Tough foe pushes Ellis-Watson to victory in 400

Taylor Ellis-Watson (534) of Arkansas follows Robin Reynolds (620) of Florida in their heat in the 400 meter dash Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, during the Tyson Invitational track meet at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville. Ellis-Watson won the event with a time of 52.18 seconds.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Taylor Ellis-Watson admitted the race she ran Friday night in the 400-meter finals wasn't her best performance, and it allowed Florida's Robin Reynolds to push her to the very end.

It turned out to be the best thing for the Arkansas senior, who had the best time among those involved in the women's 400-meter invitational during the Tyson Invitational. Ellis-Watson, who ran in the last of five heats, had a time of 52.18 seconds -- .01 second faster than Florida's Kyra Jefferson, who ran in the fourth heat.

at Randal Tyson Track Center, Fayetteville

Men

60 (College) — 1. Christian Coleman, Tennessee, 6.55; 2 Ronnie Baker, TCU, 6.58; 3. Kenzo Cotton, Arkansas, 6.65 ; 4. Ryan Clark, Florida, 6.65; 5. Tevin Hester, Clemson 6.69.

60 (Olympic Development) — 1. Blake Smith, Unattached, 6.70; 2. Rakieem Salaam, adidas, 6.74; 3. Brandon Strygnek, Unattached, 6.84; 4. Marcus Rowland, Unattached, 6.85.

400 (College) — 1. DeVante Lacy, South Plains, 46.61; 2. Wil London, Baylor, 46.73; 3. Jeffrey Green, Clemson, 46.74; 4. Steven Champlin, Texas Tech, 46.88; 5. Ari Cogdell, Tennessee, 47.18.

400 (Invitational) — 1. Michael Cherry, LSU, 46.25; 2. Nathan Strother, Tennessee, 46.25; 3. Byron Robinson, Texas, 46.27; 4. Joseph Richards III, Texas Tech, 46.49; 5. Eric Futch, Florida, 46.69.

400 (Olympic Development) — 1. Kyle Clemons, adidas, 46.25; 2. Michael Mathieu, Bahamas, 46.36; 3. Neil Braddy Arkansas TC, 46.42; 4. Alonzo Russell, Unattached, 46.58; 5. Marek Niit, Arkansas TC, 46.81

800 (College) — 1. Vincent Crisp, Texas Tech, 1:50.64; 2. Efrain Hernandez, Texas A&M, 1:50.93; 3. Cameron Thornton, Clemson, 1:51.26; 4. Zac Petrie, Air Force, 1:52.01; 5. Gaines Kinsey, Texas A&M, 1:52.22.

800 (Invitational) — 1. Charles Jones, Texas Tech, 1:48.79; 2. JaQwae Ellison, Texas A&M, 1:49.60; 3. John Lewis, Clemson, 1:49.64; 4. Robert Ford, USC, 1:50.17; 5. Andrew Harris, Alabama, 1:51.03.

Mile (College) — 1. Lukas Koch, Kansas State, 4:11.39; 2. Gabe Harm, Kentucky, 4:13.48; 3. Jordan Cook, Missouri, 4:14.10; 4. Peter Spinks, Nebraska, 4:16.19; 5. Erik Oswald, Paradise Valley, 4:16.38

60 hurdles — 1. Dondre Echols, South Carolina, 7.69; 2. Aaron Mallett, Iowa, 7.73; 3. Oladapo Akinmoladun, Nebraska, 7.74; 4. Yanick Hart, Florida, 7.82; 5. Nick Anderson, Kentucky, 7.83.

Long jump (College) — 1. Ifeanyichukwu Otuonye, Kansas State, 7.75m (25-5¼); 2. Steffin McCarter, Texas, 7.69m (25-2¾); 3. Tim Duckworth, Kentucky, 7.50m (24-7¼); 4. Keniel Grant, Florida State, 7.41m (24-3¾); 5. Fred Dorsey, Kentucky, 7.37m (24-2¼).

Long jump (invitational) — 1. Marquis Dendy, Nike, 8.38m (27-6); 2. Jarrion Lawson, Arkansas, 8.02m (26-3¾); 3. Jonathan Addison, NC State, 7.97m (26-1¾); 4. Eric Sloan, USC, 7.73m (25-4½); 5. KeAndre Bates, Florida, 7.59m (24-11).

Pole vault — 1. Craig Driver, Nebraska, 5.31m (17-5); 2. Matthew Ludwig, Missouri, 5.21m (17-1); 3. Carl Johansson, Texas A&M, 5.21m (17-1); 4. (tie) Aaron Owens, Florida, and Hussain Alhizma, Kansas, 5.06m (16-7¼).

Weight throw — 1. Cameron Brown, Tennessee, 22.86m (75-0); 2. Josh Davis, NC State ,20.59m (67-6¾); 3. Brady Grunder, Kansas State, 19.69m (64-7¼); 4. Jacob Smutz, Valparaiso, 19.52m (64-½); 5. David Cline, Kentucky, 19.36m (63-6¼).

Women

60 — 1. Shayla Sanders, Florida; 7.22; 2 Teahna Daniels, Texas, 7.23; 3. Mikiah Brisco, LSU, 7.26; 4. Morolake Akinosun, Texas, 7.26; 5. Destiny Carter, Kentucky, 7.33

60 (Olympic Development) — 1. Tynia Gaither, Unattached, 7.31; 2. Octavia Freeman, Unattached, 7.35; 3. Dominique Booke, Shore AC, 7.45; 4. Shekra Boakye, Unattached, 7.73.

