The Long Beach State men’s track and field team broke a meet record with 223.5 points for its fourth consecutive Big West Conference Challenge Cup victory Friday at Anteater Stadium in Irvine. The women’s team finished third with 165.5 points.
Cesar Puga led the way as he was a dual winner in the shot put (56-09.25) and discus (169-04) events. His mark in the shot was a lifetime best and ranks 10th on the 49ers all-time charts.
Peter Fourtounis (156-02) and Rajan Bains (150-02) made it a sweep in the discus, finishing second and third, respectively. In the shot put, Bains also claimed runner-up honors at 52-05.25.
Colin Dunbar added an individual victory in the hammer throw with a lifetime-best and meet-record 218-08. That also moves him up to No. 2 in the school’s all-time rankings. Bains made it a one-two finish for LBSU with a personal-best 181-05, while Fourtounis registered a season-long 173-10 for fourth place.
Ben Woodruff was the runner-up in the javelin at 194-04, with Braden Keller right on his heels in third at 193-08.
Cameron Gillett took top honors in the long jump (22-07.75), while Manny Nezier finished third at 22-01.75. Eric Nowell wasn’t far behind in fourth (22-01).
Neizer also claimed the triple jump with a leap of 47-08. Michael Vaughan (47-01) and Nowell (45-06.50) finished second and third, respectively.
Nicholas Armstrong won the high jump, clearing a season-best 6-08.75.
Tyler Wallace was the 49ers’ top finisher in the pole vault, placing third overall (15-07).
Over on the track, Richard Crawford and Nathan Alade combined for a one-two finish in the 200-meter dash. Crawford won the event in 21.94 seconds and Alade clocked in at 22.09. Alade was also the runner-up in the 100-meter (10.97).
Nimrod Piggee won the 110-meter hurdles in a season-best 14.20 seconds, while Chris Lawson took second (14.46). Lawson also claimed the 400 hurdles with a time of 52.76.
In the 400-meter, Gillett crossed the finish line in 49.21 seconds to place third, while Matt Maldonado was fourth in the 800-meter (1:53.67).
The 4×100 relay team of Joe Ruffaine, Alade, Piggee and Crawford also finished ahead of the pack at 41.83 seconds.
Heath Reedy was LBSU’s top finisher in the 3000-meter, taking fifth with a time of 8:34.86.
Chris Walden clocked in with a season-best 9:24.61 in the 3000-meter steeplechase for a fourth-place showing, while Raul Arcos took fifth at 9:24.94.
On the women’s side, Randi Hicks defended her title in the javelin, beating out teammate Tara Ross with a mark of 159-10. Ross took second at 154-05.
Katrina Graves-Johnson won the high jump at 5-07, while Sara Macey tied for third (5-03).
Shari Harris was the runner-up in the hammer throw at 159-02, while Lynn Patu also scored for The Beach with a fourth-place finish (149-08).
In the shot put, Jillian Weir was third (44-02.75) and Patu was fourth (40-10.25).
Ramiah Rhay paced the 49ers in the discus, finishing fourth overall with a toss of 136-10.
Laura Faris led the way in the pole vault with a season-high 11-01.75 for third place. Kayla Kamaka, Amanda Klinchuch, Cheryl Smith and Kate Beighton all cleared 10-08.
Phylicia Johnson was the 49ers’ top finisher in the long jump as she took sixth overall (17-01.50). She also placed third in the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best 14.16, while Kristen Kiefer was fourth (14.56).
Shakina Phillips took third in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 63.25 seconds.
In the 400-meter, Alex Kruthers notched a season-low time of 57.89 to finish third overall. Kruthers was also Long Beach State’s top finisher in the 200-meter, placing fourth in 25.65 seconds.
Rosa Del Toro was the runner-up in the 1500-meter run, crossing the finish line in 4 minutes, 31.72 seconds. Jennifer Rodriguez came in third at 4:34.43.
Jessica Barnard had the second-fastest time of the day in the 3000-meter steeplechase, clocking in at 10:51.32.
Michelle Thompson (10:26.50) and Prism Garcia (10:36.31) both registered season bests in the 3000-meter.
LBSU returns to action next week when it sends a small contingent to the Mt. SAC Decathlon/Heptathlon (April 13-14) and the Mt. SAC Relays (April 14-16). The 49ers will also host the Beach Invitational at Cerritos College, April 15-16.
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