For MSU sophomore sprinter Cynetheia Rooks, running the 100-meter dash is one of the least-run races in her arsenal of events.
But that didn't stop Rooks from outrunning the competition at the MSU Invitational as she started her season, hoping to build on last year when she qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 200-meter run and placed in the 400-meter run at regionals.
"It's not really my main focus, but my competitive spirit kicked in, and I just wanted to win," Rooks said.
Rooks placed first in the 100-meter with a time of 11.92 seconds and the 200-meter with a time of 24.43, helping the Spartans win 16 of 19 events on their home track against four other teams - Dayton, Lansing Community College, Oakland Community College and IPFW.
After the women's team had the majority of its events at its first outdoor invitational in Florida canceled due to bad weather on March 25, many competitors got their first chance to race and earn spots on the traveling squad, said MSU head coach Angela Goodman.
"The team is young," Goodman said. "But we're expecting to see big things by the time the conference meet comes around."
Two of the biggest highlights for the Spartans came off the track as junior pole vaulter Mickie Rzepka and sophomore thrower Melinda Buckmaster both hit provisional qualifying marks.
Rzepka broke her own outdoor school record of 12 feet 7.5 inches in the pole vault, jumping 12 feet 8 inches. Buckmaster threw 151 feet 4 inches to win the javelin by nearly 50 feet.
Also in field events, senior jumper Danielle Linenger barely missed tying her personal best at 5 feet 7 inches, but still won the competition after jumping 5 feet 5 inches.
"My goal was 5-5, but after I made it, I felt good and kept on going," Linenger said.
Many of MSU's top distance runners ran at the Stanford Invitational in California last week and didn't run on Saturday.
But the Spartans were still able to take the first six places in the 1,500-meter run led by freshman Nicole Bush with a time of 4:34.55. Junior Brittany Ballard finished second with 4:39.80 and Katie Kelly took third with 4:41.48.
Senior Aimee Keenan (2:16.60) outpaced teammate sophomore Sarah Stornant (2:21.83) to help MSU take the first two spots in the 800-meter run. The Spartans also took the top two spots in the 400-meter run, with sophomore Marquita Allen winning in 57.78 seconds and junior Megan Radermacher taking second in 59.41.
The Spartans next travel on Wednesday to Knoxville, Tenn. to compete in the Sea Ray Relays. MSU will compete on April 22 at the MSU Outdoor Track in the MSU Twilight.
