DES MOINES, S.D. -- It has been a long time and waiting for South Dakota sprinter Tom Green, a senior from Hornick, Iowa. But to listen to him speak about it, the wait for a Drake Relays title has been worth it.
On Saturday afternoon in windy and rainy conditions, Green captured his first Drake Relays title with a win in the University/College Division 100 meter dash. He ran a :10.49 to beat a field that included primarily NCAA Division I competitors. Latonel Williams of Alabama was second in 10.51.
"This is a huge win," said Green, a six-time All American. "Everyone has heard my sob story about how I have been coming every year and wanting to win a title. Finally at a team meeting, I told everybody that this was going to be the year. I told them I came here to win," said Green. "Considering the weather and conditions, I am happy with the way that I ran. It is as if a thousand pounds has been lifted off my back. I am like a little kid in the candy store," said an esctatic Green following his win.
Green, who has been troubled by mononucleosis and a bad hamstring, felt that winning today was like competing at a national meet. "I feel like I won a national title...that is what winning at Drake means to me."
Former South Dakota pole vaulter Derek Miles went 18'1 to win his first Drake Relays title. Miles, who has a personal best of 19'1 this year, defeated a field that included olympic gold medalist Nick Hysong and American record holder Jeff Hartwig, who was second at Drake today with a vault of 17'9.
"It is a nice win for me," said Miles, who now trains with Bell Athletics which includes Hartwig. "I think in my head I was making the conditions worse that they were. Sure the wind was bad but I was fortunate. When I got up to jump then the wind died down. In that aspect and with the strength of this field, I was lucky," added Miles. "It was nice to come away with a win. We had some outstanding vaulters out there."
Miles noted that Hartwig has been a mentor to him. He is very appreciative of what Hartwig has done for him. "Derek has some strong physical tools and we all have been saying it was just a matter of time. He has a strong future. I believe he has several good years left," Hartwig said on Saturday following the pole vault event.
Miles, who came to South Dakota from Sacramento, Calif., is also appreciative of his former South Dakota coaches Lucky Huber and Dave Gottsleben. "Without Lucky, I would be in deep trouble. He helped me with my training and we work closely together. He and I remain very close friends, so I am very appreciative. And, with Coach Gottsleben, he was like a father figure to me in college. It is nice having those two people in your corner," added Miles.
In other South Dakota results at the relays on Saturday, South Dakota's 4x400 relay squad finished fourth in the Dr. Channing Smith Men's 4x400 Meter Relay. The Coyotes went 3:15.60 with a team that included Ronnie McDougle (Pompano, Fla.), Erik Van Laecken (Parkston, S.D.), John Kehoe (Rapid City, S.D.), and Ryan Finley (Omaha, Neb.).
In addition the Coyotes' distance medley relay finished eighth in 10:08.17. The team included Shane Roder (McCook Central, S.D.), Shaun Fransen (Edgerton, Minn.), James Jeffery (Spearfish, S.D.) and Scott Ellwanger (Omaha, Neb.).
The women's sprint medley relay squad was seventh in 4:09.32. That team included Tina Klith (Iowa City, Iowa), Emily Fox (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Courtney Trittle Winner, S.D.) and Tammy Christensen (Freeman, S.D.).
On Friday at the Drake Relays --
The South Dakota 4x200 meter relay ran without one of its regulars but still set a state of South Dakota record in the 4x200 meter relay today at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Coyote relay squad of Erik Van Laecken of Parkston, S.D., Pat Belling of Omaha, Neb., Ryan Finley of Omaha, Neb., and John Kehoe of Rapid City, S.D., ran a 1:25:03 to break the a state of South Dakota record previously held by USD. Usually Tom Green, a senior (Hornick, Iowa) runs on the squad but he had a busy day and was replaced by Val Laecken who had a good day for the Coyotes. In the race today, the Coyotes finished second behind Lindenwood, who ran a 1:24.57.
On the record, three members of that 2000 squad ran today, including Finley, Belling and Kehoe.
South Dakota's 4x800 team finished third at the Relays, clocking of 7:34.87. The relay squad included Shaun Fransen (Edgerton, Minn.), Scott Ellwanger (Omaha, Neb.), James Jeffery (Spearfish, S.D.) and Shane Roder (McCook Lake, S.D.).
In the high jump Derek Pelc (Norfolk, Neb.) was 17th with a jump of 6'8.
Sandy Pelkofer (Rapid City, S.D.) was 11th in the pole vault at 11'11.75. Freshman Marci Miller (Rapid City, S.D.) was 15th in the pole vault at 11'11.75.
On Thursday at Drake --
Amber Friedrich, a freshman on South Dakota women's track and field team finished 29th in the 10,000 meter run on Thursday night at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.
Friedrich of Spencer, Iowa, finished in 39:23.99 while teammate Jennifer Feely of Fairmont, Minn., was 31st in 41:17.37.
