Jeff Mohl (159) won the 2013 Big Sky Indoor Heptathlon Championship, while teammate Powhattan Williamson (169) was the events' runner-up.
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Mohl, Williamson Give Bobcats One-Two Punch in Heptathlon
2/22/2013 4:49:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Track & Field
Bobcats grab top two podium spots in men's multi-events
Jeff Mohl called his heptathlon title in the 2013 Big Sky Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships bittersweet, grabbing his first indoor multi-event title while missing a pair of records by the slimmest of margins.
But for posterity, it was mostly sweet.
“It was good,” Mohl said of his victory, emphasizing that the most gratifying element was teaming with MSU's Pow Williamson, who finished second. “The one-two, me and Pow, that's great, really good for our team.”
While Mohl (5725) and Williamson (4922) each set personal bests in the heptathlon, the disappointment of the day was endured by Montana's Austin Emry, one of the event's pre-meet favorites. The UM junior from Homedale, Idaho, finished third with 4909 points, but was unable to record a height in the pole vault, which changed the competition.
“You hate to see that for Austin,” Mohl said. “He's a really good competitor.”
Pole vault is also the event that helped boost Mohl to victory. The senior from Red Lodge finished second in the pole vault at least year's indoor meet and that is on the long list of individual events in which he'll compete this year. But he logged a personal best in the heptathlon pole vault on Friday, clearing 16-4 ¾.
“It was really consistent,” Mohl said of his effort in the pole vault. “That was a two-height PR for the multi. I've jumped that height before in the (open) pole vault, but was the best I've jumped it in the multi.”
The bitter for Mohl in the multi-events came only in his near-miss of a couple of records. He fell six points shy of the conference mark, set by former teammate Asa Staven last year, and 10 points from Staven's school record.
“(This) is the second time I've been a second too slow (in the 1,000 meters) for a school record,” he said. “Other than that, I'm happy, really happy.”
While Mohl may have found the disappointment buried in the conclusion to Friday's multi-event competition, his coach didn't. “That's as good as we could hope for,” Bobcat multi-events coach Tom Eitelsaid both of Mohl's performance and Williamson's effort. “I knew Jeff was ahead of pace after the first day. He had a decent hurdle, and I knew he would have a good pole vault and a good 1000. I knew what his score would be, I just didn't know where Austin (Emry) would be.”
Idaho State and Southern Utah each scored seven points in the heptathlon – Derek Puckett (fourth) and Garret Wood (seventh) reached the top eight for the Bengals, while Stephen Wilson (fifth) and Eric Durrant (sixth) did so for SUU. Jordan Fisk of North Dakota finished eighth.
Williamson, a Bobcat sophomore from Billings West, moved from eighth in last year's Big Sky Indoor heptathlon to second this year, posting a personal best in the 55 hurdles. “Pow had a really good hurdles and a really good vault,” Eitel said of Williamson's 7.76 in the hurdles and 13-1 ½ in the pole vault. “Every event is so important in the multis, there's a lot of pressure. Both these guys did a great job.”
Mohl and Williamson combined for 18 points for the Bobcats, which pleased Mohl greatly. “I'm so happy about that,” he said. “That's a great start for our team. We got 18 points, we were supposed to get 14, and that's the third time we've swept one-two, so that's great.”
But for posterity, it was mostly sweet.
“It was good,” Mohl said of his victory, emphasizing that the most gratifying element was teaming with MSU's Pow Williamson, who finished second. “The one-two, me and Pow, that's great, really good for our team.”
While Mohl (5725) and Williamson (4922) each set personal bests in the heptathlon, the disappointment of the day was endured by Montana's Austin Emry, one of the event's pre-meet favorites. The UM junior from Homedale, Idaho, finished third with 4909 points, but was unable to record a height in the pole vault, which changed the competition.
“You hate to see that for Austin,” Mohl said. “He's a really good competitor.”
Pole vault is also the event that helped boost Mohl to victory. The senior from Red Lodge finished second in the pole vault at least year's indoor meet and that is on the long list of individual events in which he'll compete this year. But he logged a personal best in the heptathlon pole vault on Friday, clearing 16-4 ¾.
“It was really consistent,” Mohl said of his effort in the pole vault. “That was a two-height PR for the multi. I've jumped that height before in the (open) pole vault, but was the best I've jumped it in the multi.”
The bitter for Mohl in the multi-events came only in his near-miss of a couple of records. He fell six points shy of the conference mark, set by former teammate Asa Staven last year, and 10 points from Staven's school record.
“(This) is the second time I've been a second too slow (in the 1,000 meters) for a school record,” he said. “Other than that, I'm happy, really happy.”
While Mohl may have found the disappointment buried in the conclusion to Friday's multi-event competition, his coach didn't. “That's as good as we could hope for,” Bobcat multi-events coach Tom Eitelsaid both of Mohl's performance and Williamson's effort. “I knew Jeff was ahead of pace after the first day. He had a decent hurdle, and I knew he would have a good pole vault and a good 1000. I knew what his score would be, I just didn't know where Austin (Emry) would be.”
Idaho State and Southern Utah each scored seven points in the heptathlon – Derek Puckett (fourth) and Garret Wood (seventh) reached the top eight for the Bengals, while Stephen Wilson (fifth) and Eric Durrant (sixth) did so for SUU. Jordan Fisk of North Dakota finished eighth.
Williamson, a Bobcat sophomore from Billings West, moved from eighth in last year's Big Sky Indoor heptathlon to second this year, posting a personal best in the 55 hurdles. “Pow had a really good hurdles and a really good vault,” Eitel said of Williamson's 7.76 in the hurdles and 13-1 ½ in the pole vault. “Every event is so important in the multis, there's a lot of pressure. Both these guys did a great job.”
Mohl and Williamson combined for 18 points for the Bobcats, which pleased Mohl greatly. “I'm so happy about that,” he said. “That's a great start for our team. We got 18 points, we were supposed to get 14, and that's the third time we've swept one-two, so that's great.”
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