Cat Central

MSU has big day at Big Sky Track Championships

Posted: May 9, 2012 9:35 PM by Ted Dawson
Updated: May 10, 2012 6:24 AM

BOZEMAN - Montana State opened the first day of the Big Sky Track and Field Championships with a solid effort in the decathlon and heptathlon.

Jeff Mohl sits in first place in the men's decathlon after five events with 4,097 points and came out firing on all cylinders at the Bobcat Track & Field Complex on Wednesday. Second place belongs to Montana's Austin Emry who is right on Mohl's heels with 4,038 points. Asa Staven holds third place with 3,947. Powhattan Williamson rounds out the Bobcats in sixth with 3,600.

In the first event of the day, Mohl, Staven and Williamson wasted no time making a statement as they swept the 100 meter dash. Mohl clocked in at 10.90, followed by Staven in second at 11.12 and Williamson in third at 11.13.

Following his win in the 100 he was one of several competitors who had big days in the long jump. His distance of 7.44m (24-05.00) set a new personal best, eclipsing his previous best of 5.00m (16-04). Staven and Williamson, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, also landed new PRs. Staven finished with 6.98m (22-11.00) and Williamson logged 6.97m (22-10.50).

In the final event of the night, Jeff Mohl showed no sign of fatigue with an impressive 48.04 victory in the 400. Staven came in third in the event with a season best time of 49.15.

In the heptathlon, Montana State's four competitors were very much in the thick of things in the first four events. Carley McCutchen ended opening day in second place with 3,046 points behind Baiba Celma of Sacramento State with 3,146. Sarah McGree sits just one place behind, in third, with 2,976. In sixth place is Sade McMillan with 2,882. Kortnee Barrett rounds out the Bobcat women in 10th, with 2,482.

McCutchen, much like the men, came in hot winning the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.38, a lifetime best for the sophomore. In the high jump, she was one of three-second place finishers with a height of 1.59m (5-02.50). McCutchen also won the 200, clocking in at 25.18, her second PR of the day.

In the same event, McGree earned the silver, crossing the finish line in 25.57 seconds .
Also of note, Kortnee Barrett notched a personal best, and second place finish in the shot put with a hurl of 11.60m (38-00.75), nearly a half a meter further than her previous best. Sadie McMillan also grabbed a personal best in the 200 with a 26.13 finish.

The second and final day of the multi events begins Thursday, May 10. The decathlon events are slated for a 12:00 p.m. start with the 110 hurdles and the women begin at 12:45 p.m. with the long jump.