Berkeley alum Mike Rodgers goes gold in NAIA championship
Of the St. Louis American
Former Berkeley High track and field standout Mike Rodgers was selected the Most Outstanding Male Performer at the recent National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Outdoor Championships in Fresno, Ca.
The All-American sprinter brought home two gold medals in leading Oklahoma Baptist to the NAIA men’s national championship. Rodgers won the 100-meter dash national title in a time of 10.21 seconds.
Rodgers also finished second in the 200 and anchored OBU’s 4×100-meter relay team to a national title in 40.32 seconds, which was a new stadium record.
The national championship performance concluded a spectacular collegiate career by Rodgers, who began at Lindenwood University. While at Lindenwood, Rodgers was a four-time national championship performer. He also led the Lions to the NAIA national title in 2005.
While at OBU, Rodgers set new school records in the 60- and 200-meter dashes and as a member of the 4×400-meter relay team during the indoor season. He was the national champion in the 60 and 200 at the NAIA Indoor Championships, which were held in March.
Rodgers ended his career as a 15-time NAIA All-American.
Rodgers is the older brother of current McCluer South-Berkeley girls star Alishea Usery.
Around the track
A few more tidbits from the recent MSHSAA state championships.
Sumner’s Michael Clark proved that he could run with the big boys by finishing third in the 100-meter dash in the boys’ Class 4 division. Clark won the Class 3 state title in 2005 and finished second last season before moving up to Class 4 this year.
Washington High’s talented duo of Deondus O’Bryant and Kerwin Stricker enjoyed a productive state meet. O’Bryant finished fifth in the 400 and seventh in the 200 while Stricker finished fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles and second in 300-meter intermediate hurdles. Both athletes ran on Washington’s fifth-place 4×400 relay team.
The Villa Duchesne girls also put in some solid work in the Class 3 state meet. Junior Cydney Ross finished second in the 800-meter run and sixth in the 1,600. Sophomore Lauren Hollingsworth finished third in the 100 and 200 while sophomore Briana Isom-Brummer finished eighth in the 300-meter low hurdles.
Soldan High junior Chelsea Johnson earned two All-State medals by finishing fifth in the 100-meter high hurdles and seventh in the long jump.
Freshman Hazaria Washington of Cardinal Ritter was also a two-time All-State performer after finishing seventh in the 200 and eighth in the 400.
On the Illinois side, Belleville East standout Roger Jones enjoyed an excellent day at the recent IHSA Class AA boys meet. Jones finished third in the long jump, seventh in the 200 and anchored the Lancers to a fourth-place finish in the 4×200.