COUNCIL BLUFFS - The Iowa Central track and field program had another banner performance at the Region XI Championship, as the men finished first and the women second.
The Triton men won 11 events in all, led by double-winners Jerome Jessup and Aries Scott. Jessup captured both the 100 and 200 titles while Scott won the high jump and decathlon, which was held earlier in the week. Lee Eppie, Kelvin Bungei, Jaheem Hayles, Aries Scott, Nicola Paletti, James MacKey Jr., and William Richardson also claimed events.
On the women's side, Ashley Micheaux picked up titles in the discus and shot put along with Lilia Alvarez, Rosalie Fish, Hannah Connell and Victoria Adu. The Tritons also swept both the men's and women's 4x800 relays.
Jessup went 10.54 in the 100 and 20.81 in the 200 for his wins. Eppie claimed the 400 in 46.74, Bungei won the 3,000-meter Steeplechase in 9:20.85, Hayles the 110 hurdles in 13.65, Scott the high jump in 6-4.75, Paletti the pole vault in 12-0.75, MacKey Jr. the discus with a throw of 173-2 and Richardson the hammer with a toss of 155-10. Paletti was also the decathlon runner-up.
Robin Aguilar Gonzalez, Darius Brown, Cassius Havis and Bungei won the 4x800 in 7:46.63.
Earning second place finishes for Iowa Central were Gonzalez (3,000 Steeplechase), David Bosquez Grimaldo (high jump), Scott (pole vault), Eliot Cummings (triple jump), MacKey Jr. (shot put) and the 4x100 relay. Chris Levario was third in both the 1,500 and 5,000 with Adam Gruhn (pole vault), Cummings (long jump) and Tristen Hanna (triple jump) also scoring bronze finishes.
Alvarez went 12:13.55 to win the Steeplechase, Fish the 5,000 in 19:14.26 and Connell the 100 hurdles in 13.57. Micheaux winning throws of 139-1 in the discus and 49-5.5 in the shot put, with Adu launching the hammer 183-9.
Shaunti Longfellow, Alvarez, Fish and Josie Stackis won the 4x800 in 9:59.2.
Second place finishes went to Odell Frye (100), Fish (1,500), Micheaux (hammer), Adu (javelin), the 4x100, 4x400 relay and Kiya Wulf in the heptathlon. Frye finished third in the 200.
The Tritons will now turn their attention to the NJCAA Div. I Track and Field Championships, which will be held May 11-13 at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.
-By Dana Becker