Southeast Missouri State track teams pursue OVC titles

~ The Redhawks have two athletes recognized on the eve of the conference meet

After success in its indoor season led by standouts Blake Smith and Kayla Gutierrez, the Southeast Missouri State track and field team believes it is even better as a team in outdoor events and has set its sights on winning the Ohio Valley Conference Championships in both men's and women's competition this weekend in Edwardsville, Illinois.

"Our team is probably a little stronger outdoors," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said about the Redhawks as they prepare for the OVC Championships. "For one, you add in a couple extra throwing events that we're pretty good at like the javelin, hammer throw and discus, which we're doing pretty well in, and have been year after year. Plus, our runners are always faster outside, and I don't see this year being any different."

The strength of the Southeast teams were recognized Thursday when Gutierrez, a sophomore thrower, was named the OVC's Female Field Athlete of the Year and jumper Chris Martin, a Central graduate, was named the Male Freshman of the Year.

The Redhawks men's team finished first in the OVC standings at the OVC indoor championships in March. The women got off to a fast start but ultimately finished fourth.

"In indoor, Tennessee State just ran away with it," Crumpecker said. "They were a clear-cut favorite, and they proved why they were. I'm not sure anyone could have stopped them."

Crumpecker said there's a big difference between the indoor and outdoor seasons, and he said there won't be a clear front-runner until the end of competition.

"Outdoor competition here in the OVC has been different and is more of a balanced championship meet in men's and women's competition, it looks like," Crumpecker said.

Crumpecker said he's not sure who will be the favorite in the outdoor meet, due to the fact that each team is fairly balanced, but he believes both his teams, along with three other schools, will be in the mix.

"Right now, I don't know who the team is to beat," Crumpecker said. "Austin Peay may win it; Eastern Illinois may win it; Tennessee State might win it; and we might win it. There really isn't a lot of difference between all of us."

Crumpecker said all of his athletes will be ready when competition begins today, but he is looking at a select group to win individual events, which could lead to an overall title for the Redhawks.

"I expect a big group of our athletes to have a big weekend for us," Crumpecker said. "We've gotten great performances from Reggie Miller, Chris Martin and Blake Smith in jumps, plus our javelin guys and weight throwers are having a great year, just to name a few. It's just a matter of all of them showing up in their events."

In fact, 13 Southeast athletes rank first in the OVC in their respective events.

Junior Rebekah Lawson holds the top spot in the women's 10,000 meters with a time of 36 minutes, 10.68 seconds, junior Chris Navarro leads the men's 110-meter hurdles at 14.31 seconds, and Smith leads the 100 with a time of 10.42 seconds.

Smith ranks second in the long jump at 25 feet, 2 3/4 inches, while teammates Blake Carter and Martin rank fourth and fifth, respectively.

Martin and Miller rank first in the OVC triple-jump standings. Both had jumps of 51-11 3/4.

Smith, a Jackson graduate, has been the standout athlete for Southeast as of late. During the Redhawks Invitational in late February, Smith set the school record in the long jump at 25-4 and later finished 14th at the NCAA indoor championships.

While Smith ranks first in the OVC in two events, he is more concerned with an ankle injury sustained while competing in the long jump Saturday at the Tennessee Relays. The junior said he thought his jump might have been enough to break the school record again, but his ankle rolled on the landing, causing him to fall back and not be eligible for a top score.

Smith said he has not jumped since, but he has been exercising and rehabbing the ankle.

"My running has been doing just fine, and it doesn't hurt at all to run on it," Smith said. "I am going to have to wrap it up before my jumps though, just because I haven't tested it at all leading up to the championships, so I'm not sure how much pressure it can take."

Smith also will compete in the 400 relay.

Other standouts on the Redhawks roster include Gutierrez, who recently broke the school record in the hammer throw at the War Eagle Invitational.

Heading into the OVC meet, Gutierrez holds the top spot in the discus with a distance of 171-8 and is second in the hammer throw at 191-3.

"I always want to compete at my best, but mostly I want to hit the 60-meter mark in the hammer throw at some point this weekend," Gutierrez said.

In field events for the Southeast men, junior Kevin Farley leads the way. Farley is first in the shot put with a throw of 57-4, two feet better than anyone else in the competition. Farley also holds the top spot in the hammer throw at 194-6.

Seniors Brian Grote and Bethany Pfeiffer also hold the top spot in the OVC in javelin. Grote's throw of 214-8 is 10 feet farther than teammate Chris Navarro, who ranks second.

Pfeiffer holds an even bigger advantage on Murray State's Sydney Potts. Pfeiffer's top throw of 154-3 is nearly 20 feet farther than Potts' best.

"Our javelin guys have been unbelievable for us," Crumpecker said. "That gives us a huge advantage going in to the weekend, and I know they'll perform well because of the work ethic they have put in all year."

Crumpecker expects a tight finish, but is confident in his athletes if they're on top of their game.

"As I said, it's going to be a fair and balanced match up between schools," Crumpecker said. "It may come down to the last event, but I do know that they all want this and do whatever it takes to bring home a championship."

The OVC championships kick off today at 1 p.m. and conclude Saturday.