Stephen F. Austin
SLC Outdoor Championships
Ownbey, Marshall Defend Titles
5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
May 14, 2010
ARLINGTON, Texas - Despite being delayed for a couple of hours due to heavy rains in the Arlington area, the Southland Conference was able to wrap up the first day of competition in the 2010 SLC Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Texas-Arlington. The SFA women scored 24 points Friday to hold a four-point lead, while the `Jacks are first with 27 points.
It didn't take SFA long to get on the scoreboard as senior Frednisha Marshall continued to prove herself as one of the league's all-time best throwers. Marshall recorded a throw of 171-5 to win the event. Sophomore Mitch Ownbey recorded the `Jacks' first individual title of the meet. Ownbey defended his title in the 10,000 meters by clocking a time of 31:43.15 in the event. Classmate Xavier Rodriguez just missed all-conference honors with his fourth-place finish in the event (32:05.91).
As if taking a cue from the women's team, the Lumberjacks also scored some big points in the hammer. Senior Matt Langdon was one of three `Jacks to score in the event. Langdon earned all-conference honors by finishing third in the event with a throw of 188-11. He finished just ahead of teammate Jon Arthur was fourth with a mark of 181-3. Sophomore Marcus Mitchell recorded a eighth-place finish in the event with his mark of 162-0.
The Ladyjacks added three top-eight finishes in the women's 10,000 meters. Sophomore Stephanie Ganter earned all-conference honors with her third-place finish (36:27.35). Junior Amy Shackelford finished fifth overall with a time of 36:39.18, and junior Megan Jenkins clocked a time of 37:10.96 to finish eighth overall. Junior Megan Harlan scored three points for SFA in the javelin. Harlan finished sixth overall with her throw of 138-8.
SFA is strong position to score big points in the multi events. Sophomore Andrew Plentl holds a 35-point lead, and is one of three Lumberjacks in the top five. Senior Chris Jones is fourth overall with 3,662 points, and classmate Aaron Harlan is fifth with 3,512 points.
It is a similar situation in the heptathlon. Senior Tabitha Riley and junior Ebbonye Johnson each won an event on the opening day and are currently one-two on leaderboard. Riley scored 2,965 Friday, while Johnson is second with 2,907 points.
Due to the weather delays, the men's javelin was the lone unfinished event at press time. The second day of events will get underway beginning with the decathlon's 110-meter hurdles at 9 a.m. The opening events of the heptathlon are slated to begin 30 minutes later.
-SFA-
