SAINTS ATHLETICS SHINE AT NWACS

On Monday and Tuesday, May 20-21, the Saints hosted the 2019 Northwestern Athletic Conference (NWAC) track and field championships on their home turf, collecting three individual titles, and eight All-American honors.

There were numerous successes for Mt. Hood athletes throughout the two-day meet, as they peaked right on time.  

The Advocate interviewed MHCC co-Head Coach Kelly Holding a few days before the meet began, and she was optimistic about the Saints who qualified for the championship meet.

“We’re really excited,” she said. “Our team had a lot of PR’s (personal record bests) in the Southern regionals last weekend and we’re just looking to have a better year than last year.”  

Entering the NWAC meet, there were some obvious standouts, names like Andre Dorn, conference champion two years ago. After redshirting (sitting out one year) Dorn had led the NWAC in the 200 meter and 400 meter sprints this season. Another was Mackenzie Smith, who came  in first the qualifying heptathlon meet (a seven-event competition for women) to begin the season and since suffered a concussion, taking four weeks off.

“Taking a month off was very difficult,” Smith said. “You lose a lot of muscle and it’s kind of a mental game, too. Right now, I’m a little worried about high jump. I feel like I could compete well at the NWACs, but I just don’t feel ready yet.” Meantime, she added, “I’m pretty excited about the 800m. I think I’m going to break 2:30 (minutes).” 

Overall, Holding described the team as a tight-knit group that has been working harder than ever in the classroom, too.

SAINTS SPRINT AND SOAR

The Saints’ hard work paid off in several ways, as they recorded more personal bests and honors.

In team competition, the Mt. Hood men placed fourth overall with a total of 80 points.

Dorn, a sophomore, took first place in the 400-meter dash, blowing his competition out of the water with a 48.36-second PR, and took third in the 200m, with a time of 21.96.

The 4×100-meter men’s relay team took fourth place, with freshmen Elijah Johnson and Justin Kavanaugh and sophomores Nolberto Aguilera and Dorn competing. 

The 4×400-meter relay did one better, reaching the winner’s podium with a third place finish, with Dorn, Kavanaugh, Aguilera and sophomore Jerrell Jae Waddell competing.

Last but not least for the Saints, freshman Willie Tran was runner-up in the long jump, soaring for a 22-foot, 7-inch mark.

With only nine athletes competing this year, the Saints women placed sixth overall with 52.5 points, meantime.

Sophomore Grace Buchanan snared first place with a 134-foot, 10-inch PR in the javelin, to finish a strong year.

Freshman Ujunwa Nwokoma won the long jump, flying to a mark of 18 feet, 5 3/4 inches.

Smith ended up fourth in the high jump, and teammate Shania Parker, a freshman, earned fifth place, both at a height of 4 feet, 9 3/4 inches.

‘RAISING THE BAR’

Mt. Hood’s other co-head coach praised the efforts of the Saints this week and all during the year.

“This championship, out of a scale of 1-10, I put it at a 9,” Fernando Fantroy said. “They put the work in, and it really paid off.

“If you ask me what I would grade my coaching, I give myself a 5,” he added. “(I’ve) been here five years and it’s my first year co-head coaching. Once I get a championship, then I’d start putting myself at, like, 6 and 7. Other than that, I’m excited for them. When they look good, I look good.”  

Asked how his coaching contributed to the cause, Fantroy said, “Just being patient and trusting the process. We don’t care what happens during the season. I coach for the championship. All the practices and all the meets we have, I consider them practice meets.”  

The one thing that sums up the 2019 Saints track and field team is, in his words: “Raising the bar. That was our thing this year. Not only on the track, but academically.”

OVERALL 

Men: 4th place (80 points) 

Women: 6th place (52.5 points) 

MEN 

200m: 3rd place. Andre Dorn. Soph. (21.96)  

400m: 1st place. “” (48.36) 

400 Hurdles: 3rd place. Alex Moore. Soph. (56.24) 

4th place. Nolberto Aguilera. Soph. (56.44) 

4×100 R: 4th place. Johnson, Kavanaugh, Aguilera, Dorn. (42.56) 

4×400 R: 3rd place. Dorn, Waddell, Kavanaugh, Aguilera. (3:21.63) 

High Jump: 4th place. Devin Hasher. (6’3.5”) 

Long Jump: 2nd place. Willie Tran. (22’7”) 

Jav: 6th place. Gabe Coe. (174’8”) 

WOMEN 

100m: 4th place. Ujunwa Nwokoma. Fresh. (12.56) 

High Jump: 4th. Makenzie Smith. Soph. (4’9.75”) 

5th. Shania Parker. Fresh. (4’9.75”) 

Long Jump: 1st place. Ujunwa Nwokoma. Fresh. (18’5.75”) 

Jav: 1st place. Grace Buchanan. Soph. (134’10”)