The Falcons exploded for 160 points on the final day to surge past Virginia State University 194-111. The SAU men trailed the Trojans by three points after the first day on Sunday, Feb. 10.
SAU combined for 64 points in three events (200 Dash, 400 Dash, Triple Jump) to take charge of the meet. They also scored heavily in several other events.
Overall, the Falcons scored in every event on Monday including victories in five events. Jumonne Exeter (Sr./St. Vincent) captured the triple jump and Shaquille Dill (Sr./Pembroke, Bermuda) won the 800 run. Jeremiah Bridges (So./Powder Springs, GA) took the 60 hurdles and Baron Freeman (Fr./Hampton, VA) was victorious in the 5000 run. The nation’s top-ranked team of Nathan Fergusson (Fr./St. Thomas, Barbados), Jalen Jones (Fr./Raeford, NC), Darren Alfred (Fr./Bethel, Trinidad & Tobago) and Brandon Parris (Sr./Sion Hill, St. Vincent) won the 4×400 relay.
Exeter, who placed second in Sunday’s long jump final, was named CIAA Men’s Field MVP for scoring the most points (18) in the field events. He was one of many Falcons who displayed versatility at the meet. Most notable was Alazae Hester-Taylor (Sr./Homewood, AL), who finished second in the heptathlon, third in the high jump, fourth in the pole vault, fourth in the triple jump and eighth in the 60 hurdles. He also finished 10th in the long jump.
The 200 and 400 dashes best reflected the Falcons’ deep pool of talent. In the 400, the Falcons finished second through fifth with four sprinters to score 23 points. In the 200, SAU placed second, third, fifth and seventh with four sprinters for 20 points. The Falcons scored 21 points in the triple jump with three competitors and 19 points in the 60 hurdles with three hurdlers.
The superiority of SAU was too much to overcome for the other CIAA teams. Virginia Union University was third with 61 points followed by Claflin University (59 Points), Bowie State University (42), Johnson C. Smith University (38), Lincoln (Pa.) University (30) and Livingstone (26).
As a result, the Falcons ran away with another CIAA title. And it looks like the streak will continue in the near future.
Below is the list of SAU scorers at the championship meet on Monday (Place is in parenthesis).
Heptathlon
2. Alazae Hester-Taylor (Sr./Homewood, AL)
Triple Jump
1. Jumonne Exeter (Sr./St. Vincent)
3. Anthony Soriano (So./Riverside, CA)
4. Alazae Hester-Taylor
Shot Put
3. E’Kwon White (Fr./Franklinton, NC)
High Jump
2. Anthony Soriano
3. Alazae Hester-Taylor
400 Dash
2. Brandon Parris (Sr./Sion Hill, St. Vincent)
3. Jalen Jones (Fr./Raeford, NC)
4. Darren Alfred (Fr./Bethel, Trinidad & Tobago)
5. Nathan Fergusson (Fr./St. Thomas, Barbados)
60 Dash
2. Dontarian Evans (Sr./Gainesville, FL)
3. Damere Gilbert (Jr./Sharon Hill, PA)
800 Run
1. Shaquille Dill (Sr./Pembroke, Bermuda)
5. Robert Walker (So./Newburgh, NY)\
60 Hurdles
1. Jeremiah Bridges (So./Powder Springs, GA)
2. Christian Smith (Sr./Atlanta, GA)
8. Alazae Hester-Taylor
200 Dash
2. Brandon Parris
3. Dontarian Evans
5. Damere Gilbert
7. Nathan Fergusson
5000 Run
1. Baron Freeman (Fr./Hampton, VA)
8. Robert Edwards (Fr./Pembroke, Bermuda)
4×400 Relay
1. Nathan Fergusson, Jalen Jones, Darren Alfred, Brandon Parris
–Office of Sports Information
