NATCHITOCHES – Henry Rop, Michael Rheams and Brittany Pfantz each turned in first-place performances and the Southeastern Louisiana track and field team notched several season-bests in the 2011 Leon Johnson Northwestern State Invitational on Saturday at the Walter Ledet Track Complex.

Rop, competing in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, turned in a time of 9 minutes, 42.98 seconds in claiming top honors on the event and nearly six seconds ahead of second-place finisher Moses Chelimo of Louisiana-Monroe. Rheams claimed the men's triple jump with a mark of 50 feet, four inches – nearly two feet farther than second-place finisher Josh Howard of ULM before finishing fifth overall in the long jump with a season-best mark of 23-3.25.

Pfantz, from DeRidder, finished first overall in the women's pole vault with a season-best mark of 12-9 with teammate Colleen Butler finishing fourth overall at 10-1.75.

“We tried some guys in different events and all-in-all, we did pretty well,” Southeastern assistant coach Brent Alfred said. “Henry ran for the first time this year in the steeplechase and we got solid performances from Michael, Michelle Ogashi in the triple jump and Kovey Simmons in the pole vault. We're starting to get healthy at the right time and we're running well.”

Freshman Nia Stewart posted a season-best in the women's 200-meter dash (25.87) while Hammond native Whitney Curry completed the 800-meter run in a season-best 2:23.10. In the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, Bethany Burst (12:19.14) and Lindsey Toups (12:27.80) set season-bests to finish fifth and sixth respectively.

In the women's 100-meter hurdles, Diana Marcantel posted a best time of 15.99 while the 4x400-meter relay team finished sixth overall in a season-best time of 3:50.08.

Alex Vidos finished sixth overall in the women's high jump with a season-best mark of 5-1, Shalicia Rochon finished seventh in the shot put with a best mark of 44-11.50 and Marissa Cannon posted her best throw (118-5) in the discus.

On the men's side, Cameron Lawrence posted a season-best performance in the 200-meter dash (22.15) with Rheams turning in a top mark of 22.81. Shaquille Brown finished 14th overall in the 400-meter dash (50.38) and M.J. Ahmad was 10th in the 800-meter run (1:59.24).

Tavoris Mack turned in season-bests times in both the 110-meter hurdles (15.11) and 400-meter hurdles (54.48) while freshman Mason McGee finished seventh overall in the javelin with a season-best mark of 189-4.