OBU Hopes to Bounce Back from Rough Day
Oklahoma Baptist hopes for defending its men's outdoor track and field championship took a big hit Thursday at the tail end of the men's 100 meter prelim.
Dominique Matthews, who represents OBU in the 100, 200 and relays, pulled a hamstring a few yards shy of the tape in is heat of the 100. He will be a scratch for the 200 and will have to be replaced in the relay events.
"It will be either an inspiration for us and we'll stay in it, or it could be the end," said OBU coach Ford Mastin. "I hope our kids don't give up. It will be a test. Losing a top athlete is really tough."
Matthews' scratch in the 200 negated the need for a preliminary round, advancing Ethan Mignard and Derek Nettles into the semifinals.
The Bison and Lady Bison also suffered a couple of near misses in other preliminaries. Aletha Hubbard came within three 100ths of a second of qualifying for the semifinals in the women's 200 meters, finishing 17th at 25.19 seconds.
McKenzie Battershell just missed the semis of the women's 400 meter hurdles in 17th with a time of 1:25.38. She was five 100ths of a second away from the next round.
Adam Betterton narrowly missed the men's 400 meter hurdles semifinals in 18th at 54.11.
The news was better in the decathlon, where Jonathan Hilton stands in second place with his worst event - the 100 meters - behind him. Hilton was second in the shot put at 39-5, third in the high jump at 6-3.5, fifth in the 400 (51.83) and the long jump (21-6.25) and ninth in the 100 meters at 11.61.
In the hammer throw, Olivia Boisse was 11th for the ladies with a throw of 150-3, while John Armstrong was 20th for the men at 163-1.
The men's 4x100 relay team qualified with the top time in the prelims, 41.13, while the Lady Bison moved forward with the second-best women's time at 46.93.
The men's 4x800 relay advanced to the finals, taking second in their heat with a 7:37.51 by Prophet Bailey, Durrell Williams, Billy Christy and A.J. Carter. The women's 4x800 of Yesenia Avila, Melissa Farias, Optimum Baker and Emily Haynes didn't advance, taking sixth in its heat at 9:25.38.
In the women's 200 meters, Sherene Pinnock won her heat and moved forward with the second-best prelim time of 24.36 seconds.
The Bison sent three runners forward in the 400 hurdles with Tracey Drew and Lamar Baskin both taking second in their heats, while Ross Harlan was third in his. Baskin had the seventh-best trial at 53.00, followed by Drew in eighth at 53.64 and Harlan in 12th at 53.46.
The women's 400 hurdles saw two Lady Bison qualify with Pinnock winning her heat with the second-best prelim time at 1:01.77. Baker moved on with the sixth-best time - 1:03.42. Montouya Moore did not finish.
Baskin moved forward in the 110 hurdles with the fourth-best time at 14.23 seconds. Battershell did not advance on the women's side, taking 22nd at 16.10.
Marissa Moseley had the fastest time throughout the women's 400 at 54.46. T.J. Lightsey advanced in the men's 400 with the 14th-best time of 48.83 seconds. Bradley Jimerson missed the cut in 17th.
Olasubomi Bashorun was 11th in the 100 meters and advanced to the semifinals with a 10.80. Justin Duncan and Williams moved on the 800 in 13th at 1:53.64 and 16th at 1:54.64, respectively.
Brianna Shippey placed 10th in the pole vault at 11-3.75.
Brock Stoltzfus was ninth in the 3000 steeplechase in his heat at 9:40.09.
OBU Finals Thursday
Women's Hammer - 11. Olivia Boisse, 150-3
Men's Hammer - 20. John Armstrong, 163-1
Women's Pole Vault - 10. Brianna Shippey, 11-3.75
OBU Schedule Saturday
9:30 a.m. - Men's Decathlon (Jonathan Hilton)
1 p.m. - Men's 110 Hurdles (Lamar Baskin)
2:50 p.m. - Men's 100 Semifinal (Olasubomi Bashorun)
3: p.m. - Women's 400 Semifinal (Marissa Moseley)
3:10 p.m. - Men's 400 Semifinal (T.J. Lightsey)
3:35 p.m. - Men's 800 Semifinal (Justin Duncan, Durrell Williams)
3:50 p.m. - Women's 4x100 Semifinal
4:05 p.m. - Men's 4x100 Semifinal
4:40 p.m. - Men's 110 Hurdles Finals (Baskin)
5 p.m. - Men's 100 Finals (Bashorun)
5:15 p.m. - Women's 400 Hurdle Semifinals (Sherene Pinnock, Optimum Baker)
5:30 p.m. - Women's Triple Jump Finals (Nicole Cummins)
5:35 p.m. - Men's 400 Hurdle Semifinals (Ross Harlan, Tracey Drew, Baskin)
6:20 p.m. - Men's 4x800 Relay Finals
8:15 p.m. - Women's 4x400 Relay Semifinals
8:35 p.m. - Men's 4x400 Relay Semifinals