MCC Track Qualifies Two at Samford Invite

From School Reports

Birmingham, AL – On Saturday, MCC’s track and field team returned to the track at the Samford Invite at the Birmingham Crossplex.

MCC once again saw a great amount of success in the short sprints.  In the 60 meters, MCC was the only team to qualify three individuals for the finals with Freshmen Cravorkian Carson, Chris Lewis and Kendrick Smith finishing first, fourth and sixth. 

Smith making his season debut, won both the 60 meters and 200 meters in style. Smith posted a time of 6.76 in the 60 meters, ranking him sixth in the NJCAA and then posted a winning time of 21.62 in the 200 meters that ranks him 11^th in the NJCAA.

“To see Kendrick run the way he did in both the 60 meters and 200 meters is very exciting,” said Head Coach Chip Gayden. “When we recruited Kendrick, we knew he was talented.  For him to come out and compete at a high level and post some good times is good confidence for him heading in to the National Championships.”

MCC saw Bryson Penton post a NJCAA qualifying mark in the 400 meters with a time of 49.56.  With his time it saw Penton post a personal best by more than half a second.

“Seeing Bryson qualify was very pleasing,” said Gayden.  “He comes out and works hard every day.  He and I believe it could have been a 48, but he got in to a little elbowing with another runner on the backstretch that I think slowed him just a little.”

In the 4x400 meter relay MCC’s relay team of Penton, Durham, Harris and Young finished sixth with a time of 3:22.10

In the jumps, Freshman Josh Wilson once again qualified for the finals and finished tenth in the long jump with a jump of 22-02.25.  In the high jump, Devontre Young posted a sixth place finish with a height of 6-06.75.

MCC will now turn their focus to the final regular season meet the LSU Twilight which will be Friday, February 20 down in Baton Rouge.