Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Razorbacks take advantage of depth
FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas men’s team piled up the points in the 5,000 meters and heptathlon on Friday to take the lead at the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Center.
With 6 of 17 finals scored, the No. 3-ranked Razorbacks lead with 57 points. LSU is second with 34 points and Ole Miss third with 25.
Ole Miss freshman Cole Bullock won the 5,000 in 13 minutes, 59.10 seconds, but Arkansas scored 27 points by taking six of the top eight places.
Razorbacks senior Gilbert Boit took second in 14:01.26, followed by Arkansas juniors Jacob McLeod, Ryan Murphy and Matt Young in third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Senior Emmanuel Cheboson finished in sixth and freshman Myles Richter eighth.
“We got the job done in the 5,000 with all our guys scoring,” Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam said. “Just a great team effort by those distance runners.”
Three Razorbacks finished in the top five of the heptathlon for 17 points.
Arkansas senior Markus Ballengee scored a career-best 5,898 points to take second behind Georgia sophomore Kyle Garland, who won with 6,012. It was the second consecutive year Ballengee finished second to Garland at the SEC meet.
Razorbacks sophomore Daniel Spejcher was fourth with a career-best 5,654 points, and senior Etamar Bhastekar took fifth with 5,650.
Ballengee ran 8.10 for the fastest time in the 60 hurdles on Friday. He also went 15 feet, 11 inches in the pole vault and ran 2:47.10 in the 1,000.
Spejcher had the No. 2 times in the hurdles (8.12) and 1,000 (2:45.19) and vaulted 1411. Etamar had the No. 1 vault (16-63/4), ran 8.27 in the hurdles and 2:46.18 in the 1,000.
Arkansas junior Ryan Brown long jumped a career-best 26-73/4 to take third behind LSU senior JuVaughn Harrison (27-4) and Tennessee junior Carey McLeod (2703/4).
“It was the most competitive long jump I’ve seen in a long time in the SEC,” Bucknam said. “It was really a tough competition, and we got a great effort from Ryan Brown.
“Ryan’s already a national qualifier in the triple jump, and now he’s also qualified in the long jump.”
Brown, who will double in the triple jump, is among 19 Razorbacks competing today after eight athletes advanced in preliminary races.
Arkansas junior Phillip Lemonious had the top qualifying time in the 60 hurdles at 7.68, which ranks fourth alltime on the UA list.
Also advancing for the Razorbacks were Amon Kemboi and Andrew Kibet in the mile; Kieran Taylor in the 800; Tre’Bien Gilbert in the hurdles; James Milholen in the 400; and Roman Turner and Kris Hari in the 60.
“We’ve got a lot of firepower going on the final day,” Bucknam said. “Hopefully we can pull it off and finish the job.”