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Lucas, Zallow set pace for YSU
youngstown
Youngstown State track and field head coach Brian Gorby called Friday’s YSU College Invitational a “building block.”
Still a ways out from a conference meet and going up against only two other Division I programs (Pitt and Ohio), YSU performed well in winning all the hurdle events, the men’s 400 meters, the men’s 60-meter dash and both shot put events.
“There were key wins throughout tonight that we can build off of,” Gorby said. “We’ll be involved more in the next meet that’s more of a Division I situation.”
A few of the YSU highlights included freshman Brendon Lucas. The Boardman alumnus won the 400 dash with a time of 48.63, beating second place Kenneth Brosier of Pitt by 0.11 seconds. The time is the best out of all Horizon League athletes so far this year.
“That was my first collegiate win in the 400, I beat my personal record and I nearly broke my outdoor personal record, too,” Lucas said. “When I saw how fast the first two heats were I didn’t think I would get top three. But I just ran my race, stayed comfortable and it paid off.”
Lucas said his focus right now is getting his times down to the level necessary to bring a second straight indoor Horizon League title back to Youngstown.
“Eventually I want to work to nationals but to get there I’ve got to get to around 45 or a low 46 [seconds],” Lucas said. “Conference is more important right now, though. Last year it came down to the 4x400 relay. Hopefully with new additions this year it won’t.”
With a more expected dominant performance was sophomore Chad Zallow. The Warren JFK alumnus, who is ranked second nationally in the 60-meter hurdles, won that competition easily with a time of 7.77, winning by 0.32. Zallow was hoping to put a strong time down on paper that he could work on steadily improving throughout the year.
“That’s a really good time for me coming back this season,” Zallow said. “I got a great time under my belt and I look forward to improving it this season.
“It’ll be better competition next week and a faster track so I’m happy with how I ran.”
Zallow also won the 60-meter dash for good measure. But any nitpicking in such a dominant performance in the hurdles? Just a few things.
“I’d like to be a little faster out of the blocks and just fix up my form a little bit just so I can be faster through the hurdles,” Zallow said. “That’ll come with competition.”
Other winners included Jaynee Corbett and Ryan Booth in both shot put events and Amber Eles in the 60-meter hurdles. Although her time of 8.65 wasn’t exactly the time she was hoping for.
“[Amber] was pretty disappointed in her time but she was strong,” Gorby said. “It’s a nice situation to have. She’s fired up about her time but she’s winning. She still wants a few tenths shaved off.”
YSU alumnus Conner Neu also was present, winning the weight-throw competition as an unattached athlete. He threw 21.25 meters in the final, nearly four meters farther than second place.
YSU also took second place in six events. One of those was junior Keishawnna Burts in the 400 meters. She was beaten by Pitt’s Danielle Leaks by 0.21, but it’s improvement on her time nonetheless.
“It was an all right run,” Burts said. “I could have been faster, but I improved from last week in both the 400 and the 200. Each week I just hope to get faster.”
Other runners-up included sophomore Isaac Agyemang, who jumped 6.79 meters in the long jump; senior Michelle Klim who ran the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:49.15; and sophomore Abby Jones, who cleared 1.65 meters in the high jump.