400 (College) — 1. Domonique Williams, Alabama, 53.80; 2. Lenysse Dyer, Tennessee, 53.93; 3. Kenya Woodall, Cincinnati, 53.96; 4. Briana Guillory, Iowa, 54.24; 5. Kiana Hawn, Baylor, 54.42.

400 (Invitational) — 1. Taylor Ellis-Watson, Arkansas, 52.18; 2. Kyra Jefferson, Florida, 52.19; 3. Robin Reynolds, Florida, 52.27; 4. Claudia Francis, Florida, 52.39; 5. Shamier Little, Texas A&M, 52.43.

400 (Olympic Development) — 1. Jasmin Chaney, Unattached, 52.94; 2. Monte Roye, Unattached, 53.29.

800 (college) — 1. Ersula Farrow, Clemson, 2:08.63; 2. Stephanie Vanpelt, St. John’s, 2:09.43; 3. Kristyn Williams, Alabama, 2:09.64; 4. Valeska Halamicek, Missouri, 2:11.78; 5. Sydne Fowler, Texas, 2:11.83.

800 (Invitational) — 1. Chrishuna Williams, Unattached, 2:04.51; 2. Katie Willard, Texas A&M, 2:07.15; 3. Dominique Scott, Unattached, 2:08.34; 4. Tanisha Coppin, Clemson, 2:09.18; 5. Jazmine Fray, Texas A&M, 2:10.31.

Mile (College) — 1. Michelle McKinney, Kentucky, 4:55.77; 2. Katerina Berdousi, USC, 4:57.43; 3. Madison Huffman, Clemson, 4:59.46; 4. Bailey Sullivan, TCU, 5:02.67; 5. Kayla Doll, Kansas State, 5:02.87.

Mile (invitational) — 1. Micah Huckabee, Unattached, 4:53.01; 2. Katie Watson, Texas A&M, 4:55.12; 3. Stephanie Vanpelt, St. John’s, 4:57.32; 4. Arin Rice, Texas A&M, 4:58.05; 5. Katie Fortner, Clemson, 4:59.28.

60 hurdles — 1. Samantha Scarlett, Auburn 8.14; 2. Payton Stumbaugh, Arkansas, 8.16; 3. Ebony Morrison, Miami, 8.18; 4. Daeshon Gordon, LSU, 8.23; 5. Skylar Ross-Ransom, Florida, 8.23.

Long jump (College) — 1. Jogaile Petrokaite, Florida State, 6.34m (20-9¾); 2. Jennifer Madu, Texas A&M, 6.29m (20-7¾); 3. Destiny Carter, Kentucky, 6.21m (20-4½); 4. Cidaea’ Woods, Tennessee, 6.13m (20-1½); 5. Kaylee Hinton, Texas Tech 6.09m (19-11¾).

Long jump (Invitational) — 1. Brittny Reese, Nike 6.81m (22-4¼); 2. Sha’Keela Saunders, Kentucky, 6.58m (21-7¼); 3. Akela Jones, Kansas State, 6.53m (21-5¼); 4. Bianca Stuart, Bahamas, 6.51m (21-4¼); 5. Quanesha Burks, Alabama, 6.46m (21-2½).

Weight throw — 1. Nicole Chavis, NC State, 20.78m (68-2¼); 2. Daina Levy, Kansas, 20.55m (67-5¼); 3. Beckie Famurewa, Kentucky, 20.07m (65-10¼); 4. Chase Ealey, Okla. State, 19.36m (63-6¼); 5. Sequoia Watkins, NC State, 19.03m (62-5¼).

Ellis-Watson was able to keep Reynolds within reach throughout the race, then used a strong kick on the final stretch to overtake her. Teammate Daina Harper finished 11th with a time of 52.95.

"I was trying to run a 51," Ellis-Watson said, "but I thought I had a good race."

Ellis-Watson said Reynolds never stopped competing.

"But I got her at the end," Ellis-Watson said. "I was trying to get her at the break, but she ran the first 200 a little faster, so I knew I had to pass her."

Arkansas sophomore Payton Stumbaugh ran faster as the day went on, eventually claiming a second-place finish in the 60 hurdles.

Stumbaugh, a sophomore from Springdale Har-Ber, won her prelim in 8.32 and the semifinal in 8.26 before posting an 8.16 in the final, .02 seconds behind Auburn senior Samantha Scarlett.

"Payton finishing second in the hurdles was big," Arkansas women's assistant coach Chris Johnson said. "To equal her personal-best under that type of pressure -- being at home and going against the best hurdlers -- I thought that was fantastic."

Most of the Razorbacks' distance runners went to Seattle for the UW Husky Classic, but freshman Micah Huckabee stayed home and won the women's mile invitational in 4:53.01.

Jarrion Lawson led the Arkansas men with a second-place finish in the long jump. Lawson (26-33/4) and Nike's Marquis Dendy (27-6), were the only two long-jumpers to go over 26 feet.

Kenzo Cotton gave the Razorbacks a third-place finish in the men's 60 with a time of 6.65.

Marqueze Washington finished first in the men's 400 invitational, but he was disqualified for impeding the competition.

The Tyson Invitational resumes today, with the women's invitational pole vault looming as one of the highlights. Former Arkansas standout Sandi Morris is expected to compete in that event.

Sports on 02/13/2016