Competing across two venues Friday and Saturday, the Barton Community College men's track and field team took part in one of the nation's most anticipated indoor showcases at the Tyson Invitational while additional Cougar entries competed at the Ichabod Invitational hosted by Washburn University.
Across the two meets, the Cougars produced one new national qualifying mark and ten combined personal and season-best performances, highlighted by record-book movement and continued depth across the sprints, middle distance, jumps, and throws.
The final regular-season test sets the stage for the remaining two indoor meets of the year beginning next Saturday at the two-day KJCCC/Region 6 Championships held at Pittsburg State University's Plaster Center. Two weeks later, the Cougars return to Topeka for the NJCAA Indoor National Championships scheduled for March 6-7.
Inside Arkansas' Randal Tyson Track Center, the 2026 Tyson Invitational featured 2024 Olympic 100-meter gold medalist Noah Lyles, 2025 Bowerman Award winner Jordan Anthony, and World Indoor champion Jereem Richards among a 50-school field that included thirteen nationally ranked NCAA Division I programs led by No. 1 Kansas State and No. 2 Tennessee.
Barton's men delivered multiple program list shifts against elite company. LaMont Johnson surged to a personal best 46.48 in the 400 meters to place 12th overall, climbing from sixth to fourth on Barton's all-time indoor list while already holding a national qualifying standard.
In the 800 meters, Shavan Jarrett secured his first national qualifying mark, clocking 1:52.61 to place 38th in a loaded field while finishing just outside the program's all-time top ten. Aragorn Straker added a season-best 6.90 in the 60 meters.
The Cougars' 4x400-meter relay quartet of Trevoy Smith, Emmanuel Adams, Simeon Adams, and LaMont Johnson continued its steady ascent, placing second overall in a season-best 3:07.57 performance that now ranks as the second-fastest indoor time in program history.
Back in Topeka at the Ichabod Invitational, the Cougars showcased depth across event groups.
Dejuan Colbert placed second in the 60 meters with a season-best 6.87 after finishing 11th in Friday's 200 meters in 22.05.
The quarter-mile group continued its strong indoor showing as Taigon Peterkin delivered a personal-best 48.91, while Furious Trammel, already nationally qualified, followed in 49.01 as the duo placed 12th and 13th, respectively.
The middle-distance crew stacked competitive efforts in the 800 meters, led by Sergi Gonzalez's personal-best 1:52.82 performance, finishing just outside Barton's top-ten list while already holding a national qualifying mark. Macdonald Jansen and Keandro Gordon, also nationally qualified, finished 12th and 16th in 1:54.22 and 1:55.07, respectively, with additional depth provided by Da'Marcus Brutus' 1:59.81.
In the field events, Chavez Penn cleared a personal-best 2.13 meters (6-11.75) in the high jump to place second, moving into seventh on Barton's all-time list by an inch. Jaylon Calder improved his qualifying mark with a personal-best 16.51 meters (54-02.00) to place fifth in the shot put, then followed on Saturday with a 10th-place finish in the weight throw at 16.63 meters (54-06.75), shy of previous qualified season best. Ilia Ciui placed eighth in the weight throw, improving his qualifying mark with a personal-best 17.75 meters (58-03.00), while Gabe Daugherty added a personal-best 14.59 meters (47-10.50) to finish 28th overall.
Barton Tyson Invitational Results
60m: 39th Aragorn Straker (SB 6.90), DNP Simeon Adams (DQ)
400m: 12th LaMont Johnson (PB 46.48 *Already Nationally Qualified **4th Program Best)
800m 38th Shavan Jarrett (NQ 1:52.61 *1st Time) *Just outside top ten
4x400m Relay: 2nd 3:07.57 SB *Already NQ **2nd Program Best (Trevoy Smith, Emmanuel Adams, Simeon Adams, and LaMont Johnson)
Barton Ichabod Invitational Results
60m: 2nd Dejuan Colbert (SB 6.87)
200m: 11th Dejuan Colbert (22.05)
400m: 12th Taigon Peterkin (PB 48.91), 13th Furious Trammel (49.01 *Already NQ)
600yd: 13th Craig Prendrgast (1:14.25)
800m: 8th 8th Sergi Gonzalez (PB 1:52.82 *Already NQ *Just outside top ten), 12th Macdonald Jansen (1:54.22 *Already NQ), 16th Keandro Gordon (1:55.07 *Already NQ), 43rd Da'Marcus Brutus (1:59.81)
High Jump: 2nd Chavez Penn (PB 2.13m, 6-11.75 *Already Nationally Qualified **7th Program Best)
Long Jump: 7th Skylan King (6.99m, 22-11.25), 18th Devon Williams (6.81m, 22-04.25)
Shot Put: 5th Jaylon Calder (PB 16.51m, 54-02.00 *Already NQ), DNP DeAndre Bristol (Foul)
Weight Throw: 8th Ilia Ciui (PB 17.75m, 58-03.00 *Already NQ), 10th Jaylon Calder (16.63m, 54-06.75 *Already NQ), 28th Gabe Daugherty (PB 14.59m, 47-10.50), DNP DeAndre Bristol (FOUL)