Three more Barton Community College men earned their spot at the NJCAA National Indoor Track Meet with marks this past weekend at the University of Nebraska in the Husker Invitational.
In a meet dotted with several Southeastern Conference and Big 10 Conference teams as well as teams as far away as the University of Southern California the Cougars were able to add three more the list of those earning a spot at national meet in early March.
“We didn’t take a big squad,” Coach Dave Schenek said. “We ended up with some more qualifiers but of those we took we didn’t see the kind of performances we were looking for. We had much higher expectations. Hopefully we will continue to improve as we get to regionals.”
Alex Richemond got his time below the needed 7.02 with a 6.93 in the 60m dash. Richemond ran that time in the prelims but did not qualify for the finals.
Zodani Francois just earned a spot in the 60m hurdles with a qualifying mark of 8.28. He, too, was unable to earn a spot in the final of the race. Deron Gordon ran an 8.13 in the event. He already had a qualifying mark good enough to run Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M.
Also locking up a spot was Sampson Laari with his 1:56.48 time in the 800m, good for 15th at the meet.
Deandre Henderson, Richemond and Michael Simmons all ran in the 200m while Quick Stukes and Micah Carey ran in the 400m as the Cougars took a limited team to the meet as it prepares for the Region VI meet in a couple of weeks as well as the NJCAA meet March 6-7.
Henderson led the way in the 200m with a time of 21.86 while Richemond ran a 22.01 and Simmons a 22.11. Stukes ran a 49.47 and Carey a 50.28 in the 400m. All but Carey already had qualifying marks in those events.
The highest finish of the weekend came in the 4x400m relay where Kennedy Mayweather, Henderson, Stukes and Gordon ran a 3:16.46 for a fourth place effort.
Donald Daley threw 50-8 for Barton in the weight throw but did not place.
The Cougars will have one more outing before the Region VI meet Feb. 20-21 in Manhattan. Barton will travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for the prestigious Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas this weekend.