For six members of the Ohio track and field teams, the 2007 season will continue into this weekend at the NCAA Mideast Regional meet.
For Scott Mayle, it is a chance to repeat once again as regional champion in the long jump.
I've been here before
so no I don't feel any pressure Mayle said about his thoughts on a possible three-peat.
Mayle's winning jump of 26-0 feet in 2005 was the second-best mark in school history at the time. He went on to the NCAA Championships, where he finished 17th overall.
In 2006, his jump of 25-06.75 feet tied for the fourth-best mark in the country at the time and qualified him for another berth in the NCAA Championships. Mayle finished 12th overall that year in the national championships.
The pressure hasn't been as bad as it was in the past
coach Clay Calkins said. He understands he's in the game to go out and win.
Mayle hit his regional mark in the Southern Ohio Cup, the team's first outdoor meet of the season.
Bobcats joining Mayle at regionals are Eric Bildstein, Brian King, Chelsea Stephan, Bahiyjuai Allen and Kari Summers.
With the way our athletes are looking place-wise
anything can happen
Calkins said. (Qualifying for) nationals is the ultimate goal.
A top-five mark will qualify an individual for this year's NCAA Championships, which will be held in Sacramento, Calif.
Allen and Summers are participating as freshmen, something Calkins said will do much for their reputations.
To get here as a freshman speaks highly of them as athletes
he said. They've put in hard work in the fall and it's paid off for them. Their success didn't come overnight.
Bildstein qualified for the hammer throw at the Ohio Open. Summers qualified after breaking a school record in the 5,000-meter race at the Sea Ray Relays.
Allen qualified in the shot put, King in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and Stephan in the javelin all at the Mid-American Conference Championships.
Today's competition begins at 11 a.m. with the men's hammer throw at Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Tomorrow's action begins at 11 a.m. as well, and will kick off with the women's hammer throw.
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Jason Fazzone
