NSU gets big throws for Griffin, Jones, Yarbrough

NATCHITOCHES -- Throwers DeJon Griffin, Corey Jones and Daniel Yarbrough stole the show from the runners Saturday as Northwestern State and eight other schools opened the 2009 collegiate outdoor track and field season with the annual Northwestern Relays at the Walter P. Ledet Track Complex.

Griffin broke the school and Ledet Complex record with a winning 174-7 mark in the women's hammer throw. Yarbrough won the men's hammer with a school record 187-5 throw that was one of five NCAA Regional qualifying performances at the meet. He had another in the discus with his second-place 171-2 toss.

Jones had another NCAA Regional qualifier with his winning 171-4 mark in the discus.  The other two NCAA Regional qualifying marks were the first-place 214-6 throw in the men's javelin by Richard McKay of Louisiana-Monroe, and a 49-2 1/2 leap by Grambling's Travis Joseph to win the men's triple jump.

   
   Corey Jones won the discus and was third in the shot put

Grambling won six events in the men's division, followed by Northwestern (4), Stephen F. Austin (3), Louisiana-Monroe (3), and Texas-Tyler (1).

In women's competition, SFA had six wins, Grambling four, NSU three, and one apiece by Louisiana-Lafayette, Central Arkansas and UT-Tyler.

The Demons picked up a nifty 3:12.46 time from Michael Batts, Mike Green, Jeremy Thomas and Chris Pearson to take the 4x400 meter relay by nearly four seconds in front of Stephen F. Austin.

High jumper Greg Hall had a personal best 6-6 3/4 clearance to give NSU a win in that event.

The Lady Demons picked up a win by freshman Chantel Bratton in her collegiate debut, taking the shot put in 42-8, trailed by teammate Leslie Jordan (40-5 1/2) in second place.

NSU won the women's sprint medley with Jessica Tuck, Jazmen Williams, Phyllis Iheanacho and Andrea Warren covering the 1,600 meters in 4:08.29.

   
 Andrea Warren in the sprint medley  relay  
Former Lady Demon All-American Samantha Ford, competing unattached in her first meet since last year's USA Olympic Trials, took the women's javelin in 155-6.

Griffin's hammer throw erased the Lady Demon record of 167-0 set last year by Alison Holmes and topped the Ledet Complex record of 169-10 set last May by Kendall Bass of Sam Houston State.

Yarbrough topped his own personal best and school record, going a foot past his previous best mark of 186-5.

Three-time Demon All-America javelin thrower Cody Fillinich did not compete. After redshirting last season, he will see his first action since the 2007 USA Championships at Stephen F. Austin at the Dogwood Relays in two weeks.

Complete results of the 2009 Northwestern Relays are available in an attached .pdf file.