Two Wildcats in contention for Southland decathlon championship

Results

HAMMOND, La. - Only 40 points separate the top-six decathletes following the first exciting day of competition at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships at the Southeastern Track and Field Complex.

Houston Baptist's Garrison Fick leads the 15-man field after five events with 3,580 points, but Northwestern State's Tanner Owens is close behind with 3,572 points and the Wildcats' Luke Woods is tied for third with Stephen F. Austin's defending champion Cody Rhodes at 3,566 points. A little further behind but still within striking distance are fifth-place Jay Robertson of Sam Houston State with 3,541 points and ACU's sixth-place freshman Wyatt French at 3,540.

Woods briefly held the lead after winning the shot put behind a personal record of 43 feet-4.25 inches and tying for fifth in the high jump (5-11.50), however, he slipped two places with only a seventh-place effort of 51.12 seconds in the 400-meters, which was still a lifetime best.

A native of Houston, Woods started his day with a time of 11.24 in the 100m and followed that performance with an eighth-place long jump that measured 20-11.25.

French, who hails from Rockwall, Texas, recorded his best showing in the high jump as he tied his personal best leap of 6-3.25. He also placed fourth in the 100m (11.39), took third in the long jump with a PR of 22-3, and finished behind Woods in the 400m with a lifetime best of 51.59.

Tomorrow's decathlon events are the 100m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m run.

Woods won last year's decathlon hurdles in 15.10, took second in the discus (124-9), and was fourth in the javelin (164-6) to finish as the runner-up to Rhodes in Conway, Ark.

With only three events remaining in the women's heptathlon its appears the championship will be won by only one of three competitors as they'll begin Saturday's events 201 points ahead of fourth-place Maya Tunwar of McNeese and 226 points in front of Wildcat sophomore and fifth-place Taylor Yantis.

Yantis started great with a second-place time of 14.78 in the 100m hurdles, but could only finish 14th of 17 competitors in the high jump. She bounced back with an eighth-place toss of 32-2.75 in the shot put and posted a fourth-place PR of 25.77 in the 200m.

Farydah Inoussa of New Orleans leads the heptathletes with 3,128 points followed closely behind by Bearkats Avery Zamzow (3,123) and Nicole Jenrette (3,087), who was third in last year's heptathlon.

The heptathlon concludes Saturday with the long jump, javelin and 800m. Yantis won last year's javelin (120-6) but was forced to settle for 10th (16-4.5) in the long jump and sixth in the 800m (2:28.01).

ACU scored in three events today, and as such, are starting near the bottom of the team standings. But there will be plenty of opportunities for both Wildcat teams to make up ground there tomorrow and Sunday.

Sophomore Kenzie Walker recorded a personal record of 13-1.75 (4.01m) to place fourth in the pole vault - a two-place improvement from last year, but not quite high enough to catch SFA junior Demi Payne, who again reset the collegiate record with her winning leap of 15-5.50 (4.71m).

In the women's hammer freshman Lonnie Smith collected two seventh-place points with her PR throw of 165-9.75 (50.53). Junior Jelani Rainey, meanwhile, moved from eighth to seventh in this event with a toss of 176-0.75.

Men's Scores
1. SLU 27
2. SFA 25
3. MSU 16
4. SHSU 15
5. Lamar 11
6. NSU 10
7. UCA 6
8. UIW 5
9. ACU 2

Women's Scores
1. SHSU 44
2. NSU 32.5
3. SFA 28
4. MSU 27
5. Lamar 18.5
6. SLU 12
7. UCA 10
8. HBU 8
9. ACU 7
10. TAMUCC 5
11. UIW 2

ACU Track and Field Results at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships

Women's Pole Vault
4) Kenzie Walker - 13-1.75 (4.01m) (PR)
11) Kami Berryhill - 11-5.75 (3.50m)
14) Sarena Underwood - 10-11.75 (3.35m)

Men's Long Jump
11) Keaton Hart - 23-0.75 (7.03m) (1.3w)
16) Malcolm Barnes - 22-7.75 (6.90m) (1.7w) (PR)

Women's Hammer
7) Lonnie Smith - 165-9.75 (50.53m) (PR)
11) Lauren Jones - 151-1.25 (46.05m)

Men's Hammer
7) Jelani Rainey - 176-0.75 (53.66m)

Decathlon: 100m Dash
2) Luke Woods - 11.24 (1-4.w) | 808 points
4) Wyatt French - 11.39 (-1.8w) | 776 points

Decathlon: Long Jump
3) Wyatt French - 22-3 (6.78m) (0.0w) | 762 points (PR)
8) Luke Woods - 20-11.25 (6.38m) (1.9w) | 670 points

Decathlon: Shot Put
1) Luke Woods - 43-4.25 (13.21m) | 680 points (PR)
7) Wyatt French - 35-6.75 (10.84m) | 536 points (PR)

Decathlon: High Jump
2) Wyatt French - 6-3.25 (1.91m) | 723 points (T-PR)
T5) Luke Woods - 5-11.50 (1.82m) | 644 points

Decathlon: 400m
7) Luke Woods - 51.12 (PR) | 764 points
8) Wyatt French - 51.59 (PR) | 743 points

Heptathlon: 100m Hurdles
2) Taylor Yantis - 14.78 (-0.1w) | 871 points

Heptathlon: High Jump
14) Taylor Yantis - 5-02.5 (1.53m) |655 points

Heptathlon: Shot Put
8) Taylor Yantis - 32-2.75 (9.82m) | 518 points

Heptathlon: 200m
4) Taylor Yantis - 25.77 (2.2w) | 817 points (PR)

Decathlon
T3) Luke Woods - 3,566 first-daypoints
100m - 11.24 (1-4.w) [2nd, 808 points] | LJ - 20-11.25 (6.38m) (1.9w) [8th, 670 points]
SP - 43-4.25 (13.21m) (1st, 680 points] | HJ - 5-11.50 (1.82m) [T5th, 644 points]
400m - 51.12 [7th, 764 points]

6) Wyatt French - 3,540 first-day points
100m - 11.39 (1-8.w) [2nd, 776 points] | LJ - 22-3 (6.78m) (0.0w) [2nd, 762 points]
SP - 35-6.75 (10.84m) [7th, 536 points] | HJ - 6-3.25 (1.91m) [2nd, 723 points]
400m - 51.59 [8th, 743 points]

Heptathlon
5) Taylor Yantis - 2,861 first-day points
100m H - 14.78 (-0.1w) [2nd, 871 points] | HJ - 5-02.5 (1.53m) [14th, 655 points]
SP - 32-2.75 (9.82m) [8th, 518 points] | 200m - 25.77 (2.2w) | 817 points

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Malcolm Barnes

Keaton Hart

Lauren Jones

Jelani Rainey

Sarena Underwood

Kenzie Walker Mascorro

Luke Woods

Taylor Yantis Woods