Competing at the famed Franklin Field, Cannonier completed the 400-meter hurdles in a season-best 53.73 seconds to qualify for the IC4A Championships, joining Aaron Hunter (Sharon Hill, PA/Academy Park) and the 4x100-meter and 4x-400-meter relays to qualify for the prestigious event. It will be held May 13-15 in Princeton, N.J.

“Tarem did a great job getting himself prepared to run the race,” head coach Ray Williams said. “He got up, he warmed up, and then he realized he needed to get loose a little longer. He's maturing into a great runner, and we're lucky we have him for one more year.”

Hunter nearly defended his 2009 crown in the long jump's Eastern Division competition. After not participating last year, he placed second with a leap of 7.39 meters, tying his second best effort of the season.

A senior, Hunter has now taken second in back-to-back weeks, continuing his remarkable consistency. He had won the event the first three weeks of the season before having the streak broken last week at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference Championships.

Cannonier also ran the second leg of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed second in its heat with a time of 3:23.29.

“It was fun, honestly,” Cannonier said. “Now it's time to place.”

Deidre McLeod (Plantation, FL/South Plantation) got the group out strong, and Cannonier maintained a top-three position. Vincent Thomas (Columbia, PA/Columbia, PA) slid easily into second-place down the back stretch, and Kiel Knight (Plantation, FL/South Plantation) closed in behind Monmouth University (N.J.) but couldn't quite catch up in the closing meters. Overall, the Lions placed 53rd of 83 schools in the race.

“I was trying to run hard at my last Penn Relays,” Thomas said. “I didn't want to go out as the guy that got passed in the 400, I wanted to be the guy that caught everybody.”

The other relays had mixed results. Running the 4x200-meter for the first time this season, Lincoln had some difficulty with exchanges. While the baton never fell, some sloppiness resulted in a time of 1:29.67. LU ranked 32 of 49 schools.

“Handoffs were kind of shaky,” Kevin Morgan (Providence, R.I./Hope HS) said, who ran the opening leg.

The sprint medley relay was also a mixed bag. Cannonier, Monroe, Henry Alston (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Renaissance School ) and Thomas combined for a 3:42.02 for 31st of 34 squads.

“It was a very good field;  this is the most I ever ran at the Penn Relays,” Thomas said. “Overall, it was a great experience. After I'm done with my time at Lincoln and I try to get to the next level as a runner, I can only think that you can only be a Lion once.”

Hunter will represent the blue in orange by attempting to capture the triple jump title. That event begins at 9 a.m.

— LU —