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Benton wins 100 crown; Hawks, Lady Hawks in contention at NAIA
Complete Results (through Day 2)
MARION, Ind. -- Another day at the track for the Shorter University track and field program, another national champion crowned.
Welcome, Travis Benton, to the family of Shorter national title holders.
Benton, a sophomore out of Decatur, Ga., captured his first individual national crown by racing to first place in the 100-meter dash finals on the second day of the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championship in Marion, Ind.
Benton scored a thrilling photo finish over Brijesh Lawrence of Doane College, crossing the line in 10.403 -- 0.002 seconds ahead of Lawrence for what was the most hotly contested final of Friday's action. It was the third individual championship of this year's national meet thus far for Shorter, which saw Ashlie Stewartson win the women's long jump championship and Paul Chelimo race to the 10,000-meter title on Thursday.
Shorter's men ended up with 13 points out of the 100-meter dash, as Allen Huntley placed seventh in a time of 10.68 to snag two points and Nigel Talton came across in eighth (10.70) for another valuable tally.
The trio's efforts, coupled with Chelimo's title and Oscar Ogwaro's third place finish in Thursday's 10,000-meter run final, have Shorter in second place after 11 events with 29 points. The Hawks trail Doane by 10 points entering Saturday's final day of competition.
Two other Hawks are in prime position to score big points for the team on Saturday.
Senior Nick Dodson coasted in his semifinal heat in the 400-meter hurdles to earn a spot in Saturday's final. He ran a 51.68 to comfortable clinch a chance to break the string of three straight national runner-up finishes in the event.
Chelimo, already a two-time individual national champion as a freshman, will have a chance to add a third gold medal to his resume when he laces up for the 5,000-meter final on Saturday. Chelimo posted the fastest preliminary time of 14:37, 15 seconds ahead of the closest competitor, Nathan Martin of Spring Arbor.
The Hawks' 4x100-meter relay team is an odds-on favorite to win a national title as the foursome of Dodson, Benton, Talton and Shaun Kennedy posted the second-fastest time of the prelims (40.04). That final is set for Saturday as well.
On the women's side, Shorter will have the chance to challenge for its first team national championship as it stands in third after 12 events complete.
The Lady Hawks have accumulated 30 points and are eight points back of current leader Concordia University (Ore.), which has 38 tallies. Lindenwood University (Mo.) is in second with 37 points.
Shorter got a pair of sixth place finishes and another third place finish to score 12 points on day two of the championships.
The Lady Hawks were paced by Tamala Daley, who placed third in the triple jump with a length of 40 feet, 5 inches. Daley, just one day removed from scoring eight points with a second place finish behind Stewartson in the long jump, continued to battle through the knee injury she suffered two weeks ago to run her total of personal points to 14.
Brittany Sewell ran to a sixth place finish in the 100-meter dash in a time of 12.08 and Vanderlyn Watts placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (14.11).
The Lady Hawks, among the favorites to bring home a national championship, will have opportunity to score big on Saturday.
Kennisha Holden and Jessica Coons both qualified for the finals in the 400-meter hurdles. Sarah Massey and two-time defending event champion Justyna Mudy will enter the 3,000-meter steeplechase finals ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, after Thursday's prelims.
Shorter's 4x100-meter relay squad of Daley, Sewell, Stewartson and Lakeisha Spikes posted the third fastest time in semifinals and the Lady Hawks' 4x400-meter relay team of Watts, Stewartson, Sha'Doris Godwin and Mia Jones will take to the track in Saturday's final looking to point.
