ARLINGTON, Texas – After piling up milestone marks a week earlier at TCU, in a return to the DFW metroplex Saturday, the Northwestern State track and field teams tuned up for the Texas Relays next weekend with a very successful day at the UTA Bobby Lane Invitational highlighted by 12 podium appearances including three Southland Conference bests.

Topping the list were two wins, in the men's triple jump from Ceaser Stephens (50-10 ¾), and in women's javelin by Kelsey Frank (143-4). Her victory was her third straight in as many competitions this spring. Stephens soared a foot past his previous best that ranked first in the Southland Conference.

NSU competitors claimed seven seconds, including marks by All-American sprinters Micah Larkins and Amir James that were the top collegiate finishes in their events, and a Southland best 58-2 ½ shot put mark by Kyrin Tucker. That toss ranks fifth all-time on NSU's list.

Another All-American, former LSU competitor Daeshon Gordon, made her initial trip around the track in the 400 meter hurdles rather remarkable, posting the third-fastest time (1:01.29) in Lady Demon history, and the Southland's best this spring, while she finished second in that event.

De'Shalyn Jones, after setting a school women's 200 record at TCU in 23.12, was second at UTA at 23.65. The Lady Demons got two of the top four spots in the triple jump from Fabriana Nation (18-9 ¾, second) and Jasmyn Steels (18-8 ½, fourth).

The Lady Demons' 4x100 relay foursome of De'Shalyn Jones, Natashia Jackson, Tamara Style and Braneshia Payton Howard nearly matched last week's performance (45.32) that was 14^th nationally. They clocked 45.36 Saturday, trailing only Oklahoma (44.89).

Bronze medal performances came from Jackson in the women's 400, where her 55.68 in her first try at the event for NSU produced the second-fastest mark by a Southland Conference competitor this spring; by Ty Shilling with a 171-10 javelin toss, and from a 5-7 clearance in the women's high jump by Quanese Jones-Young.

Larkins and James weren't as fast as they have been this spring in posting times that rank first (James, 20.56 in the 200) and third (Larkins, 10.26 in the 100) nationally, but they were faster than any other college sprinters at UTA. Larkins ran 10.46 in the 100 and James posted a 20.85 in the 200 in their silver-medal showings.

NSU competitors had 20 more finishes in the top eight places, including four fourth places:  Payton Howard in the 100 meter hurdles (13.78), Joshua Wilkins in the 1500 (3:57.43), Summer Thomas in the women's javelin (120-8) and Jasmyn Steel in the women's long jump (18-8 ½). Gordon was right behind Payton, taking fifth in the hurdles in 13.79.

Six more fifth places for NSU came by Jacorious Jeter in the men's long jump (22-10 ½), from De'John Garrison in the javelin (164-7, a season best), by Cedric Paul with a 53-6 ¼ shot put, from Tre' Evans in the men's high jump (6-6 ¾)  by Madison Morton in the 400 hurdles (1:02.43) and from Sabrina Thiels in the women's javelin (118-10).

Competition at the Texas Relays begins next Thursday. Some of the NSU squad is off during spring break that began Friday, but quite a few Demons and Lady Demons will participate in the elite field in Austin.

Meet results

Meet results: http://results.deltatiming.com/tf/2017-bobby-lane-invitational