LAWRENCE — All systems remain squarely on “go” for a stellar indoor track and field season at Allen Community College. OTHER QUALIFIERS on the men’s team were Rickcardo Bailey, who took third in the 600-yard dash with a time of 1:14.76; MeShach Adams, who took eighth in the 800-meter dash with a time of 1:58.87; Deandre Henderson, who finished fourth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.26 seconds; and Michael Burns, who leapt 14.48 meters in the triple jump.
The Red Devil athletes racked up 16 national qualifying marks and set five school records at Saturday’s KU Jayhawk Classic.
“This is an impressive group,” said Allen head coach Vince DeGrado. “The dedication they bring has been tremendous.”
DeGrado heaped praise upon assistant coach Tony Davis, who focuses primarily on sprinters and jumpers. Those groups accounted for a large portion of the qualifying and record-breaking marks.
A pair of 60-meter hurdlers are prime examples.
The Red devils’ Bruce Barclay and Vanessa Style both set school records and qualified for nationals for their times in the 60-meter hurdles.
Barclay completed his hurdles in 8.05 seconds, good for second place overall. He was followed by Rohan Mullings, who finished in sixth with a qualifying mark of 8.31 seconds. Vanessa Style, meanwhile, made it on the women’s side, finishing in 8.67 seconds.
“Obviously, we knew Bruce was going to be good, but it’s surprised me that he’s gotten this good,” DeGrado said.
Elysha Alyn also qualified in the hurdles with a preliminary time of 9.24 seconds.
Style followed up her hurdles with a sterling mark in the 200-meter dash, qualifying for nationals with her fourth-place time of 25.38 seconds.
Alyn, meanwhile, took home second place, set a school record and qualified with her triple jump of 11.78 meters.
Terika Henry qualified for nationals in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.23 seconds, good for seventh.
Finally, the women’s 4×400-meter relay team of Henry, Style, Alyn and Sam Melillo narrowly missed qualifying for nationals — by one-tenth of a second — but still “obliterated” the school record with a time of 4 minutes, 5.7 seconds.
“Like I’ve said before, we may not have much in quantity as in number of women on the team, but their quality is impressive,” DeGrado said.
And he sees room for improvement.
“Terika wasn’t really happy with her performance,” he said. “She’ll get there.”
Three Red Devils also qualified in the 1,000-meter run. Dallas Snider, Brandon Bernal and Tucker Morgan finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively. The 4×400 relay team of Kyle Smith, Henderson, Bailey and Zac McCoy took third with a time of 3:19.79.
“I was especially impressed with Deandrae’s performance,” DeGrado said. “For him to set a personal best indoors is pretty special.”
Allen’s athletes head to Joplin Friday and Saturday for the Missouri Southern Open.
KU Jayhawk Classic
Women
60-meter hurdles
Prelims
Vanessa Style, 8.81 seconds (N) (S)
Elesha Alyn, 9.24 (N)
Finals
3. Style, 8.67 (N) (S)
200 meters
4. Style, 25.38
Triple Jump
2. Alyn, 11.78 meters
400-meter dash
7. Terika Henry, 58.23 (N)
1000-meter run
8. Danae McGee, 3:22.30
4×400-meter relay
10. Allen (Henry, Style, Alyn, Sam Melillo), 4:05.70 (S)
Men
60-meter hurdles
Prelims
Bruce Barclay, 8.25 (N)
Rohan Mullins, 8.48
Zodani Francois, 8.76
Finals
2. Barclay, 8.05 (N) (S)
6. Rohan Mullings, 8.31 (N)
60-meter dash
Prelims
Roderick Simmons, 7.04
1-mile run
14. Connor Immenschuh, 4:42.75
600-yard dash
3. Rickcardo Bailey, 1:14.76
Antonio Duncan, 1:16.52
Royal Gatson, 1:17.53
400-meter dash
Kyle Smith, 51.07
800-meter run
8. MeShach Adams, 1:58.87 (N)
15. Thomas Broxterman, 1:59.86
22. Markeen Caine, 2:03.27
200-meter dash
4. Deandre Henderson, 22.26 (N)
10. Zac McCoy, 22.45
3000-meter run
13. Brock Artis, 9:11.77
22. Salvador Medrano, 9:21.01
24. Patrick Rachford, 9:24.20
1000-meter run
3. Dallas Snider, 2:36.29 (N)
4. Brandon Bernal, 2:36.60 (N)
5. Tucker Morgan, 2:36.93 (N)
Triple jump
6. Michael Burns, 14.48 meters
4×400-meter relay
3. Allen (Kyle Smith, Henderson, Bailey, McCoy), 3:19.79 (N)
ACC athletes soar past school, national marks
