Five wins for NSU at cold, wet Cowboy Relays

LAKE CHARLES — The Northwestern State 4x400 meter relay teams ended the day with wins Saturday at the annual Cowboy Relays track and field meet, providing  the last of five victorious performances by NSU competitors at the event.

The Lady Demon foursome of Samantha Flowers, Phyllis Iheanacho, Carmen Wallace and Andrea Warren blew past the competition, with their winning 4:05.41 time nearly five seconds ahead of the runner-up finish by Louisiana-Lafayette (4:11.33).

The NSU men won a close battle with in-state Southland Conference rival Southeastern Louisiana. The Demons’ Michael Batts, Mike Green, Jamie Emery and Jeremy Thomas finished first in 3:18.10 with Southeastern a half-second back at 3:18.63.

Other first places for Northwestern came by DeJon Griffin in the women’s hammer (171-9), Leslie Jordan in the women’s shot put (41-11 1/2), and Michael Hill in the men’s 110 meter hurdles (14.32, just 0.02 off the NCAA Regional qualifying standard).

With teams fighting cold and wet weather, many competitors scratched out of events and other performances were hampered by the conditions, although some athletes were able to overcome the elements. A few field events were called off.

Northwestern got 10 runner-up finishes and five more third places.

Among the top places from NSU, Buck Thompson was second in the men’s shot put (48-2), with fellow freshman Morgan Redmond third, two inches back.

Christopher Oyeku was second in both in the men’s triple jump (44-3 1/2) and the long jump (21-2 3/4).

Jordan took second in the women’s discus (116-9), just ahead of Griffin (114-8) in third. Daniel Yarbrough was second in the men’s discus (155-11) with Thompson (145-2 1/4) third and Corey Jones (145-2) fourth.

Chris Pearson was second in the men’s 800 (1:56.35). In the 400, NSU snagged both second places with Green (49.26) in the men’s race and Warren (57.66) in the women’s quarter.

The Lady Demons were second in the 4x100 relay (Amanda Freeman, Jazmen Williams, Jessica Tuck and Anna Forest in 48.02).  Forest was runner-up in the 200  (24.79) in her outdoor debut.

Wallace gave the NSU women a runner-up showing in the 400 meter hurdles in 1:07.83.  Nathanial McReynolds ran third in the 3000 meter steeplechase (10:29.68).

The Demons 4x100 relay (Batts, Emery, D.J. Sellers and Green) took third in a 42.32 clocking.

Other finishes in scoring position (top 8) from Northwestern:

Fourth – Chris Greer, men’s triple jump (42-9 3/4); P.J. Bennett, men’s 110 meter hurdles (14.83); Forest, women’s 100 (12.42); Iheanacho, women’s 400 (59.82)

Fifth – Chantel Bratton in the women’s shot put (40-6); NSU men’s B 4x400 relay (Breshon Williams, Chris Pearson, D.J. Sellers, Michael Hill), 3:32.57

Sixth – Williams, women’s 200 (25.38)

Seventh – Kartemus Hendry, men’s javelin (143-6); Redmond, men’s discus (126-0); Williams, women’s 100 (12.69); Sellers, men’s 100 (11.56)

Eighth – Brittain Valenttine, men’s 100 (11.56); Sellers, men’s 200 (22.51)