Competing intensively of the Northridge Invitational brought out the best in the women’s sprinters last Saturday. Three more events qualified for the So Cal championship.

Team takes break, prepares for meet

The team will have the weekend off, and will be competing April 1 at Cal State Los Angeles (CSLA) in the field events and April 3 at the Home Depot Center in all of the running events.

“The nice thing about having the weekend off is getting that mental break,” coach Dean Lofgren said. “It’s a Saturday, they can just stay at home.”

Many of the women were able to record personal bests last Saturday. Shameer Dawson continues to impress this season.

Dawson recorded a 25.76 in the 200m which is good enough to place her 10th in the state.

“For the past three weeks, I would say Dawson has been the MVP,” assistant coach Kevin Hughley said.

“Whatever coach puts me in, I can do it, I’ve got no probem with it.” Dawson said. “I’m out here to run and have fun.”

Along with competing in both of those events, Dawson contributed a 58.2 in her leg of the 1600m relay.

1600m relay runs best time of year

The team posted its best mark of the year, running a 3:56.86.

This is the fastest mark set at EC since 1994, and was the best time of the day.

“The one thing I preach is consistency; the next thing that’s going to happen is it’s going to break, and it is going to break big time,” Hughley said. “I think the team has more than enough to get down to a 3:45.0 or better.”

Brown has not had a chance to run the open 400m this season, but Lofgren expects to give her a chance before the conference meet.

Brown’s mark of 2:19.04 in the 800m placed her in fourth place in the state as of Saturday and qualified her for the So Cal championship.

Team qualifies for championship

The 400m relay team finished fourth behind Wisconsin and UC Riverside.

The team consisting of Dawson, Star Thurman, Specelle Williams and Krystal Johnson ran a 49.06.

That ranks them seventh in the state and has qualified them for the So Cal championships.

Caitlin Barrow jumped 17 feet in the long jump. Down from her personal best, Barrow is in the transition of moving from a 16-step to an 18-step take off.

“It will take her about two weeks to get comfortable,” Hughley said. “She should be ready by April first.”

Barrow placed fifth overall Saturday with a 58.03 in the open 400m. Her best mark of the year ties her for fourth in the state and automatically qualifies her for the So Cal championship.

Runners rank in Northridge Relays

The 3000m saw six EC runners place in the top 10 with Becky Cherry finishing third with a 10:54.58.

This time is 11 seconds better than her last personal record and ranks her sixth in the state.

Stephanie Robbins and Tashonia Mitchell’s throws were down this meet. Each hopes to improve in her next competition.

“I feel we should all throw personal bests at CSULA,” Mitchell said.

“People improve by the middle of the season, then they hit a little valley,” Lofgren said, “by the end of the season they shoot back up.”