Matt Johnson wins Southland decathlon
5/12/2013 7:11:00 AM | Track & Field
Senior Matt Johnson highlighted Sam Houston State's second day of action at the annual Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships by winning the men's decathlon gold medal.
Johnson dominated, claiming eight of 10 events, including four of five on the final day, to score 7,496 points. That total broke the McNeese State stadium record set in 1994.
It is also is the 14th best total nationally among collegians. Johnson claimed the 100 meters (10.91), long jump (22-8.5), shot put (43-3.75) and 400 meters (49.47) on Friday and followed with wins in the 110-meter hurdles (14.95), discus (140-8), pole vault (14-5.25) and javelin (200-7) on Saturday.
Johnson finished second in Friday's high jump and coasted to a seventh-place finish in the 1,500 meters (5:00.25), the final event of the competition.
In other action for Sam Houston, Trevor Sealy (196' 111"), Brek Christensen (189' 0") and Ammaad McCarthy (175' 11") finished second, fourth and eighth in the hammer. Patrick Pitts was fifth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (9:40.66)
Johnson placed fourth in javelin (198' 6"). Oliver Dubiel scored with a sixth place finish in the decathlon
In Saturday's running prelims, Jarrick Wright and Kristen Mitchell qualifed for the finals in the 100 and Rodney Jones was the top qualifier in the 400 meter dash.
Matthew Johnson, Matthew Viverette and William Stark all were qualifiers in the 110 hurdles. Viverette also qualified in the 400 meter hurdles
De'Quad Baker and Clint Anders qualified in the 800 meter run. Anders also was the top qualifier in the 1500 meters.
Both the Stephen F. Austin men and women hold the lead after the second day's competition.
The Lumberjack men have 71 points, leading host McNeese State, the second-place team, by a 12-point margin. The Cowboys (59 points) are joined in the top five by Southeastern Louisiana (43), Sam Houston State (37) and Central Arkansas (23). SFA, which claimed the conference indoor championships in February, won its only outdoor championship in 2011.
On the women's standings, SFA holds an 11-point lead. The Jacks, who are chasing an unprecedented fifth Southland outdoor team championship, scored 51 points.
Sam Houston State is in second place with 40 points, while Central Arkansas (39 points), McNeese State (37) and Northwestern State (34) round out the top five.
The championship concludes Sunday with field events beginning and 10 a.m. Men's and women's competitors will vie for titles in the discus, high jump, pole vault and triple jump. Running event finals begin at 3:05 p.m. A total of 15 events will be decided on the final day. Team champions, runners up and the male and female high-point scorers will be recognized immediately following competition at approximately 6 p.m.
Sam Houston men's results through Saturday:
| Shot Put | Brek Christensen | 42' 10.25" | 10 |
| Hammer | Trevor Sealy | 196' 11" | 2 |
| Brek Christensen | 189' 0" | 4 | |
| Ammaad McCarthy | 175' 11" | 8 | |
| Javelin | Matthew Johnson | 198' 6" | 4 |
| Long Jump | Karique Stephen | 21' 7.5" | 17 |
| 100m Dash | Jarrick Wright | 10.59 | 5Q |
| Kristen Mitchell | 10.66 | 6Q | |
| Leroy Harris | 10.76 | 12 | |
| Treyion White | 11.01 | 20 | |
| 200m Dash | Leroy Harris | 21.45 | 9 |
| Kristen Mitchell | 21.72 | 14 | |
| Jarrick Wright | 21.74 | 16 | |
| Treyion White | 21.97 | 22 | |
| 400m Dash | Rodney Jones | 47.21 | 1Q |
| 800m Run | De'Quad Binder | 1:54.50 | 2Q |
| Clint Anders | 1:54.99 | 7Q | |
| Andrew Waller | 1:55.62 | 9 | |
| Freddy Arellano | 2:04.25 | 21 | |
| 1500m Run | Clint Anders | 3:55.81 | 1Q |
| 10000m Run | Palo Ponce | 31:58.36 | 13 |
| Steeplechase | Patrick Pitts | 9:40.66 | 5 |
| 110m Hurdles | Matthew Johnson | 14.68 | 2Q |
| Matthew Viverette | 14.80 | 3Q | |
| William Stark | 14.93 | 7Q | |
| 400m Hurdles | Matthew Viverette | 54.42 | 6Q |
| William Stark | 54.95 | 9 | |
| Reggie Davis | 55.58 | 12 | |
| Decathlon | Matthew Johnson | 7496 | 1 |
| Oliver Dubiel | 6095 | 6 |
Men's Team Scores – Through Seven Events
1. Stephen F. Austin – 73
2. McNeese State – 59
3. Southeastern Louisiana – 43
4. Sam Houston State – 37
5. Central Arkansas – 23
6. Lamar – 14
7. Oral Roberts – 11
8. Northwestern State – 8
9. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 5
Women's Team Scores –Through Seven Events
1. Stephen F. Austin – 51
2. Sam Houston State – 40
3. Central Arkansas – 39
4. McNeese State – 37
5. Northwestern State – 34
6. Southeastern Louisiana – 32
7. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 13
8. Nicholls State – 10
9. Oral Roberts – 9
10. Lamar – 8
Men's Individual Champions
3,000-Meter Steeplechase: Adam Saloom, Stephen F. Austin (9:00.60)
10,000-Meter Run: David Rooney, McNeese State (29:50.83
Long Jump: Morrie Turner, Oral Roberts (24-7)
Shot Put: Jon Arthur, Stephen F. Austin (63-8.75)
Javelin: Derek Hampton, Southeastern Louisiana
Hammer Throw: Jon Arthur, Stephen F. Austin (204-7)
Decathlon: Matt Johnson, Sam Houston State (7,496)
Women's Individual Champions
3,000-Meter Steeplechase: Erika Setzler, Central Arkansas (10:31.91)
10,000-Meter Run: Brooke Cassar, Central Arkansas (36:12.47)
Long Jump: Jasmine Cornelius, McNeese State (19-2.75)
Shot Put: La'Tricia Griffin, Stephen F. Austin (50-3.25)
Javelin: Jaimee Springer, Nicholls State (155-6)
Hammer Throw: Adrienne Quillin, Sam Houston State (181-05)
Heptathlon: Jasmine Ellis, Central Arkansas (5,125)
Players Mentioned
