Bison Miss Title by Less Than A Point

Oklahoma Baptist University came within half a second of winning a national indoor track championship Saturday, but finished second to Azusa Pacific.

APU entered the final event with a 63.75 to 58 lead and finished sixth to pick up a point in the 4x400 relay. OBU needed a second- or first-place finish, but came in third at 3:13.51. Doane was second at 3:13.05.


The final team score was 64.75 to 64, APU with the win.


B.J. Bashorun, Ethan Mignard, Dominique Matthews and Ross Harlan earned All-America honors for their efforts in the event.


"There were many, many things that went wrong," said OBU coach Ford Mastin. "If any one of those things goes our way in the meet , we're national champions. A lot of schools would trade places with us, but we're pretty disappointed."


The Lady Bison finished fourth with 47 points. Wayland Baptist edged Azusa Pacific 71-70 to win the women's team title.


"The three teams that beat our women were all very good," Mastin said. "From top to bottom, this meet was very competitive."


OBU claimed six event championships on the final day.


Marissa Moseley, Yesenia Avila, Aletha Hubbard and Sherene Pinnock claimed the 4x400 relay in 3:45.07.
Pinnock won the women's 600 with a national meet record 1:30.57.


Moseley won the 400 meters in 54.417. Moseley was second in the 200 meters at 24.48, followed by Pinnock in third at 24.61 and Hubbard in eighth in 25.29.


Nicole Cummins was fifth (38-4.25) and Abby Lewis 17th (36-4.25) in the triple jump. Cummins set a school record in the meet.


Lamar Baskin got the first championship of the day, claiming the 60 meter hurdles in 8.09 seconds.


Matthews won the 200 meters in 21.52 seconds and Durrell Williams claimed the 1,000 meters in 2:29.65, temporarily giving OBU a lead in the team standings.


"Williams winning the 1,000 was kind of unexpected, but it went exactly how he needed it to go," said Mastin. "No one wanted to go out and take the lead and he has a strong kick. He went from fifth to first in the last 80 meters."

A.J. Carter was third in the 800 at 1:54.74 and Bashorun was fifth in the 60 meters at 6.93.

Justin Stroup was eighth in the mile at 4:23.04. Seth Brown placed ninth in the pole vault with a 14-9.


Stroup, Jimerson, Carter and Justin Duncan placed third in the distance medley relay at 10:07.53.

OBU got its first national champion of the 2008 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Jonathan Hilton, who set a national record in the heptathlon.

Hilton finished with 5,454 points to break the record of 4,921 set last season by Forrest Gregory of Doane.

"Jonathan did everything right," Mastin said. "He had no mistakes in any of his events."

Other Friday finals included a fourth-place finish by the men's 4x800 team. Prophet Bailey, A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams and T.J. Lightsey finished in 7:42.62. OBU won that event last year with that foursome in 7:35.55.

The women's 4x800 relay team got OBU its first points on the women's side, placing sixth. Kirsten Morrow, Shayna Legg, Emily Haynes and Yesenia Avila finished in 9:26, 20 seconds off last year's Lady Bison championship time.

John Armstrong was 22nd in the men's weight throw finals with a toss of 49-6.25. In the women's weight throw, Olivia Boisse was 12th at 49-10.5

T.J. Lightsey (49.69) and Bradley Jimerson (49.90) did not qualify for the finals in the 400 and Ross Harlan fell short of the 600 finals in 1:21.84.

OBU Results
MEN
60 Hurdles - 1. Lamar Baskin, 8.09
200 - 1. Dominique Matthews, 21.52
1000 - 1. Durrell Williams, 2:29.65
Heptathlon - 1. Jonathan Hilton, 5,454, NAIA Record
4x400 Relay - 3. B.J. Bashorun, Ethan Mignard, Dominique Matthews, Ross Harlan, 3:13.51.
800 - 3. A.J. Carter, 1:54.74
Distance Medley Relay - 3. Justin Stroup, Bradley Jimerson, A.J. Carter, Justin Duncan, 10:07.53.
4x800 Relay - 4. Prophet Bailey, A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams, T.J. Lightsey, 7:42.62.
60 - 5. B.J. Bashorun, 6.93
Mile - 8. Justin Stroup, 4:23.74
Pole Vault - 9. Seth Brown, 14-9
Weight Throw - 22. John Armstrong, 49-6.25
WOMEN
4x400 Relay - 1. Marrisa Moseley, Yesenia Avila, Aletha Hubbard, Sherene Pinnock, 3:45.07.
600 - 1. Sherene Pinnock, 1:34.57 (meet record)
400 - 1. Marissa Moseley, 54.417
200 - 2. Marissa Moseley, 24.48; 3. Sherene Pinnock, 24.61, 8. Aletha Hubbard, 25.29
Triple Jump - 5. Nicole Cummins, 38-4.25; 17. Abby Lewis, 36-4.25
4x800 relay - 6. Kirsten Morrow, Shayna Legg, Emily Haynes and Yesenia Avila, 9:26.
Weight Throw - 12. Olivia Boisse, 49-10.5