PITTSBURG – After opening day of action at the 2021 NJCAA Region VI Indoor Track and Field Championships, the number two-ranked Cloud County Community College men's track and field team has built a 12-point lead over second-place Cowley College heading into tomorrow's final day at the Plaster Center in Pittsburg on Saturday.
Only five events would be scored on Saturday, but that didn't stop the T-Birds from racing out to the lead by scoring 46 points to jump out in front of both Cowley (34 points) and Barton (25 points) in what is shaping up to be a three-team race. Sitting in fourth-place is Hutchinson with 20 points, followed by Coffeyville (18 points) and Northwest Kansas Tech (16 points) to round out the top-six in the 13-team field.
Two Region VI Champions and a school-record would be recorded by CCCC on Saturday as the distance medley relay team consisting of Rylan Cheney, Jaysaun Smith, Edwin Kipainoi, and Michael Iyali would team up for a time of 10:24.35 to be crowned Region VI Champions while sophomore Daniel Cope would continue on his recent dominance in the weight throw to win the event and set a school-record with a throw of 19.35 meters (63 ft. – 6 in.).
The T-Birds would also do some damage in the pole vault as the trio of Andrew Betton, Renaldo Savoury, and Eduardo Mendoza would all clear 3.85 meters (12 ft. – 7.5 in.) as Betton would take third in a jump-off while Savoury and Mendoza tied for fourth. CCCC's other points scored on Saturday would come in the 5,000 meters as Awet Beraki (15:02.23) and Habtamu Geta (15:12.21) would finish in fourth and sixth, respectively with Geta's time allowing the sophomore to join Beraki as a national qualifier in the event.
Four events would be completed in the heptathlon on Saturday as Betton, Zachery Jones, and Savoury would compete for the T-Birds and sit in first, fifth, and seventh with three events to be conducted tomorrow to finish the multi-events. Betton earned wins in the 60 meters (7.25) and high jump (2.01 meters, 6 ft. – 7 in.) during the multi-events while Jones would win the long jump with a leap of 6.29 meters (20 ft. – 7.75 in.).
Now in position for the chance at a third-straight NJCAA Region VI Indoor Track and Field Championship, the T-Birds still have work to do heading into the final day on Sunday. The conclusion of the heptathlon will get underway at 9 a.m. while the rest of the meet will start back up beginning at 10 a.m. with the final event slated for 3:55 PM. Live results from tomorrow's action will be available at the following link: 2021 NJCAA Region VI Championships Results.
--cloudtbirds.com--