The Real News Louisiana

WACO, Texas—Following a successful home meet, the Northwestern State track and field teams begin the home stretch of their outdoor seasons, starting with a trip outside the state of Louisiana for the month of April.

The teams head to the campus of Baylor for the Michael Johnson Invitational, a two-day meet that starts Friday.
The men’s hammer throw kicks the meet off at 11 a.m. on Friday with the track events beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the women’s 200-meter dash.
It is a loaded field, as 24 teams are participating, including Northwestern State and host school Baylor.
Other schools making the trip to Waco include Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, South Carolina, TCU and three fellow Southland schools UIW, Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
“We need to go and get some great work in,” head coach Mike Heimerman said. “There are some great teams there from across the nation, so we are looking forward to going there and competing against some great competition and letting the kids learn how to compete against that type of competition. That is why we go to those big meets because they need to know how to handle that pressure and perform under it.”
Maygan Shaw is coming off an incredible performance, running a 51.87 in the 400-meter dash, which set the Southland Conference record, as well as the complex, meet and school records as well.
That was one of two wins for the senior, who was voted the SLC Female Track Athlete of the Week on Wednesday.
She also won as a member of the 4×100 relay team, whose time of 4.94 is the top mark in the league so far this season.
Shaw holds the best time in the SLC in the 200, 400, 4×100 and 4×400 and is second in the 100.
She is one of four Northwestern State athletes to be leading the SLC in individual events, being joined by Kalli Knott (women’s pole vault), Roy Morris (men’s long jump) and Randy Kelly (men’s high jump). Three of the four relay teams are being led by Northwestern State.
Jumps coach Alex Wills has stepped in and done well, leading a terrific group of jumpers.
“Coach Alex has done really good job,” Heimerman said. “For some of the jumpers, this has been their third coach in two seasons. All of our jumpers are doing great and Alex has stepped in and done a really good job.”
Kelly is coming off a personal best clearance of 7-0.25 at the home meet after being close to clearing 7-0 before.
Morris also posted his season best in front of the home crowd, posting a 24-11.25 to win the event at the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational and take the top spot in the SLC this season.
Kelly and Morris are just two of the jumpers who have had strong performances this outdoor season, as six are in the top five in the long jump, triple jump and high jump.
Samari Finney in the last two meets has put up numbers in the top five in the 200-meter dash (23.68), 400-meter dash (54.23) and long jump (19-8).
Elijah Rowe has been a huge part of the Demons success, currently in the top seven in the Southland in the 100 (10.22), 200 (21.06), long jump (24-3.75) and as a member of the 4×100 relay (39.80).
“I’m getting there,” Rowe said. “It was kind of rough in the beginning because I was getting used to a new coach and a new team and a new environment, but I have overcome it. I am at where I am supposed to be at right now.”
Not be outdone, senior Raven-Symone Jarrett ranks in the top 10 in four different categories, including the 100-meter hurdles (13.76) and 400-meter hurdles (1:00.30), which rank third and second in the conference, respectively.
“The year before last year, I was in a good spot,” Jarrett said. “Last year, I was getting used to the new coaches and new practice style, but this year, I think I have pieced together the puzzle and put the focus on what I know I need to improve at and I also have great teammates around who push me every day.”
Following the meet, Northwestern State returns to the state of Louisiana for the LSU Alumni Gold on April 26, as the teams prep for a run at the Southland Conference team championships.
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