BEAUMONT, Texas and MOBILE, Ala. - Heading into the weekend, the Southeastern Louisiana University men's and women's track and field teams had modest goals. The Lions and Lady Lions wanted to rest their elite performers following a grueling week of competition at the 2009 Texas Relays, leave their injured athletes at home to recuperate and allow the rest of the team to fine-tune their events in a competitive atmosphere. On Saturday, the Lions and Lady Lions met those goals at the 2009 Exxon Mobil Ty Tyrell Relays in Beaumont and at the 2009 South Alabama Invitational in Mobile.
With Lamar hosting the Ty Tyrell Relays without a hammer cage, the Lions and Lady Lions split up for the weekend with the throwers heading east to Mobile for the South Alabama Invitational and the rest of the crew heading to Lamar.
Southeastern would be without some of their top performers on this weekend. Some, such as junior decathlete Cory Roberts, took the week off after a grueling week of competition at the Texas Relays April 1-4. Meanwhile, some, such as jumpers Corey Billizone and Michael Rheams sat out competition while nursing nagging injuries.
However, the Lions still managed some impressive performances. Sophomore sprinter Shannon Grover and junior sprinter Rocky Caruth took first and second, respectively, in the 100 m dash before Grover went on to post a time of 20.99 in the 200 m dash to claim first and post an NCAA Mideast Regional Qualifying time.
In the 3,000 m steeplechase, the Lion distance running trio of sophomores Henry Rop, Kalphys Kemboi and Nelphat Boit took the top three spots, in that order. Rop clocked in at 9:23.33 with Kemboi and Boit 3.43 and 27.22 seconds behind, respectively.
On the women's side, freshman pole vaulter Lacey Sanchez turned in the most impressive outing, clearing 3.40 m to claim first place.
Meanwhile, over in Mobile, the Southeastern throwers got to work at the South Alabama Invitational.
Junior thrower Kyle Francis led the way by claiming first in the discus with a toss of 47.59 m, while the women were led by true freshman Renada Living who placed fifth in the women's hammer throw with a toss of 45.19 m.
The Lions and Lady Lions will return to action when they head to Baton Rouge April 16-18 for the LSU Combined Events and Alumni Gold.