Bobcat Decathletes Grab Points
5/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
One point.
In a conference championship track and field meet in which 819 points are up for grab, one point might not matter.
Then again, as Jim Evans knows, it might.
Evans, a Montana State senior from Bozeman High, raced to the finish in the 1500 meters, the 10th and final event on Thursday, to pass Idaho State's Jake Schorzman and grab eighth place in the Big Sky Decathlon on Thursday.
"Every point is precious when you're fighting for a championship," MSU coach Dale Kennedy said.
That one point, one step toward MSU's first-ever Big Sky men's track title at Montana State, means even more for Evans. "I grew up in Bozeman and I've been a Bobcat my whole life," he said. "I knew if I didn't kill myself to hang on to eighth and get that point for the team I'd regret it my whole life."
Evans's point gave Montana State 15 in the decathlon, 10 more than the pre-meet rankings indicated they should. "Getting those five extra points is a great start to this meet," Kennedy said. "Those three guys really picked this team up."
Steven Hodge, the reigning conference decathlon champion, took second on the strength of a first-day personal best and a PR in the discus. His biggest triumph, however, may have come in the 110 high hurdles. "I've really been having trouble focusing on what I need to do to get over the hurdles," he said. "I've been working hard on it, and I realized now is the time to do it."
Hodge's strong hurdles effort to open Thursday's competition almost didn't matter. The senior from Kalispell missed his first two jumps at 12-6, his opening height, in the pole vault. "That was quite a scare," he said. "If I no-height in the pole vault I don't score any points. But I hit it on my third jump and then went almost three-feet higher."
Montana State's trio of decathletes have competed together for the past four years, and all three talked about the bond formed in that time. "We've grown up together these last four years," Hodge said. "We've competed against each other and helped each other."
Evans was more succinct. "We're brothers," he said.
Brad Benjamin, the third-place finisher from Fort Benton, said the three always knew how important scoring points was for the team at this meet. "At Big Sky, yeah," he said. "Scoring points is the most important thing. We all want to win this (meet)."
Which brings MSU multi-events coach Tom Eitel full circle, to the second lap of Evans' 1500. "(Evans) was 16 points ahead (of the Schorzman, who was in ninth-place before the 1500). The 1500 is not his best event, and up here at altitude (7,000 feet) it's even harder. But you could tell with 800 meters to go he was going to do it."
"You never know which point you grab that you weren't supposed to during a meet will make a difference," Kennedy said. "Let's hope that one does."
The remainder of the Big Sky Championships gets under way Friday at 12 noon.
In a conference championship track and field meet in which 819 points are up for grab, one point might not matter.
Then again, as Jim Evans knows, it might.
Evans, a Montana State senior from Bozeman High, raced to the finish in the 1500 meters, the 10th and final event on Thursday, to pass Idaho State's Jake Schorzman and grab eighth place in the Big Sky Decathlon on Thursday.
"Every point is precious when you're fighting for a championship," MSU coach Dale Kennedy said.
That one point, one step toward MSU's first-ever Big Sky men's track title at Montana State, means even more for Evans. "I grew up in Bozeman and I've been a Bobcat my whole life," he said. "I knew if I didn't kill myself to hang on to eighth and get that point for the team I'd regret it my whole life."
Evans's point gave Montana State 15 in the decathlon, 10 more than the pre-meet rankings indicated they should. "Getting those five extra points is a great start to this meet," Kennedy said. "Those three guys really picked this team up."
Steven Hodge, the reigning conference decathlon champion, took second on the strength of a first-day personal best and a PR in the discus. His biggest triumph, however, may have come in the 110 high hurdles. "I've really been having trouble focusing on what I need to do to get over the hurdles," he said. "I've been working hard on it, and I realized now is the time to do it."
Hodge's strong hurdles effort to open Thursday's competition almost didn't matter. The senior from Kalispell missed his first two jumps at 12-6, his opening height, in the pole vault. "That was quite a scare," he said. "If I no-height in the pole vault I don't score any points. But I hit it on my third jump and then went almost three-feet higher."
Montana State's trio of decathletes have competed together for the past four years, and all three talked about the bond formed in that time. "We've grown up together these last four years," Hodge said. "We've competed against each other and helped each other."
Evans was more succinct. "We're brothers," he said.
Brad Benjamin, the third-place finisher from Fort Benton, said the three always knew how important scoring points was for the team at this meet. "At Big Sky, yeah," he said. "Scoring points is the most important thing. We all want to win this (meet)."
Which brings MSU multi-events coach Tom Eitel full circle, to the second lap of Evans' 1500. "(Evans) was 16 points ahead (of the Schorzman, who was in ninth-place before the 1500). The 1500 is not his best event, and up here at altitude (7,000 feet) it's even harder. But you could tell with 800 meters to go he was going to do it."
"You never know which point you grab that you weren't supposed to during a meet will make a difference," Kennedy said. "Let's hope that one does."
The remainder of the Big Sky Championships gets under way Friday at 12 noon.
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, June 10
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
