MANHATTAN – With three teams ranked in the NJCAA Top 5, the Region VI Indoor Track and Field Championships was going to be a fight to the finish at Ahearn Fieldhouse in Manhattan.
At that finish, the Barton men put clinched the Region VI championship on the final event of the day. Barton edged Cloud County for the title, 186.5 to 177 with Coffeyville a distant third with 95.5.
The Cougars took a 5.5-point led into the 4x400m relay to close out the weekend. The Cougars, the favorite in the event, took care of business by winning gold to secure the region title. It is the 28th Indoor Region VI title for the Cougars.
The relay gold was one of seven champions on the day for Barton, which won the region for the first time since 2015. Barton is ranked No. 2 in the NJCAA, Cloud No. 4 and Coffeyville No. 5.
The Cougars showed their versatility, winning a pair of sprints, two relays, one jumping event, one throwing event and the only hurdle race.
In the process, sophomore Sanjae Lawrence was named the Field Athlete of the Meet after setting a new record in the shot put. Dave Schenek was the Men’s Coach of the Year as well.
Lawrence, the school record holder in the shot put for the Cougars, set a new Region VI record with a winning effort of 59-11.25. That broke the Region VI record of 59-7.75 and was more than two feet ahead of the second place throw. Barton freshman Kevin Nedrick was third at 56-3.25.
Also in throwing, Enrique Martinez was third in the weight throw at 53-6.5 and Lawrence eighth at 52-8.25.
Barton also earned a win in the field when Travis Hugg, captured the long jump with a leap of 23-10.25. Bradley Fleurinord was fourth at 23-8 and Alvin McCray eighth at 22-10.5.
Willie Rodgers was second in the high jump with a leap of 6-9.5. Timothy Wilson tied for eighth at 6-3.5. McCray was third in the triple jump with a leap of 48-0.75, Cirr Davis fourth at 47-3 and Rodgers eighth at 44-2.
The Cougars were dominate in the sprints, going 1-2-3 in the 60m, 3-4-7 in the 200m and 1-3-4 in the 400m.
Christian Lyon won the 60m in 6.73, besting teammates Samson Colebrooke and Demetri Keaton. Colebrooke was second in 6.8 and Keaton third in 6.82.
Hilton McCray won the 400m in 49.03 followed by Hugg in third in 49.46 and Kyle Mason fourth in 49.49.
Lyon took third in the 200m with a 21.78 followed by Dartez Hamlin in fourth at 22.01. Colebrooke was seventh in 22.14.
Nathan Hood and Tallan James finished second and third in both the 800m and 1000m. Hood ran 1:58.3 and James 1:58.62 in the 800m while Hood finished with a 2:35.78 and James a 2:35.81 in the 1000m.
Kenroy Williams was second in the 600m in 1:31.71.
Charlie Forbes won the 60m hurdles in 7.97 with Stephon Torrence sixth in 8.54.
The clinching 4x400m relay team of Kemarni Mighty, McClain, Brandon Felix and Mason took first with a winning time of 3:17.11. The 4x800m relay team of Hood, James, Williams, and Adriano Gumbs also came in first in 7:56.85.
The Cougars will be off until the NJCAA Championships March 2-3 in Lubbock, Texas.
Team Scores
Barton 186.5, Cloud 177, Coffeyville 95.5., Hutchinson 89, Cowley 63, Colby 61, Garden City 27, Allen 23, Highland 20, Dodge City 13, Johnson 11, Pratt 12.
