LAKE CHARLES – Gold medal performances by Janae Allen, Justin Walker and Hanoj Carter topped Northwestern State's accomplishments in the final day of competition at the Southland Outdoor Championships on Sunday at McNeese State's Cameron Communications Track and Field Complex.
 
The Lady Demons finished fourth in the team standings with 92.50 points, just 7.50 points shy of third place, and the Demons came in fifth with 66 points.
 
“Our goal was to finish second or third but it just didn't play out the way we were hoping for,” said Lady Demon head coach Mike Heimerman. “Overall we had a pretty good day and improved a lot from where we finished at the indoor championships.”
 
“We had to be perfect to finish in the top three and that didn't happen,” said Demon head coach Leon Johnson. “We had some mishaps that kept us from reaching our full potential.”
 
Allen, a senior, won her first individual SLC title after throwing for 161-07 in the discus while freshman Rechelle Bessard came in second with a mark of 155-01.
 
“We were hoping to go one, two and three in the discus but our third girl just could find her rhythm,” said Heimerman. “I was very proud of Janae and Rechelle today.”
 
Allen, who scored in the shot put and hammer throw earlier this weekend, finished the meet with a total of 22 points, missing out on being the high-point scorer of the weekend by just half a point.
 
Demon sprinters Walker and Carter went first and third in the 100m dash, clocking in at 10.25 and 10.45, respectively. Walker's time was his best this season by .11 second. This is his second individual SLC title overall and first in the 100m dash.
 
The pair switched places in the 200m dash as Carter came out on top with a time of 20.73 and Walker finished third in 21.18.
 
Senior Kendal Taylor also earned points for the Demons in the 200m dash, finishing fourth behind Walker.
 
“We ran well in the 100 and 200 today,” said Johnson. “We didn't score quite as many points in those events as I was hoping for but they still did a very good job.”
 
The NSU jumping squads had a phenomenal day with seven total athletes earning points.
 
Jerrica Tillery placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 39-08.75 while Sarah Jones took third at 39-04.50 and Porsha Thomas finished fifth with a personal-best mark of 38-11.50.
 
“Our triple jumpers did extremely well today to finish second, third and fifth,” said Heimerman. “The field of competition was pretty close so I was happy with how we finished.”
 
In the men's triple jump Emmanuel Williams earned third place after leaping for a personal-best 50-10.75. His brother Aaron Williams finished fourth in the event with a mark of 50-07.70 and freshman Zhaquan Porter placed seventh with a new personal-record of 48-06.25.

Freshman Lionel Ellison also earned a place on the podium, tying for third place after clearing 6-08.75. 
 
Quiana Griffin posted a season-best time of 54.55 in the 400m dash to earn second place.
 
“I was very happy with Quiana getting second place,” said Heimerman. “She was ranked third coming in and it is a loaded 400 group so I was happy to see her improve and place well.”
 
The junior was also the leadoff runner for the women's third place 4x400 squad and was a member of the fourth place 4x100 squad.
 
Senior Constance Seibles and freshmen Keshira McKnight and Madison Morton made up the rest of the 4x400 squad that ran a season-best time of 4:45.36.
 
“Our two freshmen really stepped up today in the 4x400,” said Heimerman. “We were ranked sixth coming into the race so being able to finish third was great. Constance and Quiana have never placed lower than third at a conference meet so the freshmen really came through to keep that going.”
 
Seibles and McKnight, along with Ebony Vaughn, were also on the 4x100 team, which crossed the finish line in 46.10, a season-best time by .60 second.
 
“We were ranked sixth coming into the 4x100 so I was very proud of the girls for battling it out and finishing fourth,” said Heimerman.
 
Brent Giddens scored for the Demons in the 110m hurdles, crossing the finish line in 14.92 for seventh place, while Keenan Jackson scored in the 400m dash, placing fifth in 48.28.
 
Next up for NSU is the NCAA Regional meet, which takes place from May 23-25 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Currently the Demons have qualified eight athletes in five events while the Lady Demons will be represented by three athletes in three events.