The Eastern men and women’s track and field teams competed in the 106th Drake Relays this past weekend in Des Moines, Iowa.

The action started on Thursday with sophomore Kristen Paris and freshman Whitney Maninfior in women’s individual events.

Paris competed in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes and 09.73 seconds giving her a top-ten finish in the race. Maninfior ran in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 36:31.62 placing her at 22nd.

On Friday, Eastern tied one school record and had a time that was second best in school history. The men’s 4×100-meter relay team tied with Arkansas in the prelims, advancing the team to Saturday’s final.

The team featured sophomore Jamal Robinson, junior Calvin Edwards, red-shirt junior Norvel Mohammed and junior Christian Ilunga-Matthiesen and their time was 39.79 seconds.

With that time, they tied the school record the team just set last weekend at the Illini Twilight. Freshman Zach Booth was running in place of Edwards at the Illini Twilight meet.

The same relay team ran the 4×200-meter relay Friday night and came in second place behind Arkansas and Arizona with their time of 1:23.95 seconds.

The women’s 4×800-meter relay team which included junior Dhiaa Dean, junior Amy Yeoman, sophomore Julie James and Paris just missed a school record with their time of 8:46.98 as they finished 10th.

The men’s 4×400-meter relay team placed 11th with a time of 3:08.84 seconds, which is the second best time in school history. Senior Ephraim Dorsey, sophomore Derek Williamson, Mohammed and Edwards ran for that team.

Two men competed in the 100-meter dash. Ilunga-Matthiesen placed 10th with a time of 10.76 seconds, and Robinson finished 14th with his time of 10.83 seconds.

The women’s 4×100-meter placed 19th with a time of 47.25 seconds. The relay team included junior Angelica Anyaogu, junior Briana Walker, freshman Darneisha Spann and freshman Nyjah Lane.

In the men’s field events, senior David Johansson placed 14th in the javelin with his throw of 194”2.

On Saturday, Eastern wrapped up the competition with two top-three finishes. Dorsey finished second in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:49.86 seconds putting him fifth all time in school history.

The men’s 4×100 relay team who tied the school record on Friday, took third on Saturday with a time of 40.45 seconds.

Arkansas again finished first, and Illinois was second.

Red-shirt junior Joe Calio competed in the steeplechase where he placed sixth with a time of 9:03.39.

Mark Shanahan can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]