Alva Review-Courier -

JONESBORO, Ark. – Freshman distance runner Claudine Blancaflor claimed the women's title in the one mile run and Southern Arkansas received quality showings by each of the men's and women's 4x400 meter relay teams on Saturday in the final day of action at the A-State Invitational.

LADY MULERIDERS

Claudine Blancaflor claimed the first event win for Southern Arkansas in the Track and Field season with a 5:10.27 finish in the women's one mile edging Memphis' Arnica Zitting by 0:00.32. Blancaflor's time was better than 15 Division I runners in the event.

A pair of Lady Mulerider 4x400 meter relay teams placed in the top-ten. Kenisha Bryant, Kirby Roy, Bailey Yocum and anchor Abby Lentz placed third with a time of 3:59.73; which topped the times of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Memphis and Grambling. The team of Qua'Dajia O'Neil, Erin Goree, Breanna Byrd and anchor Aliyah Mixon finished in 8th-place with a time of 4:10.75.

Sierra Romero placed 14th in the mile run event with a time of 5:49.29. Sonia Morales (18th | 5:58.60), Treveka Terry (19th | 5:59.79) and Cassey Gay (20th | 6:00.09) logged top-20 finishes in the event. Terry recorded a top-ten finish in the women's 800 meter with a 9th-place time of 2:37.43. Romero finished four seconds behind Terry in tenth with a time of 2:41.17.

Quentisha Coats logged the best finish for Southern Arkansas in the women's shot put with a final throw of 37' 1 ¾'' (11.32 meters) for 14th-place. Erica Fuller (27' 3 ¼'') and T'Keyah Crocket (27') placed 20th and 21st respectively.

Three Lady Muleriders competed in the 3000 meter run with freshman Claudine Blancaflor pacing SAU with a fourth-place finish in 10:24.96. Rylie Knight (11:59.32) and Emily Phillips (12.09.21) finished in 12th and 13th place respectively in the event. Knight (21st | 6:10.29) and Phillips (22nd | 6:18.14) also competed in the women's one mile.

Bailey Yocum finished the women's 55 meter hurdles with a preliminary time of 8.94. In the women's 55 meter, Byrd (7.46), Justice Reliford (7.49) and Bryant (7.54) claimed top-20 preliminary times. Goree (7.64), O'Neil (7.72), and Roy (7.73) also competed in the 55 meter preliminaries.

In the women's distance medley, Southern Arkansas (Terry, Gay, Romero, Blancaflor) placed fourth with a time of 14:21.94.

MULERIDERS

Both of Southern Arkansas' men's 4x400 meter relay teams logged top-five finishes as Larry Booker joined Tyrenzo Banks, Shonquill Atkins and Xavier Cooper for a second-place time of 3:23.51, while Aaron Linnear teamed with Andre Mackey, Chenier Gardner and Donald Robinson for a fifth-place finish in 3:31.46.

Arthur Jeffrey logged a sixth-place finish in the men's long jump at 44' 2'' (13.46 meters). Sinclair Pitts picked up a 12th-place finish in the men's shot put event with a toss of 42' 1 ¼'' (12.83 meters). Pitts recorded the second longest toss in the ten-man first flight.

In the high jump event, Tyler Shelton (6') placed 15th and Richard Barkhimer (5' 10'') finished 16th. Shelton produced a preliminary time of 8.23 in the men's 55 meter hurdles.

Quincy Flowers produced a time of 6.72 in the men's preliminary 55 meter and Cooper added a time of 6.74. Atkins (7.05) and Banks (7.17) also competed in the event prelims.

Mackey ran the 400 meter in 52.79 for a 29th-place finish in a crowded field, while Robinson placed 38th with a time of 54.39.

Six Muleriders placed in the mile run: Jose Guevara (5th | 4:28.20), Doug Palmer (9th | 4:36.51), Bradyn Gower (11th | 4:37.56), Gardner (15th | 4:42.33), Austin Morgan (24th | 4:57.750), and Clarke Henson (25th | 4:58.10).

A 15th-place finish was awarded to Ismael Gonzalez who finished the men's 800 meter in 2:12.67, while Henson placed 18th in 2:18.30.

UP NEXT

Both programs gear up for the highly anticipated Dunamis Sport Group Indoor Classic hosted by Texas A&M – Corpus Christi inside the newly built Ford Center at the Star--the world headquarters and practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys. Southern Arkansas will compete on day one of the event, February 9. More information, including event times, will be released later.

Be sure to check http://www.MuleriderAthletics.com or follow us on Twitter @MuleriderSports for the most up-to-date news on Mulerider & Lady Mulerider Track and Field.