LUBBOCK, TEXAS — The Barton Community College men’s track and field team was a solid 3rd place this past weekend the NJCAA National Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Cougars scored 84 points in the meet for third.
That score was well behind Iowa Central’s winning total of 157 and South Plains’ (Texas) 136. But it was also well ahead of Iowa Western’s 48 which finished 4th.
The Cougars won three events in the process, including Everett Walker winning the sprint double with his wins in the 55- and 200-meter dashes. Matt Marcoccia won the shot put for the Cougars.
Walker proved the class of the sprinters at the indoor meet, easily winning the 55-meter then wining a battle with Rondell Bartholomew in the 200. Walker won the 55m in 6.25 with 2nd well back at 6.36. Walker was farther ahead of 2nd than 2nd place was of the 8th and final place (6.45).
It was a different story in the 200m as Walker and Bartholomew went head-to-head with Walker edging the South Plains sophomore 21.01-21.06. Third place was well behind at 21.34. Barton’s James Hardy took 5th in 21.40.
On the track, Barton also got a 2nd place effort from Tayron Reyes in the 800m in 1:52.54. He just missed gold as he and Iowa Central’s Anthony Lieghio went to the wire to determine the winner. Leighio finished in 1:52.45 to Reyes’ 1:52.54. Andre Peart was 6th in the 600m.
Alec Harris took second in the 55m hurdles with a 7.26 after setting the NJCAA National Meet record with his 7.18 in the prelims. He was beaten in the finals by Michael Hancock of Iowa Central, who ran a 7.19.
The Cougars 4x400m and 4x800m relay also both brought home 2nd place medals. The 4x400m team consisted of Ren Edwards, Mark’Quis Frazier, Walker, and Reyes. The 4x800m team was Reyes, Edwards, LaCarl Hayes, and Johnte Thompson.
In the field, Barton earned a National Champion in the shot put with Marcoccia’s heave of 54-11.25 – more than 9 inches ahead of the 2nd place effort. Frank Afriyie took 4th in the weight throw for Barton at 53-9.
The Cougars were also able to score points in the jumps as Bradley Hines placed in 2 events. Hines took 2nd in the triple jump with a leap of 52-2.75 and 7th in the long jump at 23-10.
This is the 3rd straight year Barton has placed in the top 3, winning last year and taking 2nd in 2009. The Cougars have won 17 Indoor titles. The outdoor season will start in April.

NJCAA NATIONAL INDOOR
TRACK & FIELD
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Barton Community College placers
TRACK
55m — 1. Everett Walker 6.25
200m —1. Everett Walker 21.01; 5th James Hardy 21.40
600m — 6. Andre Peart 1:21.59
800m — 2. Tayron Reyes 1:52.54
55m H — 2. Alec Harris 7.26
4x400m — 2. 3:12.51 (Edwards, Frazier, Walker, Reyes)
4x800m — 2. 7:53.68 (Reyes, Edwards, Hayes, Thompson)
JUMPS
LJ — 7. Bradley Hines 23-10
TJ — 2. Bradley Hines 52-2.75
THROWS
SP — 1. Matt Marcoccia 54-11.25
WT — 4. Frank Afriyie 53-9
Stats can be found at www.bartonsports.com