Hilton Wins NAIA Heptathlon

March 7, 2008

Oklahoma Baptist got its first national champion of the 2008 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Jonathan Hilton, who set a national record in the heptathlon.

Hilton finished with 5,454 points to break the record of 4,921 set last season by Forrest Gregory of Doane.

Hilton ran the 60 meters in 7.28 second, the 60 hurdles in 8.42 and the 1,000-meters in 2:48.21. He also tossed the shot 40 feet, 1.5 inches. Hilton had a 15-3 pole vault, a 6-7 high jump and a 22-4.25 long jump.

The Bison finished the day with 14 points with a fourth-place finish by the men's 4x800 team. Prophet Bailey, A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams and T.J. Lightsey finished in 7:42.62. OBU won that event last year with that foursome in 7:35.55.

The women's 4x800 relay team got OBU its first points on the women's side, placing sixth. Kirsten Morrow, Shayna Legg, Emily Haynes and Yesenia Avila finished in 9:26, 20 seconds off last year's Lady Bison championship time.

OBU also advanced several runners. Lamar Baskin won both the 60 hurdle prelim and semifinal, heading into the finals with the top time - 8.07 seconds.

Marissa Moseley moved ahead with the best time in the 400 meters at 55.34 She also moved into the 200 meter finals with the second-best time at 24.48 and will be joined in the finals by Sherene Pinnock (24.81) and Aletha Hubbard (25.22). Montouya Moore missed the cut in 15th at 25.84.

In the men's 60 meters, Ola Bashorun advanced to the finals with a 6.83, but Dominique Matthews was eliminated in the semifinal round in eighth place - 6.87 seconds. The reverse was true in the 200. Matthews qualified fourth at 21.53, but Bashorun missed the cut in 10th at 21.96.

Justin Stroup moved on in the mile, qualifying with a ninth-place 4:21.35 Durrell Williams advanced in the 1,000 at 2:30.17 - the fifth-best time. A.J. Carter was fifth and advanced in the 800 at 1:55.81, but Prophet Bailey missed the next round in 10th at 1:56.83.

The 600 held a mixed bag for OBU. Pinnock advanced with the best time at 1:33.54, but she advanced without any teammates. Yesenia Avila just missed the cut in seventh with a 1:36.30, while Optimum Baker was 14th at 1:38.76.


John Armstrong was 22nd in the men's weight throw finals with a toss of 49-6.25. In the women's weight throw, Olivia Boisse was 12th at 49-10.5.

T.J. Lightsey (49.69) and Bradley Jimerson (49.90) did not qualify for the finals in the 400 and Ross Harlan fell short of the 600 finals in 1:21.84.

OBU Results
FINALS
MEN
Heptathlon - 1. Jonathan Hilton, 5,454, NAIA Record
4x800 Relay - 4. Prophet Bailey, A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams, T.J. Lightsey, 7:42.62.
Weight Throw - 22. John Armstrong, 49-6.25
WOMEN
4x800 relay - 6. Kirsten Morrow, Shayna Legg, Emily Haynes and Yesenia Avila, 9:26.
Weight Throw - 12. Olivia Boisse, 49-10.5

OBU Schedule
Saturday, March 8
10 a.m. - Women's Triple Jump FINAL (Nicole Cummins, Abby Lewis)
12:30 p.m. - Men's Pole Vault FINAL (Seth Brown)
12:35 p.m. - Men's Mile FINAL (Justin Stroup)
12:50 p.m. - Men's 60 Hurdles FINAL (Lamar Baskin)
12:55 p.m. - Women's 400 FINAL (Marissa Moseley)
1:05 p.m. - Women's 600 FINAL (Sherene Pinnock)
1:25 p.m. - Men's 60 FINAL (Olasubomi Bashorun)
1:35 p.m. - Men's 800 FINAL (A.J. Carter)
1:55 p.m. - Men's 1,000 FINAL (Durrell Williams)
2:35 p.m. - Women's 200 FINAL (Sherene Pinnock, Marissa Moseley, Aletha Hubbard)
2:40 p.m. - Men's 200 FINAL (Dominique Matthews)
3:50 p.m. - Men's Distance Medley Relay FINAL
4:05 p.m. - Women's 4x400 Relay FINAL
4:15 p.m. - Men's 4x400 Relay FINAL