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Iowa State University Athletics
Shuttle Hurdle Relay Captures Coveted Drake Relays Title
04.28.2006 | Track and Field, Track & Field (W)
April 29, 2006
DES MOINES, Iowa - Four Iowa State men waved flags as they took the coveted victory lap around the blue oval on a rainy final day of the 97th running of the Drake Relays.
The shuttle-hurdle-relay team took the title with a time of 57.48, one of the fastest times in Cyclone history and the first win in the event for ISU since 1998. The team consisting of Sterling Frison, RJ Sumrall, Eric Parker and Kellen Burl had the fastest time in the prelims earlier in the day (59.61) which qualified them for the finals.
"We have a real tradition in the relay and those guys have looked forward to running that for a long time," said men's head coach Steve Lynn. "It's just an example of a relay situation and guys just step up and really answer the bell and win it."
"It feels good to bring it back to Iowa State," said anchor leg Burl. "We've always had the tradition of winning the shuttle hurdles"
Freshman Eric Parker returned to the Drake Relays as a Cyclone. Parker participated in the relays as an Iowa high school participant but said that this is more exciting than any of his high school experiences.
"It's been my dream all along (to win a title), ever since I was a little kid and in USTAF track meets," said Parker. "Ever since I stepped on this blue oval out here, it's always been my dream."
Parker went on to credit his teammates on the success. The four men also thanked their coach, Lynn, for helping them get ready for the relay. "Coach Lynn prepared us a lot for what was going to happen," said lead off Frison. "He told us ahead of time it may be raining, it may be snowing, just be ready to go."
NCAA indoor mile runner-up David Rotich came in second in the 1,500-meter run in a close finish. Rotich took the lead during the third lap of the race, but was pushed back in the last 200 meters.
"I didn't expect it to turn out like that," Rotich said. "The last two-hundred meters, I got cut off and I should have just kept running inside, but then I wanted to force my way outside so I had to slow down. By the time I got outside I tried to run down the home stretch, they were just gone. I almost got him but it was just too far to make up."
The race came down to the very end where Rotich and Landon Willets from Oklahoma Baptist were shoulder to shoulder.
"We were touching each other's shoulders when we crossed the finish line," Rotich said.
Rotich's time was 3:48.72 while Willets crossed the line with a time of 3:48.68.
Chase Madison, the 2004 Drake Relays Most Outstanding Boy's High School Performer and Drake Relays high school discus record holder, finished second in the discus with a throw of 183-7. Madison took the lead on his second throw in the final round, but was edged out when Westley Stockbarger of Florida threw 185-9 on his final throw to take the title.
"That was a loaded field and under the conditions he really competed well and was just short," Lynn said.
Leia Jackson, Erica Lynn, Sara Boisen and Ada Anderson battled rain to take third their heat of the sprint medley relay. They placed fourth overall with a time of 3:57.81.
"All of us went into it with a positive attitude, rain or shine," said Anderson, the anchor of the relay. "We all just wanted a flag today, but we put our best out there and this is how we did. We made the most of what we could do."
"You can't change what happened and you just get ready for the next meet," Boisen said. "I'm just happy we have the ability to be out here running at Drake."
Drake President David Maxwell announced Saturday during the relays that Drake University will host the 2007 NCAA Regional Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Drake will host the championships May 25-26.
Results from the Drake Relays can be found at www.drakerelays.com.
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