NAIA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Azusa Pacific Pulls Off Repeat

The lead vanished, but there was still hope.

After leading the NAIA track and field championships by large margins on the first two days of the meet, Azusa Pacific watched Lubbock Christian come roaring back to overtake them with only the discus throw remaining Saturday.

Azusa Pacific, which played host to the meet, had two athletes in the event and needed a combined eight points from them to win. Lubbock had no one in it.

Rene Bustamante and Jon Davis finished fourth and fifth to give the Cougars nine, and Azusa Pacific repeated as NAIA outdoor track and field champions with 105 1/3 points.

Lubbock Christian finished with 104.

Davis’ throw was particularly clutch, coming after the announcer informed the crowd that Azusa Pacific was trailing, 104-96 1/3. Davis, expected to finish sixth at best, finished fourth with a throw of 164-3, earning five points. Bustamante was fifth, earning four.

“It’s never been this close--that was a classic,” said Azusa Pacific Coach Terry Franson.

“This is probably as sweet as it’s ever been.”

Certainly it was as close as it’s ever been. The closest winning margin before was 1 1/2 points in 1967.

And it was even closer in the women’s competition. Two-thirds of a point separated Central State of Ohio from Southern of New Orleans before the final event: the 1,600 relay. Southern won, beating Central State by three seconds to win the NAIA championship, 104.5 to 103.

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NAIA Championship Notes

Artis Davenport of Southern was named coach of the year for both the men’s and women’s divisions. Rosa Ibarra of Wayland Baptist was named the meet’s outstanding women’s performer and Julius Achon of Southern was named outstanding performer in the men’s division. Ibarra won the 5,000 and 10,000 meters for the second consecutive year. Achon won the 800 meters in a meet-record time of 1:46.76 and the 1,500 meters in 3:43.04, also a meet record.