NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Penn State Harrisburg kicked off the 2019 Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Championships with a bang on Friday evening, Feb. 15, with Alex White (high jump) and Rae Rae Taylor (long jump) securing conference titles to lead the way on the first night of the two-day event at Christopher Newport's Freeman Center.
For the second consecutive season, Taylor took gold in the long jump, defending her crown thanks to a top leap of 5.21 meters. Also for the second year in a row, teammate Sarah Lehman earned silver in the event after nearly matching Taylor's mark with a 5.20-meter bound of her own. For their efforts, Taylor collected All-CAC First-Team honors, while Lehman secured a spot on the All-CAC Second Team.
White earned the first indoor conference championship of his career in thrilling fashion when he cleared 2.03 meters on the last of his three high jump attempts at that mark. In addition to his CAC Title, the junior picked up first-team all-conference honors in the event. White also collected a bronze medal in the long jump with a leap of 6.58 meters.
A trio of Lions in Jalil Clayton, Cameron Yon and Andrew Bomberger snagged bronze medals thanks to strong outings in their respective events. Despite not taking a single rep in official competition this winter, Clayton finished third in the high jump with a top mark of 1.94 meters. Yon picked up his medal in the weight throw thanks to his best toss of 15.41 meters, while Bomberger's clearing of 3.85 meters in the pole vault was good enough for third.
Clayton, Taylor and Lehman also advanced to finals action set for Saturday. Clayton ran the quickest preliminary time in the 60m hurdles and his 7.23-second scamper in the men's 60m dash advanced him to the finals as well. Taylor and Lehman both qualified for the final of the 60m hurdles on the women's side. Taylor also punched her ticket to the finals of the 60m dash.
Shammah Gahomerah will join Clayton in the finals of the men's 60m hurdles after running the second-quickest prelim time in the event, while Dominick Hogans, like Clayton, moved on to the finals of the 60m dash. Aiyala McPhee will compete with Taylor in the women's 60m dash after recording the third-fastest prelim effort.
Other point scorers included Clayton in the long jump (fifth), Lars Weyant in the men's weight throw (seventh), the men's DMR foursome of Kadeem Willis, Jerome Jackson, Cole Hovis and Mekael Kassu (seventh), and the women's DMR group of Sephora Senestant, Jameraquai May, Neeyah Turner and Katelyn Gorman (fifth).
After the first day of action, Penn State Harrisburg's men's team sits second in the team standings with 42 total points, while the women's squad currently ranks fifth after tallying 22 points. The Blue & White will wrap up their weekend at the CAC Championships on Saturday afternoon. Day two events begin at 10 a.m.
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2019 All-CAC Indoor Honors
MEN
First Team
Alex White (HJ*)
WOMEN
First Team
Rae Rae Taylor (LJ*)
Second Team
Sarah Lehman (LJ)
* CAC Champion