Women's track team sets four school records

Sophomore Ashley Frazier set the fastest time in the state in the 400 meters with a 1:02.17 and Jenna Yowell set a school record of 11-feet-6 in the pole vault on Saturday, March 6 at the Beaver Relays at ARC.

The Beaver Relays have become a tradition at ARC, part fun and part competition, at the start of every track and field season.

Many of the women on the ARC squad are freshmen and they’re quickly proving that they can compete.

The returning sophomores  have already proven it.

“She (Frazier) is running faster than ARC alumni Christina Hibbert, and has a good chance to break her record,” said ARC coach Jeanette Allred-Powless.

Four school records were set, including Frazier’s and Yowell’s, in the women’s competition. Old records of 4x200 meters, 4x400 hurdles and 4x100 hurdles were also shattered by a significant amount of time.

The athlete who really stood out the most, though, was Frazier. Allred-Powless considered her to be the MVP of the meet.

Yowell tried to go for 12-feet but didn’t quite make it. Sophomore Kristen Scott, Frazier and freshmen Chantiel Harden and Joyce Bowman all ran in the 4x200 meters, setting the record at 1:40.7.

The old record for the 4x400 hurdles was 4:47.16. Frazier and freshmen T’Keyah Birkley, Andrea Severson and Sarah Hockensmith crushed it by 17 seconds (4:30.99).

Hockensmith also set a school best of 1:05.09 as a leg in the race.  

“This squad is the strongest or is just as strong as the 2007 squad, and we have great potential to accomplish our goals,” said Allred-Powless.

The Beavers are hoping to win Big 8 Conference, NorCal Championships, and be at least in the top three at State.

Reigning Big 8 MVP Angelica Earls didn’t compete because of injury. ARC’s next home meet is Saturday, April 3.