The Barton Community College men’s track and field team opened their 2016 indoor season this past Friday at the Bill Easton Classic inside Anschutz Pavilion on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Competing against NCAA level teams along with Region VI foe Cowley College, the Cougars had nine performances reaching national qualifying standards.
The Cougars picked up two of their national qualifying performances in the triple jump led by Leon Boyd’s second place finish to unattached jumper Cordairo Golden. The Florida sophomore came within a mere quarter of an inch of the best jump leaping 15.44m (50-08.00) while New York freshman Adama Mbye was a half inch from fourth place at 14.40m (47-03.00).
Three national qualifying throws came from the throwers led by Stevon Crooks second place finish in the shot put at 15.91m (52-02.25). Donald Daley had a strong start to his sophomore campaign picking up a third place weight throw finish at 16.75m (54-11.50) while Illinois freshman teammate Ricky Nelson took third at 15.66m (51-04.50).
On the track the Cougars picked up three more qualifying performances on either end of the spectrum. Georgia freshman McKinley West took third in the 60m in 6.84 while Ohio freshman Jermaine Jones also taking in the third in 60m hurdles recording an 8.41 clocking. Coming off a 61st place in the fall’s Cross Country Championship, Devyn Brotherton got off to a good indoor start as the sophomore from Wyoming clocked a national qualifying 8:54.35 time in finishing seventh.
The ninth qualifying standard came on the last race of the day as the Cougar 4X400m relay team fell second to the host Jayhawks. The combo of sophomores Anthony Adderly, Alexander Richemond, and Micah Carey were joined by West to clock a 3:19.44.
Complete Bill Easton Classic results
The Cougars return to action on Friday in the two-day Holiday Inn Invitational held on the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska.
