NAMPA, Idaho -- Steady and consistent got Nate Johnson exactly where he wanted to go on Tuesday:
Into the 6,000-point men's decathlon neighborhood at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Multi-Event Championships.
The Seattle Pacific freshman, sparked by a second-place finish in the discus, tallied 6,040 points to climb two spots and finish fourth overall among 15 competitors at Northwest Nazarene University.
Johnson (Boise, Idaho) threw the discus 116 feet, 11 inches, just shy of his career-best 117-5. It was his best placement in the 10-event, two-day contest.
Along with that, Johnson had two fourth-place finishes (400 meters, javelin), a tie for fourth (high jump), two sixths (100 meters, long jump), a seventh (110-meter hurdles), a tie for seventh (pole vault), an eighth (1,500) and a tie for eighth (shot put).
The decathlon was Johnson's second as a Falcon. Last month at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham, Johnson totaled 5,789 points. In that meet, he also moved from sixth to fourth on the final day.
After posting four personal-bests in five events on Monday, Johnson closed out the meet with another one on Tuesday, clocking a 4:54.87 in the 1,500. That was is first time below the 5:00 mark. His previous best was 5:00.77.
Western Washington's Alex Harrison made the biggest move on Tuesday, winning the overall title with 6,474 points after starting the day in fifth place. First-day leader Andy Loscutoff of Western Oregon wound up third with 6,159. Eric Zwiefelhofer of Northwest Nazarene maintained his second-place standing, finishing with 6,173.
“I'm so excited -- a freshman scored 6,000 points in the decathlon,” SPU head coach Karl Lerum said, adding that he's not surprised Johnson has come so far so soon.
“I did see that it was a possibility,” said Lerum, himself a multi-event competitors during his college days at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. “It's hard to predict who will do well in multi-event training. It's a long year, and he has worked the process and come out on the other end (as) a strong, young decathlete.”
Johnson picked up five team points for Seattle Pacific, which will count toward its final total at next week's GNAC Championships at Western Oregon University in Monmouth on May 14-15. And, he'll have a chance to contribute some more. Johnson is a provisional qualifier in the pole vault and javelin. He currently is tied for 11th among conference pole vaulters, and ranks 15th in the javelin.
As a provisional qualifier, Johnson will need to stay among the top 16 in order to compete.
The Falcons will be back in action Saturday when they wind up the regular in the Ken Foreman-Ken Shannon Invitational at Husky Stadium.
NCAA Men's Track & Field
GNAC Multi-Event Championships
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Northwest Nazarene University/Nampa, Idaho
Overall final standings -- 1, Alex Harrison (WWU) 6,474; 2, Eric Zwiefelhofer (NNU) 6,173; 3, Andy Loscutoff (WOU) 6,159; 4, Nate Johnson (SPU) 6,040; 5, Brandon Roddewig (CWU) 5,799; 6, Tim Clendaniel (WWU) 5,674; 7, Jake Hyde (WOU) 5,572; 8, Scott Hunter (CWU) 5,436; 9, Kevin Iverson (WWU) 5,379; 10, Derek Hartwigsen (WWU) 5,364; 11, Austin Roberts (WOU) 5,148; 12, Andrew Venema (CWU) 5,137; 13, Thomas Steinke (CWU) 5,128; 14, Ben Heidegger (NNU) 5,057; 15, Stuart Montgomery (NNU) 4,954; Jason Caryl (CWU) DNF.
DAY 1 (Monday, May 3)
100 meters -- 1, Eric Zwiefelhofer (NNU) 17.48 (757 points) SPU placer -- 6, Nate Johnson 11.76 (699).
Long jump -- 1, Jake Hyde (WOU) 22-7 1/4 /6.89m (788 points). SPU placer -- 6, Johnson 19-10 1/4 /6.05m (597).
Shot put -- 1, Alex Harrison (WWU) 46-1 1/2 / 14.06m (732 points). SPU placer -- T8, Johnson 33-3 3/4 /10.75m (495).
High jump -- 1, Brandon Roddewig (CWU) 6-4 1/4 / 1.94m (749 points). SPU placer -- T4, Johnson 5-11 1/4 / 1.81m (636).
400 -- 1, Andy Loscutoff (WOU) 50.82 (777 points). SPU placer -- 4, Johnson 53.52 (660).
DAY 2 (Tuesday, May 4)
110 hurdles -- 1, Andy Loscutoff (WOU) 15.67 (770 points). SPU placer -- 7, Nate Johnson 16.86 (639).
Discus -- 1, Alex Harrison (WWU) 128-2 / 39.07m (646 points). SPU placer -- 2, Johnson 116-11 / 35.64m (577)
Pole vault -- 1, (tie) Brandon Roddewig (CWU) and Scott Hunter (CWU) 14-7 1/4 / 4.45m (746 points). SPU placer -- T7, Johnson 12-11 1/2 / 3.95m (603).
Javelin -- 1, Harrison (WWU) 197-10 / 60.31m (743 points). SPU placer -- 4, Johnson 154-2 / 46.98m (544).
1,500 -- 1, Ben Heidegger (NNU) 4:36.14 (705 points). SPU placer -- 8, Johnson 4:54.87 (590).
