Complete results

NAMPA, Idaho – Once again, Seattle Pacific sophomore Nate Johnson is doing what he does best:

Being consistent – and being better than he was last time.

Johnson finished anywhere between fourth and seventh among 16 competitors in the first five events of the GNAC decathlon championships at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa.

A native of nearby Boise, Johnson picked up 3,159 points on the first day of the two-day event. That's a 72-point jump from the 3,087 he had through the first five events in 2010, when he also was in sixth before an even stronger second-day showing helped him move up to fourth with a final total of 6,040 points.

In Monday's five events, Johnson set three personal bests and tied another one.

Ironically, his best placing of the day was in the one event in which he didn't PR. Johnson took fourth in the 100-meter dash in 11.89 seconds.

He followed that with a PR of 20 feet, 4 ¼ inches / 6.20 meters (previous was 18-9 / 5.71) to tie for seventh in the long jump. A lifetime best of 35-7 ¾ / 10.86 meters in the shot put (previous was 34-9 ¾ / 10.61) netted sixth place in the shot put.

Johnson matched his PR of 5-10 / 1.78 meters to tie for sixth in the high jump. Then, he obliterated his previous best of 55.78 in the 400 meters, crossing the line in 52.35 to take seventh.

Jake Hyde of Western Oregon, who won the first three events of the day (100, long jump and shot put) leads the way with 3,435 points.

Johnson, winner of the GNAC indoor heptathlon in February, is aiming for the 6,300-point mark that would make him a provisional qualifier for the NCAA D-2 nationals.

SPU WOMEN 1-2-3 MIDWAY THROUGH HEP
If Katy Gross, Crystal Sims and Ali Worthen have anything to say about it on Tuesday, the awards podium at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference heptathlon championships will belong entirely to Seattle Pacific.

The performances of the three Falcon multi-event stars had plenty to say about that possibility on Monday.

SPU sophomore Gross, senior Sims and junior Worthen rank 1-2-3 at the midpoint of the hep in the GNAC Multi-Event Championships at Northwest Nazarene University.

Gross (Everett, Wash./Cascade HS), who won the conference indoor pentathlon title in February, leads the way with 2,981 points.

Sims (Portland, Ore.), the defending champion is right behind with 2,979, having defended her GNAC heptathlon titles in the shot put and the 200-meter dash.

Worthen (Coos Bay, Ore.), who wasn't able to compete the past two years because of injuries, is a close third with 2,969 points, picking up 859 of those for her winning time of 14.87 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles.

Seattle Pacific senior Jennifer Pike (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) is in sixth place with 2,636 points, but that is just 61 points away from fourth.

The heptathlon will conclude with the long jump, javelin and 800-meter run on Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. PDT.

Gross finished fourth in last year's heptathlon with 4,265 points – when it took her five events to push past 2,900.

This time, she did it in four events, three of which were career-best marks: a second-place finish in the shot put at 37 feet, 6 inches / 11.43 meters (shattering her previous best of 32-9 ¾), third in the 100 hurdles in 15.14 seconds (previous best was 15.33), and third in the 200 in 26.52 seconds (previous best was 27.6),

Gross also tied for second in the high jump at 5-4 ½ / 1.64 meters.

Sims defended her shot put title with a throw of 39-6 ¾ / 12.06 meters. That was more than two feet better than her previous career best of 37-5 / 11.40 meters, set on April 13 in the heptathlon at the Mt. SAC Relays. She made it two straight 200 titles when she clocked a 25.39.

Sims was fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.17) and tied for fifth in the high jump (4-11 ¾ / 1.52 meters).

Worthen won the 100 hurdles in 14.87 seconds. She ran second in the 200 (26.08), tied for second in the high jump (5-4 ½ / 1.64 meters) and was fourth in the shot put (33-2 ½ / 10.12 meters, a lifetime best by nine inches).

Pike was consistent throughout the day, leaving her in position for another high finish after taking third last year. She was fifth in the 100 hurdles (15.57), tied for fifth in the high jump (4-11 ¾ / 1.52 meters, a career best), took sixth in the 200 (26.80) and seventh in the shot put (31-1 ¼ / 9.48 meters, more than a foot better than her previous best of 29-10 ¾ / 9.11 meters).

