The Barton Community College men's track and field team squared off against one of the nation's strongest early-season fields this past weekend, competing at the 9th Annual Corky Classic hosted by Texas Tech University inside the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas.
Matched against a 22-team field featuring a heavy presence of Power 4 programs, the Cougars produced five additional national qualifying performances while continuing to sharpen form against elite-level competition early in the indoor campaign.
Barton's most significant moment came in the weekend's final event, the 4x400-meter relay, where the Cougars continued their climb up the program record book. The quartet of Trevoy Smith, Emmanuel Adams, Furious Trammel, and Lamont Johnson posted a season-best time of 3:09.46 to place ninth overall, improving two spots from the previous week to move into the seventh-fastest time in Barton history.
In the field events, Chavez Penn delivered one of the meet's top individual performances, capturing a third-place finish in the triple jump with a national qualifying mark of 15.37m (50-05.25). Penn doubled back in the high jump to clear a national qualifying height of 2.05m (6-08.75), placing ninth overall and securing his second national standard of the weekend.
The Cougars added new national qualifiers in the throws, led by Ilia Ciui's ninth-place showing in the weight throw with a national qualifying toss of 17.46m (57-03.50). Jaylon Calder followed with a personal-best mark of 16.39m (53-09.25) to place 12th, continuing his sophomore season progression. Calder returned on Saturday in the shot put, finishing 18th at 15.36m (50-04.75), already holding a national qualifying mark in the event.
On the track, Simeon Adams turned in one of Barton's top races, placing 11th in the 400 meters while clocking a national qualifying time of 47.75. Lamont Johnson added another new national standard in the 200 meters, finishing 19th in 21.46, leading four Cougars in the event as Furious Trammel (22.09) and Trevoy Smith (22.18) followed, with Taigon Peterkin closing the group with a personal-best 22.26.
Middle-distance action remained steady, as Keandro Gordon (1:55.62) and Sergi Gonzalez (1:55.93) continued their nationally qualified form in the 800 meters. Gonzalez returned Saturday in the 1000 meters, placing 14th in 2:29.69.
Barton returns to action Saturday, January 24, traveling to Pittsburg, Kansas, to compete in the NAIA/JUCO Challenge hosted at Pittsburg State University's Plaster Center.
Barton Men's Results
60m: 59th Dejuan Colber (7.00), 76th Perrion Williams (7.24)
200m: 19th Lamont Johnson (NQ 21.46), 45th Furious Trammel (22.09), 53rd Trevoy Smith (22.18), 56th Taigon Peterkin (PB 22.26)
400m: 11th Simeon Adams (NQ 47.75)800m: 20th Keandro Gordon (1:55.62 *Already NQ), 22nd Sergi Gonzalez (1:55.93 *Already NQ)
1000m: 14th Sergi Gonzalez (2:29.69)
Shot Put: 18th Jaylon Calder (15.36m, 50-4.75 *Already NQ)
Weight Throw: 9th Ilia Ciui (NQ 17.46m, 57-3.50), 12th Jaylon Calder (PB 16.39m, 53-9.25 *Already NQ)
Long Jump: 16th Jaylan McLloyd (7.14m, 23-5.25 *Already NQ)
Triple Jump: 3rd Chavez Penn (NQ 15.37m, 50-5.25), 13th Devon Williams (14.07m, 46-2.00 *Already NQ)
High Jump: 9th Chavez Penn (NQ 2.05m, 6-08.75)
4x400m: 9th SB 3:09.46 *Program 7th Fastest (Trevoy Smith, Emmanuel Adams, Furious Trammel, Lamont Johnson)