BIRMINGHAM, Ala – The Northwestern State track and field teams continued to build off their strong performance last week with multiple medal-worthy performances at the UAB Vulcan Invite on Saturday.
 
Both the Demons and Lady Demon's showed why they belong in the conversation for the Indoor Southland Conference Championships year in and year out with strong showings by Joshua Wilkins, and Micah Larkins on the men's side, while Natashia Jackson, Daeshon Gordon, and Jermeka McBride all had a day for the Lady Demons.


Wilkins took first place in the one-mile final with a time of 4:22.99, which comes as no surprise as the junior has finished no worse than top-20 in indoor competition.
 
Associate head coach Adam Pennington was cautionary with Larkins in the 60-meter dash due to a small injury, and decided to pull him from the finals after he qualified with a fourth-place finish.

"Injuries held us back a little; however, Micah (Larkins) ran a lifetime best 6.71 and is now second in the Southland Conference behind our own Amir James in the 60 meter," Pennington said. "This kid (Larkins) is special inside and out. He is very passionate in what he does and is one of the most talented kids I have ever coached; when you put those two things together it can be magic."
 
On the women's side of the track, Jackson, a freshman from Houston, Texas, won the 400-meters and placed ninth in the 200-meters. McBride finished sixth in the 60-meter and took home a bronze in the 200 meters, while Gordon won the 60-meter hurdles.
 
"She (Jackson) ran extremely well with a win in the 400, and running a personal record of 25.00 in the 200-meter," Pennington said. "McBride had two personal records in her events (the 60 and 200 meters), and Gordon crushed the competition in the women's 60-meter hurdles."
 
The jumping portion of the meet was also a huge success for both the Demons and Lady Demons. Two-sport athlete Deylon Keys and sophomore Jacorious Jeter finished second and third in the long jump, while freshman Quindarrius Thompson won the triple jump with a leap of 50-00.75.

"Keys is fresh out of football and picked up right where he left off," Pennington said. "But the most impressive was Thompson opening up with a conference-leading triple jump, which resulted in him going over 50 feet for the first time in his life."
 
The Lady Demons also impressed as freshman Jasmine Steels and junior Fabriana Nation both stood on the podium in the women's long jump. Steels took first overall with a distance of 19-05.50, while Nation was third with a leap of 18-08.50.
 
For field, the newly formed one-two combination of Cedric Paul and community college transfer Kyrin Tucker continue to make waves in competition, as Tucker took home second place in the weight throw and shot put, while Paul grabbed third in the shot put.
 
NSU track and field looks to continue their success when they head to Pittsburg, KS, for the Pittsburg State Invitational on Jan. 28.