Friday, May 12, 2006

Amanda Body (Harlan, Ky./Harlan H.S.) broke two school records, while Ashley Billstrom (Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall H.S.) lowered one of her own on the second of three days of action Friday at the Mid-Continent Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Macomb, Ill.

Billstrom took the gold in the 3,000m steeplechase, completing the course in 10:51.01. She won the race by 7.48 seconds and lowered her own school record by 5.39 seconds. She also narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA regional meet by less than a second.

Body edged out teammate Melanie Wilson (Saint Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain H.S.) for the new record in the long jump by one-half inch. Body's best leap of 18'3" was good for fifth place, while Wilson followed in sixth place with a jump of 18'2 ½". Both jumps surpassed the previous record of 18'2 ¼", held by Wilson.

Body then broke her own Valpo record in the 200m dash during preliminary heats, qualifying fourth-fastest for Saturday's final with a time of 25.23 seconds. Patricia Kloth (Medford, Wis./Medford Area H.S.) posted the third-best time in Crusader history in the event, crossing the line in 25.96 seconds, but did not qualify for the final.

Both Wilson and Maggie Zellner (Downers Grove, Ill./Benet Academy) qualified for the final in the 100m hurdles, while Zellner also qualified for the 400m hurdles final.

Julie Flowers (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson H.S.) led Valpo in the shot put, breaking her own personal best by over two feet. Flowers' toss of 35'0 ½" was good for a sixth-place finish, just ¾" out of fifth.

Valparaiso has tallied 24 points through eight of 21 event finals, good for fourth place out of the seven competing teams. Western Illinois leads the team totals with 103 points. The final day of action begins Saturday at 10:00 a.m. CDT.