From Staff Reports

A pair of former local standouts shined during weekend indoor collegiate track action.

Nia Stewart, a Central Catholic High School alum, placed first in the long jump with an 18-foot, 9.25-inch effort (5.72 meters), while she won the 55 meter dash with a time of 7.20 seconds, both at the Jeff Davis/McNeese Indoor track meet Friday at the McNeese recreation complex.

“My jumps were a little off in the prelims, but luckily they were good enough to advance me to the finals,” Stewart said. “All it takes is one jump to win and that 5.72m jump was the one. It is not my best jump, but it was a pretty good jump for that runway.

“My running, on the other hand, was consistent. I ran the same time in both the prelims and the finals, but it was a good enough time to win. My coach would say I had a pretty good day, while I would say I had a decent day. My performance may have been my top indoor performances, but it was not my top career performances. I know I can do better, but it is only the beginning.”

In Lubbock, Texas, Vernon Norwood, a Morgan City High School alum, placed third in the 400 meter dash for the South Plains College Texan track and field team in action at the Texas Tech Athletic Training Center on Saturday.

Norwood clocked in with a time of 47.49, less than five hundredths of a second behind first place finisher teammate Tyler Daniel Harper, who finished with a time of 47.03.

Norwood’s teammate, sophomore Bralon Taplin, finished second with a time of 47.38 seconds.

During the meet, South Plains College athletes tied two school records and recorded five first place finishes.

South Plains will conclude its indoor season at the Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas on Friday and Saturday.