AMERICAN WEST CONFERENCE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Sweeps Pull CSUN Within Striking Range

For Carlene Jones, the last round is the best round.

The Cal State Northridge freshman leaped a season-best 18 feet, 7 3/4 inches on her final attempt to win the long jump, leading the Matadors to a sweep in the event at the American West Conference track and field championships Friday at Cal State Sacramento’s Hornet Field.

“If I’d had a little more pop off the board, I would have had a 19 [foot jump],” said Jones, who jumped over 19 feet in high school. “Like my coaches in high school said, I’ve always been a clutch performer.”

The result surprised Jones, who was disappointed after a third-place finish in the heptathlon on Thursday. She was jumping between 16 and 17 feet at the start of the season.

Lately, though, she has turned things around. She jumped 18-2 1/2 during the heptathlon.

Entering the final round of jumps, Jones trailed teammate Cherice Ellison.

“[Jones] is just a phenomenal all-around athlete,” said Matador jumping coach Pam Spencer-Marquez.

The Matadors swept with Jones, then Ellison and Montoya Johnson, who finished tied at 18-2 1/4.

“We were talking about [a sweep] all day yesterday,” Jones said. “We didn’t get to where we wanted to be, but our last jumps were all the bests. That’s how I’ve always done it, on the last one.”

Northridge also swept the women’s shotput.

Beth Burton won with an effort of 46-6, followed by teammates Kristina Mataafa (46-4 3/4) and Teresa Stricklin (45-11 1/4).

Led by strong finishes in the field events, the Matadors hope to knock off Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for the women’s team championship. The meet ends today.

Spencer-Marquez said Northridge’s strong team effort was sparked by Chris Kanowsky’s victory in the decathlon on Thursday. He added the javelin title on Friday with a throw of 186-7.

“It’s like a wildfire,” Spencer-Marquez said of the team’s confidence.

Northridge senior Tyrone Gayles won the hammer throw at 179-8. Jeff Bodholdt threw 146-7 to finish third and another freshman, Brian Tade, finished fourth with a personal best of 146 feet.

“That’s a big performance for the freshmen,” Gayles said. “I felt today we really came together.”

As the Matadors scrambled for every point possible, Tade, who usually competes in the shotput and discus, was told just before he left for Sacramento that he was throwing the hammer.

Tade gave up the hammer earlier this year after a month of training.

“Right before I got on the bus I had to go find my hammer,” Tade said. “I had to go home real fast.”