Lions Win Second-Consecutive Regional Title

HICKORY, N.C.- The Mars Hill men's track and field team won their second-consecutive NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship, which concluded Saturday at Moretz Sports Complex Sports Complex/Irwin Belk Track.

The Lions earned 193 points to finish nine points ahead of second-place Wingate. Pacing Mars Hill on day two of the meet were Travis Riner's first-place finishes in the Discus and Shot Put. Cameron Shaw set a new school-record in the 200 Meter Dash. MHC had four second-place finishes on the day. Today's performances kept the Lions in first place after Friday's wins by Alex Griggs in the 10000 Meter Run and Derek Gibson in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase helped put Mars Hill atop the first night of competition. This is the Lions' sixth regional title in school-history.

Riner won the Discus with a throw of 137'-4.00". His winning Shot Put throw was 49'-2.25".

Shaw's new school-record time in the 200 Meter Dash was clocked at 21.78 seconds. That beat Shaw's own school-record, which he set last week at the Appalachian Open. The sophomore also placed fifth in the Long Jump.

The Lions also set a new-school-record in the 4 x 100 Meter Relay. Erin Parker, Deandre Vines, Korey Bryant and Shaw combined to run a time of 41.66 seconds to finish second.

Eric Blackburn notched second-place finishes in the 1500 Meter Run and 800 Meter Run. Blackburn ran one of two sub-two-minute times in the 800 Meter Run.

Cesar Reyes finished third in the 1500 Meter Run and added a fourth-place finish in the 800 Meter Run. Chase Shermer was fifth in the 1500 Meter Run and eighth in the 800 Meter Run.

Mars Hill's final second-place finish was turned in by Griggs in the 5000 Meter Run. Griggs ran a time of 15:21.49 as part of a strong Lion performance in the event. Gibson (third), Brady Adcock (fifth), Kiel Bollero (eighth) and Daniel Jezioranski (ninth) also placed in the top 10.

Vines placed fourth in the 200 Meter Dash, and added a sixth-place finish in the 100 Meter Dash. Parker placed fifth in the Triple Jump. Isaac Phyall added sixth-place finishes in the 110 Meter Hurdles and 400 Meter Hurdles.

Mars Hill will compete in the North Carolina A&T Last-Chance Meet, which will be held May 12 in Greensboro.