TI Track and Field Team Past Results

2002 Houston Regional Meet

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Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 7:08 PM
Subject: Houston Regional - And the Winner Is . . .

. . . Now you know I can't just give it away that quickly.  Here's the "Chuck Hull Summary" of the meet.

About 3 weeks ago I thought we had this one in the bag.   Then we lost 3 of our 30-39 year old middle distance males.  Then Patrick came down with the flu earlier this week and our top sprinter Marlon Thomas dropped out due to his lingering foot injury.  We had to shuffle the folks and see what happened.

It was a hot, sunny (and always humid) day in Houston.  Eight teams showed up in one of the strongest fields in years. There were actually 17 teams if you count the B, C, and even D teams from the big companies.  The 3K Men lined up and the day began:

3000-METER TEAM RACES    

Men's 3K -   1st PLACE

With Patrick still feeling the effects of the flu we tossed Tim Earl into the 3K.  His performance nabbed the 3rd place slot in the 20-29 age group and combined with our other strong runners in the 30's, 40's, 50', and 60's to edge ExxonMobil by just one point.  Off to a good start.

Steffen, Scott - 10:18.0, 2nd in age group

Jenkins, JJ - 10:21.2, 1st in age group

Stotzer, Eric - 11:00.6, 3rd in age group

Earl, Tim - 11:01.9, 3rd in age group

King, Rio - 11:56.6, 1st in age group

Beeker, Patrick - 12:50, 7th in age group

Wade, Dennis - 11:05, 7th in age group

Women's  3K - 2nd PLACE

Rookie Beth Shockley powered to a first place in the tough 30-39 age group.  Everyone else took care of business and we finished a solid 2nd place to ExxonMobil.

Scales, Fanny - 12:21.8, 2nd in age group

Thummel, Allison - 12:48.5, 3rd in age group

Shockley, Beth - 12:51.1, 1st in age group

Hager, Dianna - 13:17.6, 3rd in age group

Samilton, Cynthia - 13:35.7, 4th in age group

JUMP RELAY - DROP

Did not enter.   JUMPERS WHERE ARE YOU ????????

WEIGHT RELAY   -  1st PLACE

These guys were dominating the meet so much they started picking up their competitors and throwing them!!!    Over 500 points ahead of the next best team.
Lewis, Lonnie - shot 44'00.25"(longest overall - auto qual), discus 109'10.50" = 1351.2 points 

Rothenbury, Dave  shot 29'10.87", discus 141'11.37"(longest overall-min qual)= 1291.3 points

MEN'S MILE  - 3rd PLACE

Patrick's flu left him not breathing well in the 3K and, since breathing is generally recommended for most races, we moved Tolbert into the Mile.   This pair ran well and tied for 2nd, but lost the tie breaker to Shell.  The 3 guys finishing ahead of them were in their mid 20's.  Jim is 42 and Danny is 39.  Great running guys.   ExxonMobil wins this event.

Dietz, Jim - 4:56  - 4th overall (min qual time)

Tolbert, Danny - 5:40 - 5th overall

SUBMASTER'S DISTANCE MEDLEY   -  2nd PLACE

Our 3 missing 30-39 year old middle distance runners made us scramble in this event and we used a 45 and 50 year old.  They all ran great, but ExxonMobil was too powerful and won by 34 seconds.  

(800m)M 35+/30+ -  Wade, Dennis - 2:27.1

(400m)F 30+ -  Gordon, Mariquita  - 1:07.5 (min qual time)

(1200m)M 35+/30+ - Jenkins, JJ - 3:44.6

(1600m)M 30+/35+ - Stotzer, Eric  - 5:37.0

   total             12:56.2

WOMEN'S 800-METERS     -  2nd PLACE

It was starting to look like we would be the bridesmaids again this year.  ExxonMobil had a pair of girls in their mid 20's who finished 1st and 2nd.   Lita and Beth gave up a combined 29 years of age and still took home the silver.  Three in a row for ExxonMobil. :-(
Alessandra, Lita - 2:37 - 3rd overall (min qual time)

Shockley, Beth - 2:45  - 4th overall

3-LAP SPRINT   -  2nd PLACE

With our #1 400m man at home with his foot in the ice bucket I called on rookies Sam Norris, Tim Earl, Leonardo Pierre to enter a full field.   I think Leonardo last ran track in middle school in Trinidad.   We were looking good until Sam Norris had a hamstring pull just 50 meters into his leg.   He guts it out and delivers the baton to Tim and Leonardo who run great.  We only lose by about a second to Shell.   I know they were disappointed not to win the gold, but they scored valuable points.  Note: They beat ExxonMobil by 2 places.

F O (200m)  Pool, Tonica - 28.8  (min qual time)
M O (200m)  Norris, Sam - 27.8 (pulled hamstring)
M O (400m)   Earl, Tim - 55.5

M O  (400m)   Pierre, Leonardo  -  53.7 (min qual time)
   total                            2:45.8

EXECUTIVE RELAY  -  1st PLACE

This was the race where the tide began to turn.  Rookie Pat Bosshart ran an excellent opening 800 and handed off to me about 6 seconds behind the Exxon guy.  There was no one I would have rather been behind - those guys were making me mad!  I caught him before the 200 meter mark and opened up about a 10 second lead.  I had asked Joe to step up to the 800 and he poured it on.  Dietz pounds them and we win by over a minute.

