NAIA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Azusa Pacific Leads, Lubbock Christian Primed

Host Azusa Pacific maintained its lead on the second day of the NAIA track and field championships Friday night.

But it might not be enough to hold off Lubbock Christian of Texas by the end of the meet today.

“Well, we had a day like [Thursday]--a good day but not a great day. We need to have a great day [today],” Azusa Pacific Coach Terry Franson said.

It would have been a great day if the Cougars would have scored higher as expected in the decathlon.

Tage Peterson finished fourth, although he began the event with the highest score of the season, and David Pope finished third after hurting his back during the javelin competition.

“It was just a tough day for Tage, but he’s still the most gifted athlete in the decathlon,” Franson said. “I thought Pope could even win it, but he hurt his back.”

Again it was Rene Bustamante who came up with a big early performance to keep Azusa Pacific afloat. His put of 60 feet 11 1/4 inches gave him a victory in the shot put for the second consecutive season.

In the triple jump, Azusa Pacific’s Hong Li won with his first attempt of 51-7 to defend his NAIA title.

The Cougars, who are the defending national champions, topped all the men’s teams with 72 points. Western Oregon State is second with 35 points and Lubbock Christian is poised to strike at 29 points and most its top athletes performing today.

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NAIA Notes

Defending champion Central State of Ohio is leading the women’s competition with 48 points. Azusa Pacific has 25 1/3 points. . . . Azusa Pacific’s Michelle Campbell won the 100-meter hurdles with a wind-aided time of 13.08 (+4.0). . . . Lubbock Christian’s Daniel Effiong won the 100 meters in a wind-aided 10.22 (+2.6). . . . Alper Kasapoglu of Western Oregon State won the decathlon with 7,685 points, which also breaks his own Turkish national record of 7,650.