Stephen F. Austin pole vaulter Colton Ross won his event at the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa, last weekend, netting the former Grand Saline standout his second win of the indoor season. Ross cleared 17 feet, 9 inches to win the event, giving SFA its only individual title during the classic.
Earlier this indoor season Ross won the Texas A&M Invitational with a career indoor record of 17-10 ½.
Ross and the rest of the Lumberjacks are gearing up for the Southland Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, to be held in Norman, Okla., on Feb. 22-23.
Behm sets pace for Texas distance runners
As the University of Texas gears up for the Big 12 indoor track and field championships, senior Mia Behm figures to be a contender for championships at the event.
Behm, a former Bishop Gorman standout, has UT’s second-best time in the mile — 4 minutes and 50.23 seconds at the Crimson Tide Indoor on Jan. 12 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She also has the top times among UT runners in two other distance events. Her 9:22.68 in the 3,000 was good enough for fifth at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on Jan. 26. Plus, her 6:11.96 at the Husky Classic in Seattle last weekend moved her to the top of the pecking order among Longhorns this season, even though it only led to a 14th place finish.
Behm and the rest of the Longhorns will compete in the Big 12 Indoor Championships on Feb. 22-23 in Ames, Iowa.
Lewis Making Some Noise in Austin
Sam Lewis, a true freshman on the University of Texas swimming team, is putting up some improving times for the Longhorns this season.
Lewis, a freshman from Robert E. Lee, currently has the second-best time in two events — the 1,000 freestyle and the 1,650 freestyle. His time of 9:10.03, set on Jan. 12, is only seven seconds behind senior Michael McBroom. Lewis has a time of 15:12.00 in the 1650, set on Nov. 30.
Lewis also has the fourth-best time in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:23.07, the fifth-best time in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:39.69, the ninth-best time in the 100 backstroke with a time of 52.44, and the fifth-best time in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:00.07.
Lewis, along with Gilmer freshman Grant Koudelka, will get their chance to test themselves against the best in the Big 12 during the Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships on Feb. 27-March 2 in Austin.
Griffin’s season starts on Islands
University of Texas golfer Will Griffin opened his redshirt freshman season in Waikoloa, Hawaii, last weekend as the Longhorns finished in a tie for fourth in the Amer Ari Invitational at Kings’ Course.
Griffin, who went to Lufkin High School, finished in a tie for 96th place with a total score of plus-11 and individual rounds of 77, 73 and 77.
Griffin and the Longhorns get their next shot to play on Feb. 22-24 at the Bayou City Collegiate Challenge at Redstone Country Club in Humble.
Play ball
NCAA Division I baseball action starts this weekend and that means several East Texas products could be on the field in season-opening series across the country.
East Texas products who could see action include Baylor redshirt freshman catcher Jimmy Landes (Robert E. Lee), Oklahoma sophomore infielder Colt Bickerstaff (Mineola), Oklahoma freshman infielder/outfielder Hunter Haley (Nacogdoches Central Heights), Texas A&M freshman pitcher Gandy Stubblefield (Lufkin), SFA freshman outfielder Matthew Dickey (Kilgore), SFA senior pitcher Chase Greening (Lufkin), SFA junior catcher Zach Mayberry (Lufkin), Houston Baptist junior infielder Mike Chamberlain (Nacogdoches) and McNeese State senior pitcher Blake Ware (White Oak).
East Texas Pipeline appears weekly in the Tyler Morning Telegraph and is dedicated to updating readers on East Texas athletes who have gone on to college sports. If you know of a former ET high school athlete who is now competing on the college level and is worthy of recognition, email Matthew Postins at TMTpipeline@hotmail.com with the information.