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by CHRIS IRELAND
Sports Reporter
Members of the Appalachian State University track and field team may not seem like the type to be too particular about jewelry. But make no mistake, their taste is specific – a triple-crown championship ring.
“We want three stones on that ring,” John Weaver, director of track and field and cross country, said. “I can’t tell you how many there have been, but they’re pretty rare.”
 Freshman Darius Purcell wins the high jump in the Appalachian Invitational meet Friday with a jump of 6-6 3/4. Special to The Appalachian
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The Mountaineers,
already cross country and indoor champions this year, geared up for
this weekend’s Southern Conference Championship meet in the Appalachian
Invitational Friday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
“This was more or less a tune-up for us,” Weaver said. “I like what I saw though, I like where we’re at.”
Appalachian
got a strong showing from freshman Darius Purcell, who took first-place
overall in the high jump with a jump of 6-6 3/4.
“I
wasn’t getting as much momentum as I was wanting,” Purcell said. “I had
to take a shorter approach. I was just getting loose out there and
having fun.”
Also performing well was sophomore Rebecca Hazeltine, who earned SoCon field athlete of the week honors last week.
Hazeltine’s 5-7 mark was enough for one of the Appalachian women’s seven victories in competition.
“I felt
I did pretty good today, but I’m not used to jumping outside like
this,” Hazeltine said. “This might be the first time I’ve jumped
outside since I got to college.”
ASU’s
strong showing helped erase doubts from earlier in the season, when a
banged-up Mountaineer squad limped through its schedule.
“We had
a lot of injuries earlier this year and it hurt our momentum,” Weaver
said. “We’re in a better situation now though. We’re coming back and
getting mentally and physically prepared.”
Getting
mentally prepared for a run at a triple crown might be daunting for
most young squads, but ASU remains confident that it is ready for the
task.
“Our young people don’t seem too fazed by all of this,” Weaver said. “We have quite a bit of leadership on this team.”
Though
some of the younger team members have remained cool under pressure thus
far, the importance of bringing the title to Appalachian is not lost on
them.
“There’s
no doubt that it would be big for us,” Purcell said. “Not just for the
seniors going out this season either. It’s big for the freshmen too.”
While this weekend’s meet is undoubtedly big, it doesn’t appear to be too big for the Mountaineers.
“I wish
I could predict how these things will happen,” Weaver said. “I continue
to be pleasantly surprised. I tell you one thing though, we won’t be
giving it to anybody.”
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