Adams, Akens conclude memorable 2015 season
6/29/2015 5:03:00 PM | Track & Field
Sam Houston State's Tyler Adams and Aaron Akens officially closed out the 2014-15 athletic year for the Bearkats over the weekend, notching strong performances at the USA Track & Field Junior Championships in Eugene, Ore., alongside some of the nation's best.
Adams leapt 6 feet, 10 ¼ inches in the high jump, taking eighth overall and fifth among collegiate competitors while Akens placed ninth in the discus throw – just one spot out of qualifying for the finals – and fourth among collegiate competitors with a toss of 168 feet, 2 inches.
“About halfway through this last season we started to realize how special this freshman group was,” sixth-year head coach David Self said. “With Aaron and Tyler both qualifying for the USA Juniors it shows where this program is and the direction its heading.”
Using a lighter weighted disc as part of the junior's competition, Akens posted the longest toss of his freshman season, surpassing his previous best at the Texas Invitational on April 11 by six feet. The freshman from Mesquite posted six top 10 finishes on the season.
“Being a freshman, he had to adjust to the bigger implement with the discus from the smaller size that's used in high school,” Self said. “Once he found out he was qualified for the USA Juniors, he had to go back to using a smaller implement. It wasn't confirmed that he was going to qualify until the Friday before we left. For those circumstances, I think he completed well. He had two solid throws.”
For Adams, the performance closes out a decorated season that saw the Oakwood native claim Southland Conference indoor men's “Freshman of the Year” and win the high jump during both indoor and outdoor seasons. The Buffalo High School product also won the heptathlon, posting league meet records in the pole vault (16 feet, 10 ¾ inches) and the 1,000-meter run (2:37.62) during indoors.
“Many freshman haven't done track year-round,” Self said. “They're used to taking a break and doing other sports. Tyler was doing football, basketball and track in high school so for him to focus on track all year it can really become a long season. For a young guy to be at a high level in the beginning of the season all the way to this point shows his dedication, work ethic and resiliency.”
Sam Houston's Danielle Demas also shut the door on her junior season, posting a time of 13.29 in the 100-meter hurdles to take 19th overall at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, which were held in conjunction with the juniors.
Three Bearkat men have competed at Oregon's famed Hayward Field in the past three weeks with SHSU senior Matthew Viverette posting a personal best of 13.688 at the NCAA Track and Field Championships en route to earning second-team All-American status on June 10.
“It's a reflection on Sam Houston in general,” Self said. “We're really moving from the regional scene to the national scene. A lot more people are recognizing the 'SH' logo. It really shows you that Sam Houston is a name to be reckoned with in our sport.”
Men Discus Throw JR
=============================================================================
Name Year Team Finals
=============================================================================
1 Payton Otterdahl Team NoDak 59.98m 196-09
FOUL 54.08m 59.98m 55.53m 58.32m FOUL
2 Reno Tuufuli Iowa 59.06m 193-09
53.96m FOUL 53.05m FOUL FOUL 59.06m
3 Matthew Zajac Tennessee 57.54m 188-09
FOUL 53.34m FOUL 57.54m FOUL FOUL
4 Amir Ali Patterson Unattached 57.39m 188-03
53.09m 55.59m 55.04m 55.28m 55.13m 57.39m
5 Ayomidotun Ogundeji U C L A 56.57m 185-07
53.79m FOUL FOUL 55.31m 53.06m 56.57m
6 Maurice Harris Akron 54.79m 179-09
54.79m FOUL 50.47m 53.32m 53.03m FOUL
7 Jack Lembcke Washington 52.33m 171-08
FOUL 52.33m FOUL 50.83m 51.73m FOUL
8 Trevor Detillion Unattached 52.18m 171-02
51.54m 51.52m 52.18m 51.84m FOUL FOUL
9 Aaron Akens Sam Houston 51.25m 168-02
FOUL 51.25m FOUL
10 Dallin Shurts Unattached 49.44m 162-02
47.61m 49.44m 48.57m
11 Jamal Whittaker Iowa Central 49.31m 161-09
41.16m FOUL 49.31m
12 Brian Peterson Texas 49.25m 161-07
37.51m 47.86m 49.25m
13 Drew Lindsley Grangeville 48.68m 159-08
45.96m 40.45m 48.68m
14 Willie Morrison Unattached 47.74m 156-07
47.64m 47.74m FOUL
Men High Jump JR
=============================================================================
Name Year Team Finals
=============================================================================
1 Randall Cunningham U S C 2.20m 7-02.50
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17 2.20 2.23 2.27
PPP XO O O XXO PPP XXX
2 Landon Bartel Nebraska 2.17m 7-01.50
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17 2.20
XXO O O O XXX
3 Hiawatha Culver Texas Tech 2.17m 7-01.50
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17 2.20
O O XXO XO XXX
4 Benjamin Milligan Unattached 2.14m 7-00.25
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17
O XO O XXX
5 Jonathan Wells Illinois 2.14m 7-00.25
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17
O XXO O XXX
6 Brendon Rivera Unattached 2.14m 7-00.25
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17
XXO XO O XXX
7 Manny Durden Unattached 2.14m 7-00.25
2.04 2.09 2.14 2.17
XO O XO XXX
8 Tyler Adams Sam Houston 2.09m 6-10.25
2.04 2.09 2.14
XO XO XXX
9 Jamal Curtis Tx A M Commerce 2.09m 6-10.25
2.04 2.09 2.14
XO XXO XXX
-- Justin Sicari Connecticut NH
2.04
XXX
