BY MIKE MARZOLF
Special to the Tribune
LINCOLN, Neb – Just two meets into the indoor season, the Barton men’s track and field is stacking up pretty good. The Cougars have turned in good performances not only against some good competition but also as far as earning spots in the NJCAA National Indoor Championships later in the season.
This past weekend the Barton men traveled to Lincoln, Neb. and the Holiday Inn Invitational on the campus of the University of Nebraska.
The Cougars posted eight more qualifying marks, bringing their total to 17 just two meets in. Barton also had several high finishes in the meet that including Nebraska and Iowa State as well other area D-I schools and several D-II schools in addition to some junior colleges.
The meet also had several professional athletes including former Barton standout Tabarie Henry. Many of them were trying to meet the 2016 Olympic standard in an effort to make it to Rio later this year.
Leading the way was sophomore Alex Richemond, who won the 200m. Richemond ran 21.73 besting Zach Johnson of Air Force and Richard Wilhite of Minnesota State at 21.82. The Cougars’ McKinley West was fourth in 21.86. Both marks for the Cougars qualified for the indoor championships.
West was second in the 60m with a 6.84. Brijesh Lawrence of Brooks Running won with a 6.78. Chedlin Sageese was sixth for the Cougars in 6.88.Sageese was just shy of the qualifying mark of 6.87.
Henry, the former Cougar who competed in the 2012 Olympics for the Virgin Islands, ran in the 400m, taking second in 48.02.
In the middle distance races, Barton’s Devyn Brotherton earned a spot at the indoor championships with his third place finish in the mile in 4:32.96.
In the field, a pair of Cougars topped the needed mark in the long jump. Barton’s Denroc Dixon took second and Leon Boyd fourth with those efforts. Dixon jumped 23-10 on his second jump of the day to finish second behind Nakita Pankins of Nebraska. Pankins jumped 24-0.25.
Boyd jumped 23-3.5 on his second jump as well.
Also in the jumps Adama Mbye will join Boyd at the indoor championships after taking fourth at 48-5.25 in the triple jump.
The Cougars also upped their total to two who have qualified in the 60m hurdles. Jermaine Jones did so last week and this week was joined by Kevin Turner, who ran an 8.45. Neither qualified for the finals in Lincoln.
The eighth qualifying mark came in the Medley Relay. Barton’s quartet of Tyler Thornton, Micah Carey, Anthony Forrest and Brotherton ran 10:31.20 to earn their spot.
The 4x400m relay was once again impressive with a third place finish. Anthony Adderly, Kadeem Williams, Richemond and Jaquez Wilson ran a 3:14.18 to best their time from last week by five seconds. Barton qualified for the event last week.
Stevon Crooks took fifth in the shot put (50-9.25) and Donald Daley seventh in the weight throw (54-10.75)
The Cougars will head to Lubbock, Texas in a couple of weeks for Texas Tech’s Masked Raider Open.
