Panthers Capture Craft Invite Titles

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois men's and women's indoor track and field paced all competitors at their own annual John Craft Invitational on Saturday (Jan. 24), as both Panther units picked up team titles while combining for 17 first place marks.

The Panther men tallied 235 team points to beat out instate foe Illinois State (159) for second.  Bradley (48), Saint Louis (37.5) and Western Illinois (34) rounded out the standings.

Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week Calvin Edwards again nabbed a first place mark as the junior out-ran the 200-Meter Dash (22.04) competition.

Classmare Norvel Mohammed won the 400-Meter Dash (49.34), while senior Danny Trevor was victorious in the 400-Meter Hurdles (54.60) and sophomore Riley McInerney improved his season time in the Mile Run (4:11.68) with a first place finish.  Trevor also garnered the Heptathlon title with a 2210 point tally.

Sophomore Kendall Williams nabbed a pair of field titles, winning both the Long Jump (22-08-50) and Triple Jump (46-06.25), as senior David Johansson led a Panther sweep of the Weight Throw event (55-01.50).  

The Eastern women, meanwhile, posted 240 total points to also better the Redbirds (173), SLU (58), Leathernecks (48), and Braves (12).

Junior Angelica Anyaogu captured a pair of first places, first in her 60-Meter Dash (7.67) race and then again in the Long Jump (18-09.75) field event.  Classmates Dhiaa Dean and Amina Jackson also added their own first place tallies in the respective 600-Meter Run (1:34.11) and 400-Meter Hurdles (1:03.68) events.

Sophomore Kristen Paris also secured two additional race titles, crossing the line first in the both the 800-Meter Run (2:15.17) and Mile Run (5:01.88).

In additional field events, junior Janie Howse won the Weight Throw (57-02.25), while sophomore Bryn Buckwalter and newcomer Haleigh Knapp earned victories in the Shot Put (43-11.25) and High Jump (5-07), respectively.

Both Eastern units will now prepare for next weekend's Indiana Relays which will take place on Jan. 30-31 in Bloomington, Ind.

John Craft Invitational
Sat., Jan. 24, 2015
Lantz Fieldhouse (Charleston, Ill.)

Men's Team Standings
1 – Eastern Illinois … 235
2 – Illinois State … 159
3 – Bradley … 48
4 – Saint Louis … 37.5
5 – Western Illinois … 34
 
Women's Team Standings
1 – Eastern Illinois … 240
2 – Illinois State … 173
3 – Saint Louis … 58
4 – Western Illinois … 48
5 – Bradley … 12
 
Illinois Track Club, Judson College, Maryville (Mo.), McKendree, Rend Lake, and Wabash Valley also competed but did not post team scores