ARKANSAS CITY­— Surprise, surprise – Lydia Mato won her event. The sophomore sensation had an easy day of competition this past weekend running in only one event as the Barton Community College women’s track team competed in the Tiger Invitational at Cowley College.

Barton competed against several other NJCAA schools from the region as well as NAIA competition in the 12th annual event. With the Cougars still running and throwing selectively as they prepare for the Region VI at the end of the month.

Mato did as she usually does – win. The only event she competed in was the 1500m where she rolled to an easy win by nearly 10 seconds. She won the event with a time of 4:54.06 – the best time in the NJCAA this year. Teammate Holly Pierce and Kaitlynn Tuey also finished in the Top 10. Pierce was 9th in a time of 5:25.2 and Tuey 10th in 5:25.63. Both were personal best times.

The other winner on the day was Tasha Frazier in the triple jump. Frazier jumped 39-2.25 to earn spot in the NJCAA meet. It was also her career best effort thanks in part to a +4.5 wind helping the jumpers. N’Kia Jones of Barton was fourth in the event with a 38-2.75.

Frazier also qualified for the national meet in the hurdles with her 14.78 time, good for fourth place.

Vanessa and Tamara Style ran qualifying times in the 100m with Vanessa (11.87) taking second and Tamara (12.07) fifth. Danashka Lawrence also competed in the 100m, taking 12th in 12.63.

In the other sprints the Cougars were entered in Barton’s Widline Lageroy was third in the 200m with in 25.43. Lawrence also ran in the 200m, taking seventh with a time of 25.91.

Bethany Bowman made her outdoor debut after competing in basketball for the Cougars during the winter. She took fifth in the high jump with a leap of 5-1.25.

Barton entered just two throwers in the meet with Elizabeth Evans taking fifth in the discus and Chyenne Riggs eighth in the shot put. Evans threw the disc 128-3 while Riggs heaved the shot 35-5.25.

The only other event the Cougars entered was the 800m where Julee McAtee and Trenna Cox finished 19th and 20th in a crowded field. McAtee ran 2:42.41 and Cox 2:43.9.

The Cougars will stay in Kansas competing in the KT Woodman on the campus of Wichita State this weekend.