Complete Results
Heptathlon    Decathlon    Day One Results (Both)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Apr. 26) ­ Seattle Pacific University's Kelsey Cooley took second place in the heptathlon and Jason Childress was close runner-up in the decathlon at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference combined events championships Tuesday at Tomlinson Stadium.

Cooley (Fr., Missoula, Mt./Hellgate), Childress (Fr., Arlington, Wa.) and Linda Blake (Jr., Richland, Wa.), who was fourth in the heptathlon, each surpassed NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standards with career-best scores.

Only 89 points separated the top three in the decathlon going into the final two events, the javelin and 1500-meter run. Childress trimmed what had been 361-point gap by clearing 14 feet, 3 1/4 inches in the pole vault. Despite beating eventual winner Josh Freeman of Western Washington by 11 seconds (3:39.84) in the 1500 Childress finished with 24 fewer points.

Freeman scored 6574, Childress 6550 and Central Washington's Gunner Argo, who led after nine events, took the bronze with 6430.

Bridget Johnson of Western Oregon won the heptathlon with a total of 4997 over the seven events. After Cooley had taken the lead following a long jump of 16-10 3/4, Johnson went in front with a javelin throw of 134-1.

Monica Smith of Western Oregon, the first-day leader, finished third with 4652 and Blake, the defending champion, accumulated 4612. Bridgette Sexton (Fr., LaCenter, Wa.) of SPU was sixth with 4325.

Cooley's score of 4842 was an improvement of 318 over earlier this season and it places her seventh on the national leader list. Her five personal records included the long jump, javelin (106-11) and 800 (2:26.69).

The score by Childress was the best ever by a Falcon freshmen and places him 11th nationally. He registered a PR in eight of 10 events, including second-day marks of 113-6 in the discus to go along with his vault and 1500. His 110 hurdles time was 15.16 and his javelin was 147-6.

The GNAC Championships for open events are May 7 in Ellensburg. Seattle Pacific and Western Oregon go into the meet tied at 16 points apiece in the women's standings. Western Washington has 14 to lead the men.