Red Storm Dominates in Opening Weekend

Friday, December 7

Bronx, NY

2:00 PM

St. John's University

Fordham Lid Lifter

12/10/2018 1:23:00 PM | Women's Track and Field

St. John’s takes 11 events in two opening meets

By: Eric Robinson

The St. John's indoor season began this past weekend with the Fordham Lid Lifter and the Bill Ward Invitational.

The team took 11 first place finishes in events over the two meets. The Johnnies started the weekend with a strong opener at the Fordham Lid Lifter.

Destiny Davis led the sprints at the event winning the 200 meter finals with a time of 25.19. The junior finished .06 seconds ahead of Fordham's Kathryn Kelly. In the 200 meter, the Johnnies placed six in the top-10. The Red Storm also placed second behind Fordham in the 4x400 relay with a time of 4:03.39.

St. John's placed each of the top-5 in the shot put led by Amarys Berry. Berry out-threw fell junior Bernadette McGowan with a distance of 13.47 meters. The Johnnies also took the top two spots in the weight throw with Jennifer Odoemene taking first place with a throw of 16.26 meters. The senior finished ahead of freshman Samantha Morillo, who made her St. John's debut with a throw of 14.84 meters.

At the Bill Ward Invitational at St. Anthony's High School, the Red Storm also found success. Eboni Birch won the finals of the 60 meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 9.24. Three of the top five were from St. John's. Torisha LaForce took the 500 meter run with a time of 1:20.81, while freshman Skyy Diop took the 400 meter run with a time of 58.02.

Stephanie Gerland continued the Red Storm's success in the running events with a win in the 800 meter run. Her time of 2:29.92 took first at the event while Davis took her second 200 meter run of the weekend with a time of 25.14 in the finals, that featured the first four finishers as members of the Red Storm.

Ja'Tae Joyner won the triple jump with a distance of 11.45 meters, while Berry won her second shot put competition of the weekend with the Johnnies taking each of the top six spots in the event.

"I was very pleased with our team's effort at Bill Ward," Head Coach Jim Hurt said. "Coach McCree's throwers were awesome with three ECAC qualifying performances in the weight throw and that set the tone for the rest of our team. Coach Pompey's sprinters looked sharp and the jumpers hit their marks so we are poised for good things in the new year."