Rew, Demons 4x100 team earn trips to NCAAs

 

 

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Northwestern State senior All-American Trecey Rew extended her school record in the discus Saturday while earning another berth in the upcoming NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and the Demons' 4x100 meter relay team surprised even its veteran coach by clinching a trip to the national meet at Saturday's East Preliminary competition.

Rew's third-place 180-4 in the discus, the young 4x100 squad's 40.11 time good for ninth, freshman Jessica Talley's fourth-place 158-6 Friday in the women's javelin, and Rew's seventh-place 54-8 Thursday in the shot put gave NSU seven national qualifiers (counting 4x100 alternate Kendal Taylor) in four events.  The top 12 finishers in each event advanced to the national championships. 

The 4x100 team of freshman Raymond Hatton followed by sophomore Adam Smith, freshman Karllis Perry and sophomore Justin Walker ran  third in their heat and ninth overall in a 24-team regional field. It's the first time since 1993 the Demons have reached the national meet in the event that they won the national title in with the fabled foursome of Victor Oatis, Joe Delaney, Mario Johnson and Mark Duper in 1981.

"I knew we could. I didn't know if we would," said 29th-year Demons coach Leon Johnson. "This was only the second time this combination has run together. We put Karllis into the third slot two weeks ago. We don't have experience, they all four have stepped up with leadership and that's good.

"They all four ran pretty good but not at their best. This (Indiana) is not a fast track, not like ours, not like LSU's," said Johnson. "If it was, everybody might be a half-second faster. We should run better in Des Moines (site of the national meet June 8-11)."

On a day when finishing in the top 12 was the only important achievement, Rew finished third in the discus with a throw that was three inches better than her school record mark two weeks ago at the Southland Conference Outdoors, and was 16 inches better than her winning 179-0 last year at the East Regional.

"She's moved on to Des Moines, that is the biggest thing, but to finish third with a school record, it's sweet," said Lady Demons' head coach Mike Heimerman. "This weekend, we had a simple goal: just advance. The philosophy for regionals is 12th is as good as first, 13th is like last. We're moving on and we'll take it any way it comes."

Combining the results of the West and East regions, Rew's mark Saturday ranked fourth among the 24 national qualifiers. Rew qualified for nationals in two events, the shot put and the discus, for the second straight year, and is one of 10 competitors to reach the national meet in both the shot and discus.

Annie Alexander of Tennessee won at 192-2, followed by Mary Angell of Kentucky (184-7), Rew, and two Michigan State throwers, Beth Rhol (174-2) and Ashley Lawrence (173-11).

"Trecey had a nice opener (168-7) that as it turned out would have been 10th, then the second throw was a messup. She let loose with the big one, which secured it (a national championship berth). On that one, she looked good, didn't quite put the finish on it, and we knew we were in good shape at that point," said Heimerman. "She went for broke on the last three. Her fourth was off the cage, fifth was one she didn't get off right (170-2), and the sixth off the cage. It had some some pop.

"She did a good job. I liked the aggressiveness she used on the last three, but it didn't quite pay off today with the huge mark that is still out there for her," he said. "It was good to get basically a training session in on the last three."

The Demons ran third in their 4x100 heat behind Florida (39.52) and Clemson (39.89) and finished just ahead of Grambling (40.22), who also advanced to nationals in the 12th and final overall slot. The 12 East Region national qualifiers were Florida State (39.17), Florida, Indiana (39.68), South Carolina (39.54), Mississippi State (39.87), Clemson, LSU (39.96), North Carolina A&T (40.04), NSU, Georgia (40.20), George Mason (40.20) and Grambling.

"The kids have a lot of confidence in what they're doing," said Johnson. "There was concern naturally with the caliber of competition, especially being in the heat with the team that had the fastest time in the country this year (Florida). We didn't run exceptionally well. When Justin got the baton we were probably fourth and he ran like he was capable of running, and he got us to third. He had a tough last two days and I am glad for him to get over the hump with a clutch performance at this level."

Walker, bothered by a strained groin, didn't advance in the 100 or 200 meter dash qualifying earlier this week.