Courtesy Great Bend Tribune
It was a close battle between a handful of teams much of the weekend at the NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Pittsburg.
But in the end, it turned into a 2-team battle between last year's outdoor champion, Barton, and last year's indoor title winner, Iowa Central.
The Cougars were in pursuit of the Tritons all afternoon.
Unfortunately, Barton never was able to catch them.
Iowa Central won its fourth straight NJCAA Indoor title and the fifth in six years. The Tritons held off Barton by just more than 10 points for the title.
Iowa Central finished with 90.5 points to 80 for Barton. Two Jayhawk schools followed with Cloud County in third with 63 and Coffeyville fourth with 59.
Barton finished third indoors each of the last two years.
Barton won two individual titles and one relay gold during the meet.
Kevin Nedrick won the shot put with an effort of 59-6.25.
On the track it was Stephon Torrence winning the 60m hurdles in 7.87. DeShaun Jones took fourth the event at 8.06.
The relay gold came in the final event of the day as Kyle Mason, Davonte Burnett, Kenroy Williams, and Dartez Hamlin won the 4x400m in 3:10.82.
One of the more exciting events during the meet came in the weight throw. Barton's Alencar Pereira took third with a throw of 64-10.5. The only two throws better than him broke the national meet record. Phillipe Barnett was fourth at 60-4.
Also in the field, Timothy Wilson was fifth in the triple jump at 49-6.5 and Tahj Whitfield was third in the heptathlon, scoring 4649.
On the track, Burnett was the runner-up in the 200m in 21.21. Nathan Hood took third in the 600m in 1:17.69 and Tallan James fourth in the 800m in 1:54.74.
Barton will now set out to defend its 2018 outdoor title.
NJCAA Championships
Team Scores
Iowa Central 90.5, Barton 80, Cloud County 63, Coffeyville 59.5, South Plains 53, Central Arizona 51, Trinidad State 38, Colby 37, Monroe 30, Hinds 25, Western Texas 23, Cowley 22, Southern Idaho 22, Allen County 21, Louisburg 19.5, Hawkeye 18, Indian Hills 16, Meridian 16, Iowa Western 15, Butler 15, Mesa 15, Hutchinson 11, Paradise Valley 10, Vincennes 8, Glendale 7.5, Pratt 4, Bryant & Stratton 3.5, Essex 3, Pima 1.5, Kingsborough 1.
Barton results
200m – 2 Davonte Burnett, 21.21; 7 Dartez Hamlin, 21.54.
400m – 6 Kyle Mason, 48.20
600m – 3 Nathan Hood, 1:17.69
800m – 4 Tallan James 1:54.74
60m H – 1 Stephon Torrence, 7.87; 4 DeShaun Jones, 8.06.
4x400m – 1 Barton (Mason, Burnette, Williams, Hamlin), 3:10.82
Triple jump – 5 Timothy Wilson, 49-6.5
Shot put – 1 Kevin Nedrick, 59-6.25
Weight Throw – 3 Alencar Pereira, 64-10.5; 4 Phillipe Barnett, 60-4
Heptathlon – 3 Tahj Whitfield, 4649