The closest challenger to any of SPU's top three is Kelsea Johnson of Alaska Anchorage, who is fourth with 2,697 points.

Sims (4.933) and Worthen (4,922) are Nos. 2 and 3 in NCAA Division II for the heptathlon and are provisional qualifiers for the national meet. A total of 5,100 points would bump them up to automatic qualifying status.

In addition to the individual accomplishments, the Falcons could get a good jump on the field for the overall GNAC team title with a strong finish today. A 1-2-3 finish in whatever order would net 26 points, and Pike,  with her current sixth-place status, would add three points – or more if she is able to move up in the standings.


NCAA WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
GNAC Multi-Event Championships
Monday, May 2, 2011
Northwest Nazarene University/Nampa, Idaho

Standings (through 4 of 7 events) – 1, Katy Gross (SPU) 2,981; 2, Crystal Sims (SPU) 2,979; 3, Ali Worthen (SPU) 2,969; 4, Kelsea Johnson (UAA) 2,697; 5, Marie Smith (NNU) 2,655; 6, Jennifer Pike (SPU) 2,636; 7, Rachelle Barnett (SFU) 2,517; 8, Brooklyn Holton (WWU) 2,428; 9, Dianne Chong (UAA) 2,392; 10, Jill Bennett (NNU) 2,357; 11, Ali Mosher (WOU) 2,275; 12, Leah Berry (MSUB) 2,148; 13, Siri Berg (CWU) 2,144; 14, Laura Pridgen (NNU) 2,126; 15, Melanie Davis (CWU) 2,055; 16, Jessica Padrinao (SFU) 2,024.

100 hurdles – 1, Worthen (SPU) 15.17 (819 points). Other SPU placers – 3, Gross 15.14 (823); 4, Sims 15.17 (819); 5, Pike 15.57 (768).
High jump – 1, Barnett (SFU) 5-7 / 1.70m (855 points). SPU placers – T2, Worthen and Gross 5-4 ½ / 1.64m (783); T5, Sims and Pike 4-11 ¾ / 1.52m (644).
Shot put – 1, Sims 39-6 ¾ / 12.06m (665 points). Other SPU placers – 2, Gross 37-6 / 11.43m (623); 4, Worthen 33-2 ½ / 10.12m (537); 7, Pike 31-1 ¼ / 9.48m (495).
200 – 1, Sims 25.39 (851 points). Other SPU placers – 2, Worthen 26.08 (790); 3, Gross 26.52 (752); 6, Pike 26.80 (729).


NCAA MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
GNAC Multi-Event Championships
Monday, May 2, 2011
Northwest Nazarene University/Nampa, Idaho

Standings (through 5 of 10 events) – 1, Jake Hyde (WOU) 3,435; 2, Jason Caryl (CWU) 3,375; 3, Andy Loscutoff (WOU) 3,260; 4, Eric Gaines (WOU) 3,211; 5, Brandon Roddewig (CWU) 3,178; 6, Nate Johnson (SPU) 3,159; 7, Scott Hunter (CWU) 3,042; 8, Andrew Venema (CWU) 3,000; 9, Tim Clendaniel (WWU) 2,996; 10, Tim Greene (NNU) 2,915; 11, Thomas Steinke (CWU) 2,849; 12, Michael Stralser (WWU) 2,785; 13, Wyatt Morgan (UAA) 2,749; 14, Brock Steingruber (MSUB) 2,663; 15, Derek Hartwigsen (WWU) 2,640; 16, Stuart Montgomery (NNU) 2,622.

100 – 1, Hyde (WOU) 11.57 (738 points). SPU placer – 4, Johnson 11.89 (673).
Long jump – 1, Hyde (WOU) 22-6 ½ / 6.87m (783 points). SPU placer – T7, Johnson 20-4 ¼ / 6.20m (630).
Shot put – 1, Hyde (WOU) 40-11 ½ / 12.48m. SPU placer – Johnson 35-7 ¾ / 10.86m (537).
High jump – 1, Roddewig (CWU) 6-5 / 1.96m (767 points). SPU placer – T6, Johnson 5-10 / 1.78m (610).
400 – 1, Eric Gaines (WOU) 51.17 (761 points). SPU placer – 7, Johnson 52.35 (709).