Sometimes winning isn’t everything.

Sac State track and field was represented in Saturday’s USTCA Series four-way meet at Fresno State’s Warmerdam Field, but it went to battle without its top guns.

“It would have been different if we didn’t leave our horses home,” Hornet coach Joe Neff said. “But our goal now is to give people some rest. We’ll be looking to score the big points in conference.”

In the end, the host Bulldogs captured the men and women’s team competitions for the second straight week, while the Hornets placed third on both sides. Also present at the meet were Air Force and Cal State Bakersfield.

With the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships (which doesn’t begin until May 30) in mind, Neff allowed his best athletes to rest and others to lick their wounds.

Freshman Shanita Bryant and senior Joni Bryant, two of the Hornets’ best all-around female competitors, were advised by her coaches to take the weekend off. Bryant, who earned the conference Field Athlete of the Week honors early last week, has the conference’s top marks in the long jump and 100- and 200-meter sprints.

David, meanwhile, stayed home to nurse a back injury. Junior hurdlers Myesha Kirtman and Renee Warner also rested, while distance harriers Melissa Madeson and Annette Corey, both of whom have yet to run a race during the outdoor season, are both out with tendonitis.

Sprinter Jonathan Davis (hamstring) and hurdler Shawn Hooper (ankle) were the chief absentees for the men’s team.

“You can’t pound it out week after week, you’ve got to find time to rest,” Neff said.

Senior Karen Trapini headed the depleted women’s team with the top triple-jump mark and a second-place finish in the long jump. She leaped a 19-foot-3 1/2 in the long jump and a personal best 40-1 1/4in the triple jump. The triple-jump measurement is the second-farthest mark in Sac State history. Trapini also holds the third-best mark in the long jump.

“I’ve been real happy for Karen, she’s really coming around,” Neff said. “She’s starting to consistently jump over 19 feet in the long jump. She’s having a great season.”

Tracy Dahl, also a senior, took first in the pole vault, where she recorded an 11-11 3/4. Jennifer Burkhalter was moved to the 800-meter run from the 400 and won, clocking in her second best personal time of 2:16 seconds.

Tina Limon won the 1,500 in 4:37, her second best lifetime record, Sharita Reed finished third in the 200 (25.51) and second in the 400 (58.47), both season-best marks.

Anne Kocksi took second in the 5,000 (18:37.2), Chrissy Clark took second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:40.20), while freshman Ebony White stepped in for Kirtman and Warner, placing third in the 100-meter hurdles (15.24), recording her season best uin the process.

Rokeem Osby won the high jump with a 6-10 3/4 mark to lead the men. Charles Amey finished second in the 110-meter high hurdles in 15.03. Stephen Gaitan took fourth in the 800, pacing his way to a personal record time of 1:54.19.

The men?s 4-by-400 relay team placed second in 3:19.81.

“We’re still making the progress that I’ve been looking for,” Neff said. “Every week someone new steps up.”

A handful of Sac State athletes will take hit the road for Austin, Texas later this week for the 2001 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, one of the largest and most competitive collegiate and high school track and field events in the country.