LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas track teams start off on right foot
Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam wanted to challenge his top-ranked track team out of the gate in the indoor season.
The No. 1 Razorbacks passed their first test Friday night, defeating No. 3 Texas 85-78 in a season-opening dual meet at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.
“It is satisfying,” Bucknam said. “You have to be good when things aren’t going your way. We had a bunch of distance runners who didn’t run tonight, so we looked a little weak there, but we have some talent. Things weren’t perfect. We didn’t have our A-team in and didn’t show every card we had, and yet we were still able to match the No. 3 team in the country and beat them.”
Arkansas clinched the victory with a 1-2 finish in the pole vault, led by defending NCAA indoor champion Andrew Irwin. The sophomore cleared 17 feet, 0.75 inches with no misses. Teammate Kevin Lazas also cleared the same height.
Needing only one of its three teams to cross the finish line to win the meet, the Razorbacks’ defending national champion 1,600-relay team finished first with a time of 3 minutes, 12.37 seconds.
Arkansas led by five points with five events remaining, but Texas reclaimed the lead in the distance races. The Longhorns took a one-point advantage by taking the top five spots in the 3,000 meters, led by Craig Lutz, who finished with a NCAAleading time of 8 minutes, 15.20 seconds.
Texas added to its lead when Arkansas was unable to finish the distance medley relay because of an injury to Leo Momoh in the second leg of the race, but the Razorbacks tied the Longhorns with a 1-2 finish in the triple jump.
Raymond Higgs finished first in the triple jump and long jump for Arkansas. Higgs’ long jump of 26 feet, 1 inch is a NCAA-best this year.
Arkansas’ women also opened the season Friday with a dual meet against Oklahoma State in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks, ranked No. 7 in the preseason, outscored the Lady Cowboys 81-61.
Senior sprinter Gwendolyn Flowers won indicator races in the 60 and 300 meters with times of 7.63 seconds and 38.49 seconds, respectively. Arkansas held out a pair of Olympians in the sprints, senior Regina George (Nigeria) and junior college transfer Sparkle McKnight (Trinidad & Tobago).
In field events, Arkansas sophomore Tamara Myers won the long jump (42 feet, 6 inches) and triple jump (20-0.25). Both marks were personal bests.
- Matt JonesFOOTBALL Seven Reddies earn all-region honors
Seven Henderson State Reddies were named to the 2012 Don Hansen All-Super Region team.
They were wide receiver/return specialist Robert Jordan (first team WR/second team RS), center Kelton Hays (first team), linebacker Maxie Graham (first team), quarterback Kevin Rodgers (second team), offensive tackle Cherokee Streetman (third team), defensive tackle Robbie Aldridge (third team) and linebacker Keaton Stigger (third team).
Sports, Pages 21 on 01/12/2013