M 25+JG28+  (800m) Bosshart, Pat - 2:31.3

M 30+JG28+  (400m) Westbrook, Paul  -  56.8 (min qual time)

M 30+JG28+   (800m)  DeLaCruz, Joe  - 2:20.2

M 30+JG28+ (1600m)  Dietz, Jim - 4:56.4  (min qual time) 
   total                                 10:44.7

DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY  (1600-1600-800-800-1600) - DROP

Where are all the young distance runners???   Please send them out to the track soon.  ExxonMobil took another first place.

WOMEN'S RELAY   -  1st PLACE

The TI women make a statement.   Fanny takes the lead from the start and the others stretch it out for a victory over ExxonMobil by 20 full seconds.

F O  (800m)   Scales, Fanny -  2:51.0
F O   (400m)   Gordon, Mariquita - 1:10.0

F 30+  (400m)  Stark, Kelly - 1:09.7 
   total                            5:10.7

SUBMASTER'S SPRINT MEDLEY   -  1st PLACE

Everyone on this team met the minimum qual time and they dominated the event and won by 15 seconds.  Benjamin ran a little too fast on the first 200 and was feeling dizzy.  The last few events were going to take some survival techniques.

F 30+  (200m)    Lowery, Sonya - 29.1 (min qual time)

M 35+ (200m)   DeLaCruz, Joe - 25.5 (min qual time)

M 30+ (400m)    Sarpong, Benjamin - 54.2 (min qual time)

M 35+ (800m)  Steffen, Scott - 2:16.9 (min qual time)

  total                                4:05.8

PRESIDENT'S RELAY  (800-400-800) - 2nd PLACE

Thanks to Lita's hard work we pieced together a Presidents Team.  The rules in Houston allow VP direct reports to run, so we pulled two TI Fellows and a direct report.   This team (2 females and 1 male) took 2nd to the all male team from Shell (where is the diversity in the oil industry?).   Duy-Loan ran her first 400 ever and Bosshart turned in a great anchor to come within a few seconds of catching them.

40+ (800m) Alessandra, Lita - 2:40.0

40+ (400m) Duy-Loan, Le - 1:39.5

40+ (800m) Bosshart, Pat - 2:35.3

   total                6:54.8

PYRAMID RELAY  (400-800-1200-800-400)   - 2nd PLACE

Three events left and we had to have near perfection to catch ExxonMobil for the team title.  After much deliberation with Rio we cobbled together the warriors for the Pyramid.   They gave up some years in age, but their efforts were heroic.  Earl and Dietz ran their 3rd event of the day and Tonica's training was evident in a strong anchor leg.   Unfortunately, the only team to beat us was ExxonMobil.

F O (400m) Thummel, Allison - 1:10.3

M O (800m) - Earl, Tim - 2:17.8

M O (1200m) - Tolbert, Danny - 3:44.4

M O (800m) - Dietz, Jim - 2:15.2 (min qual time)

F O (400m) - Pool, Tonica - 1:05.0 (auto qual time)

   total                          10:32.7

MASTER'S RELAY   -  1st PLACE

These folks just get better with age.  Jenkins and Steffen in their 3rd event of the day just dominated.  Cynthia had no equal in her age group.   It was a 25 second margin of victory.   One event to go and it would probably determine the team title - too close to call!!!!

M 40+ (800m)   Jenkins, JJ -  2:21.0

F 40+  (400m)  Samilton, Cynthia   -  1:12.2
M 40+ (800m)   Steffen, Scott  - 2:21.7
  total                                  5:54.9

SPRINT RELAY   - 1st PLACE

Marlon was in Dallas with his foot on ice and Benjamin was still looking woozy.  We flip-flop our team for several minutes and finally put a team on the track.  The girls run great, including Kelly's blazing auto qual leg.  They gave me a second place slot which I hold against all the young kids and pass to Leonardo.   In a fitting vengeance to the 3-lap sprint he moved us strongly into first.   Joe DeLaCruz put it out of reach and Benjamin charred the track on the final leg.   We won by 9 seconds.

F O (200m)  Lowery, Sonya - 29.9 (min qual time)
F O (200m)  Stark, Kelly - 27.9 (auto qual time)
M O (400m)  Westbrook, Paul - 59.3

M O (400m)   Pierre, Leonardo - 54.9

M 40+ (200m)  DeLaCruz, Joe - 25.9 (min qual time)

M O (200m)  Sarpong, Benjamin - 23.3 (min qual time)
  total                         3:41.2

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

As you can guess by now we edged out ExxonMobil.  We did it by 4 points.  We took the team title right there in their own back yard.   We medaled in every event we entered - 1st in 7 events, 2nd in 6, and 3rd in 1 event.  We had a few triple medalists.   I think DeLaCruz and Steffen topped them all with 3 gold medals each.   We had a number of auto and min qual times run.   Rookies Pierre, Bosshart, and Earl look like they might be running in Sacramento with us at the Nationals.

It was a total team effort and every single person played a role in winning the team title.   Thanks to everyone and especially Rio for the coaching.   Let's build on this and head for Nationals in just under 6 weeks.   Next year make your plans to go to Houston and defend the title.   Those wounded Tigers are liable to be very fierce.

OVERALL TOTALS (16 events with lowest 3 scores dropped)

1st - TI                    14 events, drop 1 for 177 points

2nd - ExxonMobil     15 events, drop 2 for 173 points

3rd - Shell                16 events, drop 3 for 148 points

4th - ChevronTexaco 11 events for 77 points

5th - Reliant Energy   8 events for 64 points

6th - GE                    8 events for 58 points

7th - Dynegy             8 events for 54 points

More news about nationals coming very soon along with reimbursement and uniform instructions from Houston.

Thanks for representing TI with such class and outstanding teamwork.

Paul