Raatjes, Navarro Star, but PLNC Teams Second in District

The National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 men’s and women’s track and field championships came down to both quality and quantity for Point Loma Nazarene.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders, neither was enough for the men’s team to win its first district title or for the women to defend their championship. Both teams finished second to Azusa Pacific at Point Loma Nazarene Saturday.

The quality was provided by Dan Raatjes’ high jump of 7-feet-2 3/4, which is better than the NAIA national record of 7-2 1/2 but not recognized as such because records can only be set at the national meet.

The quantity was provided by Connie Navarro, who after battling a number of injuries this season, competed in eight events--including the seven-event heptathlon. Navarro finished the meet with 50 points, which would have placed her fifth among the eight teams competing.

Navarro won the heptathlon (4,580), was third in the 100 hurdles (15.41), fourth in the 200 meters (26.28) and fifth in the shotput (34-6 1/4) Saturday. She had won the javelin, long jump and was second in the 100 meters Friday.

Navarro needed to score 4,200 points in the heptathlon to qualify for the NAIA national championships May 25-27 at Azusa Pacific. She came up eight points short early in the season but did not get a chance to compete further in the event because of a list of injuries that included tendinitis in her knees, arch problems and hamstring tightness.

“I needed to qualify in the heptathlon,” Navarro said. “Everything else was for the team. We knew we had a chance to win. That’s why we all gave it 100%. And then some.”

But PLNC’s hopes of a second consecutive district championship, however, was carried off the track on a stretcher. Their eight-point loss to Asuza may very well have been made up in the 400 relay, in which PLNC had the season’s second-best time in the district. But Staci Arthur pulled a hamstring 10 yards into the first leg and had to be carried off, and PLNC did not score. A second-place finish would have been worth eight points.

Azusa Pacific won its seventh title in eight years, 177-169.

The highlight for the men’s team was the high jump. Raatjes, who entered the meet with an NAIA-leading 7-1, hit 7-2 3/4 on his third try at the height.

By the time Raatjes took his first jump at 6-8, the rest of the field had been eliminated. He cleared 6-8, 6-10 and 7-0 on his first three jumps before he hit 7-2 3/4. Raatjes missed three shots at 7-4--but not by much.

“I’m surprised I jumped as well as I did because I had no competition,” Raatjes said. “At 7-0, people said I was four inches over. It felt great. My third attempt at 7-4 felt good, and I think I could have busted it, but I started too close.”

Azusa Pacific won its eighth consecutive district title by outscoring PLNC, 211-168.