ETSU track and field teams finished the 2003 SoCon outdoor track and field championships with two SoCon titles from junior high jumper, Cheryl Howard and sophomore distance runner Brad Yewer. The Buc women finished fifth overall, while the men finished sixth.
After two days of competition and poor weather conditions the Bucs rebounded to have several all-conference performers.
“Yesterday it was cold and rainy and we didn’t handle the adversity well,” coach Michelle Byrne said. “We had a good second day marked by some tenacious individual performances.”
Howard won the women’s high jump, jumping 5-05, while Yewer won the 1500 meters with a time of 3:51.16. Howard and Yewer’s titles capped off the end of two impressive seasons. Howard was the 2003 SoCon indoor champion and Yewer’s title marks his fourth of the season. Yewer was also named the championships’ most outstanding performer.
Kristin Truman and Kim Simmons both finished second in their respective events. Truman finished second in the javelin (114-07) and heptathlon (4094) while Simmons placed second in the 400 meters setting a regional qualifying time of 54.96.
“Kristin and Kim were tenacious the entire weekend,” said Byrne. “Kristin competing in the heptathlon and the javelin and Kim running in six races, including the 400 meters and 400 hurdles, they were warriors.”
The women’s relay teams also performed well. The 1,600 meters squad placed second, while the 400 meter team placed third. The 1,600 team, made up of Chantelle Vernon, Natasha Peyton, Tiffany Collier and Simmons, finished the race with a time of 3:50.42. The 400 squad finished the race in 47.39.
On the men’s side, Marcus Barnes finished fourth in the 100 meters and Jeremey Snoderly finished fourth, in the high jump (6-05), in his strongest performance of the year. In the men’s 400 meter hurdles, Buc sophomore Donald Cabbler led most of the way before falling, but still managed to finish sixth.
“We ended this season on a high note,” Byrne said. “If we can put together two strong days back-to-back than I truly believe we can be as high as third next year.”
Appy’s men’s and women’s teams swept the 2003 outdoor meet and captured the triple crown by also winning the 2002 SoCon cross-country team title, the 2003 SoCon indoor track and field team title.

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