality, and so far it’s paying off.

“They are responding appropriately,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of energy. I see a lot of teamwork, the teams supporting each other from the stands. Just a lot of energy on the men and women’s side and we’re looking pretty good right now.”

Competing in the heptathlon, freshman TyAsia Thornton finished first in the shot put and fifth in the high jump. Brittani Phillips finished third in the first day of the shot put, while Dykearah Jones took fourth in the long jump.

Jones also had the third best time in the prelims of the women’s 200 meter dash. Channelle Wong finished third in the 800. In the finals of the women’s 10,000-meter run, Shanya Washington and Lauryn Wilson finished second and third, respectively.

On the men’s side, Cervantes Jackson is attempting to recreate last year’s spectacular performance in the decathlon, placing first in the long jump and the 100-meter dash and second in the 400-meter dash. Marquis Davis finished second in the preliminary round of the shot put, while Daniel Oduah placed third in the long jump.

In men’s track preliminaries, Dorin Thornton finished third in the 400-meter hurdles, Christopher Jackson had the third-best time in the 200 meter dash, and Joshua Ajero and Jamorris Hill finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 800-meter run.

Action continues today and Sunday at Hugh Mills and ASU’s East Campus track, and Taylor feels the Rams have something strong to build on.

“We’re having a good meet so far,” he said. “I’m proud of these young folks, they’re working hard.”