The Barton Community College's bid for a second straight outdoor reginal title fell four points short on Saturday at Pratt's Track Complex as the 7th ranked Cougars finished runner-up at the 2024 KJCCC/Region VI Outdoor Championships.
Barton posted 21 scoring performances in their two-days of competition with 11 personal and/or season bests while adding a trio of new national qualifying performances.
Winning four individual titles, the Cougars finished runner-up in five other events. Missing a few points here and there including a walk-off during a race, Barton was left with 127 total points falling behind 8th ranked Cloud County's victorious 131 points but nearly twenty points ahead of third place Hutchinson.
Focus now turns to the season's final event held May 16-18 in West Monroe, Louisiana, as the Cougars compete at the NJCAA's Outdoor Championships.
A trio of Cougars earned post-event honors led by Emmanuel Dixon in not only being named the men's but additionally the women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
Ricardo Hayles' first event made a strong statement towards being named the Men's Field Athlete of the Meet by winning the discus on a 60.83m (199-07) throw. The mark bolted the freshman up four spots on the program all-time chart to second furthest and No. 7 on the NJCAA all-time performance list.
Earning the men's High Point Athlete of the Meet, Christopher Young won the initial throwing event of the javelin with a 58.59m (192-02) then finished runner-up behind Hayles by three feet at 59.93m (196-07) to remain in the third spot of the program best chart. On Saturday Young would again earn a runner-up finish in the shot put (17.68m, 58-00.25) with Hayles coming fourth at (16.49m, 54-01.25). Young concluded his Championship leading 36 points by winning the hammer throw (55.32m, 181-06) as freshman Boris Peranovic marked a personal best 50.46m (165-06) to punch his event ticket at nationals.
Just like on the women's side, the Cougars' Jeramiah Martin gave Barton a short track hurdle sweep by winning the men's 110m variety with a 13.96 clocking. Bryce Southerland also recorded a personal best 14.16 in prelims of the event clocking a slightly slower 14.22 for 4th place.
One of Barton's five runner-up finishes was earned by the 4x800m relay team in its first competition of the season. The tandem of Hamza Belkhalfi, Corlando Chambers, Jasiah Clapp, and Adrian Nethersole passed the baton to a 7:43.80 clocking for the 9th fastest time in program history punching their national meet entry in the process.
Barton's Region VI Outdoor Championship Results (Complete Results): (PR/PB = Personal record/best; NQ = Nationally Qualified; ANQ = Already Nationally Qualified)
100m: 9th Wanyae Belle (PB NQ 10.41), 20th Jermaine Thompson (10.69), 22nd Malachi Carter (PB 10.77)
110m Hurdles: CHAMPION Jeramiah Martin (PB 13.96 *ANQ), 4th Bryce Southerland (14.22 *PB 14.16 in Prelims **ANQ)
200m: 4th Wanyae Belle (20.79 *ANQ), 12th Jermaine Thompson (21.48)
400m: Runner-Up Revon Williams (46.90 *ANQ), 5th Jaden Howell (PB NQ 47.63)
400m Hurdles: 8th Manjot Singh (54.25 *ANQ), 10th Jayden Singleton (SB 55.02), 15th Grayden Stapleton (58.36)
800m: 5th Adrian Nethersole (1:53.18 *ANQ), 6th Corlando Chambers (1:53.61 *ANQ), DNF Jasiah Clapp
1500m: Runner-Up Hamza Belkhalfi (3:57.92 *ANQ)
5000m: DNF Hamza Belkhalfi
Discus Throw: CHAMPION Ricardo Hayles (PB 60.83m, 199-07 *ANQ **Moves from 6th to 2nd Program Best), Runner-Up Christopher Young (PB 59.93m, 196-07 *ANQ **Remains tied for 3rd Program Best), DNP Boris Peranovic (Foul)
Hammer Throw: CHAMPION Christopher Young (55.32m, 181-06), 5th Boris Peranovic (PB NQ 50.46m, 165-06), 15th Ricardo Hayles (39.35m, 129-01)
Javelin: CHAMPION Christopher Young (58.59m, 192-02 *ANQ **Already has 3rd Program Best)
Long Jump: 9th Micah Dobson (PB 6.78m, 22-03.00), 14th Kalil Murphy (PB 6.53m, 21-05.25)
Shot Put: Runner-Up Christopher Young (17.68m, 58-00.25 *ANQ), 4th Ricardo Hayles (16.49m, 54-01.25 *ANQ), 16th Boris Peranovic (12.31m, 40-04.75)
Triple Jump: 6th Micah Dobson (14.54m, 47-08.50), 7th Kalil Murphy (14.46m, 47-05.25)
4x100m Relay: 4th 40.58 (Malachi Carter, Wanyae Belle, Revon Williams, Jermaine Thompson)
4x400m Relay: 3rd 3:11.63 (Corlando Chambers, Adrian Nethersole, Revon Williams, Jaden Howell)
4x800m Relay: Runner-Up 7:43.80 *9th Program Best (Hamza Belkhalfi, Corlando Chambers, Jasiah Clapp, Adrian Nethersole)