LAFAYETTE -- Northwestern State posted 12 medal stand finishes Saturday, highlighted by three near-misses on school records including a come-from-behind win over Mississippi State in the women's 4x400 meter relay, at the Louisiana Classics track and field meet hosted by Louisiana-Lafayette.
The foursome of Quiana Griffin, Andrea Warren, Lawana Perkins and Consuela Lindsy posted a winning 3:41.86 mark to capture the 4x400 relay, with Lindsy charging from behind on the last lap to pass Mississippi State, second in 3:42.35. The Lady Demons narrowly missed the 13-year-old school record of 3:41.67 set in 1998. Griffin, Warren and Lindsy each had individual runner-up finishes as NSU competitors recorded eight second places. Griffin challenged the school mark in the 400 meter dash with her 54.99, the top collegiate finish trailing only a 43.73 by Neisha Bernard-Thomas of Tiger Olympians, and narrowly missing the Lady Demon record of 54.97 by Shakerah Kyles in 1998. Lindsy, like Griffin a freshman, almost made history for NSU in the intermediate hurdles, clocking a 1:01.85 time, just off the school record 1:01.44 by Lakeisha Henderson in 2006. Warren ran a blazing 2:12.76 to take second in the women's 800. The Demons' 4x100 relay foursome of Karllis Perry, Justin Walker, Adam Smith and Mike Green trailed only Mississippi State with a 40.54 time. Reginald Douglas was the runner up with a 49-1 leap in the men's triple jump. All-American Trecey Rew made her outdoor debut and was runner-up in the hammer throw (171-8) and the discus (166-7) but did not compete in her specialty, the shot put. Chantel Bratton gave the Lady Demons second in the shot (46-5 1/2). Lindsy also notched a third place in the 100 meter hurdles (14.66). The Lady Demons' 4x100 relay unit (Amanda Freeman, Angelica Kotun, Shamaigun VanBuren and Eboney Vaughn) ran third in 46.44, while Karensa Ellis had a personal best 19:34.83 for third in the 5000. Northwestern added seven more fourth or fifth place showings for a total of 19 finishes in the top five overall. Taking fourth in the 3000 meter steeplechase for the Demons in 10:55.37 was Nathanial McReynolds. Greg Hall gave the NSU men a fourth-place 6-8 3/4 clearance in the high jump. Ellis also posted another PR in the 1500, roaring around in 4:44.34 for fifth. Ali Fontenot was close on Ellis' heels in the 5000 and took fifth place in 19:58.19. DeJon Griffin gave NSU fifth in her specialty, the women's hammer, at 167-4. The Demons got a fifth-place 21.55 from Walker in the men's 200, and were fifth in the day's final event, the 4x400 relay. Michael Batts, Mike Green, Perry and Travis Plumb clocked 3:14.89. Next weekend, Northwestern goes to compete at LSU.