NAMPA, Idaho – Sophomore Anthony Johnson (Seattle, Wash./Garfield HS/Pima CC) only needed one jump to win the first Cascade Conference track and field championship in school history and then made it two titles just a few hours later, leading the Evergreen Geoducks on day one of the 2014 CCC Championship presented by U.S. Bank on Friday at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.
Johnson won his first title in the men’s long jump, soaring 7.31m (23-11.75) on his first jump, and only his second jump of the season, to earn an automatic qualification to the NAIA National Championship later his month in Alabama. Johnson, who passed on the remainder of his jumps to keep his legs fresh, nearly lost the conference title in the final round as College of Idaho’s Austin Basterrechea jumped 7.25m to take second by just 2.25 inches.
In his premier event, Johnson won the men’s high jump, clearing 2.06m (6-9). With the title in hand, he attempted to set a meet record at 2.15m but was unable to set a new mark, despite the crowd cheering him on. Johnson is currently tied for first in the NAIA in the high jump, clearing 2.11m on Apr. 12 at the Washington Open.
In other action, junior Wes Jones (Tacoma, Wash./Mt. Tahoma HS) took 10th in the men’s 800m run, posting a time of 50.54. Twin broth Les Jones (Tacoma, Wash./Mt. Tahoma HS) took 16th in the 1500m run with a time of 4:18.08.
The conference championships continue on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. with the men’s javelin, men’s triple jump, women’s shot put and women’s pole vault. The first running event begins at 2 p.m. with the 100m dash.