Long Beach State University Athletics
MPSF Championships on Tap
2/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
49ers Head to MPSF's with Best Team LONG BEACH, CA-- Long Beach State track and field takes its most talented team in recent memory to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships in Seattle on Friday and Saturday as the 49ers try to advance to the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville on March 10 and 11. Charles Lewis, the 49ers best chance at medaling at the championships, is doubtful because of a hamstring injury, but the 49ers still have four other athletes who rank in the top three in their respective events. Lewis ranks in the top-10 in the three events amongst MPSF competitors, the 60m (10th), 200m (7th) and 400m (3rd). Ronald Carter ranks 14th nationally in the triple jump, with a school-record 51'6.25", as Carter leads the MPSF field in that event. Robert Jennings' mark of 61'7.5" (second all-time) in the weight throw also leads the MPSF, while John Temidara's mark of 6'11.75" in the high jump is third-best in the conference. "Ronald will have to see his marks go up, if he is to assure himself a spot at nationals," said Head Coach Andy Sythe on the NCAA's, which takes the the top-16 marks automatically. "John will have to jump in the vicinity of 7'2", which he is capable of. Both have been bothered by minor ailments, but are both capable of making nationals." Temidara will also test the field in the triple jump, something he has not done this year, but which in the past has yielded the third-best mark in school-history (48'9"). The 49ers will ]further bolster their scores with its first-ever entry in the pentathlon and heptathlon with Jaime Cuthbert-Allen and Chris Richardson. Richardson has had a strong winter, posting the fourth-best long jump in the MPSF (23'6"), the 10th-best high jump (6'5".5") at LBSU and the fifth fastest 10m hurdle time (8.49aa) at LBSU. Richardson will have to score 5250 points, well within his reach, to qualify for nationals. Other possible scorers on the men's side include Jimmy Grabow in the 5000-meter (14:21.98), Armond Goodin in the hurdles (8.29 aa) and Mario Cobian in the 800m (1:52.62). Throwers Ezra Kwong and David Sampson, who rank 2-3 in the shot put at LBSU, are also both in the top-10 in weight throw in the MPSF. "This is one of the finest teams we've taken to the MPSF's," said Sythe. "Our men our a balanced group, that should stir things up. On the women's side, we're lean, but we hope to silence the skeptics that believe that the Big West can't compete with the Pac-10 in the relays and the distance medley relays. Our female sprinters and distance runners will be our strongest area."
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