Smith wins in indoor debut at ASU meet

Southeast Missouri State senior All-American Miles Smith got his indoor track season off to a flying start over the weekend by setting another school record.

Competing at the Arkansas State Kickoff Classic in Jonesboro, Ark., Smith broke Southeast's indoor 200-meter record with a first-place time of 21.14 seconds.

Smith, who already held the school 400-meter record, has the fastest 200-meter time in the United States through the first week of the season. He did not compete in the 400 at Arkansas State.

"What's even better, he set the school record on a small track," Southeast coach Joey Haines said. "The NCAA converts that time to a bigger track, so he'll have a 20.89 for NCAA purposes. That's equal to the fourth-best time all of last year in the NCAA.

"Miles just had an unbelievable time. We're not rushing him along, but he's just a lot better right now. He's a lot stronger. He's probably put on about eight or 10 pounds and it's all muscle."

Smith also ran on Southeast's winning 1,600-meter relay team that clocked 3:17.16. Joining Smith on the relay squad were redshirt freshman Myron Pettigrew from Charleston High School, sophomore Chris Williams and junior Chris Poindexter.

Also finishing first for Southeast at Arkansas State was freshman T.J. Walls, who won the 55-meters in a time of 6.5 seconds.

Walls is also a member of the Southeast football team as the wide receiver redshirted with the Redhawks this year.

"He's going to be really good," Haines said. "He's very quick."

Another freshman, Brandon Colbert, was second in the 35-pound weight throw (54 feet, 9 inches) and third in the shot put (53-11).

"He's also going to be really good," Haines said. "He threw the weight just a little under what won the OVC last year, and they don't even have that in high school. He threw the shot a couple feet more than what won the OVC last year."

Junior Andy Croxford (Sikeston High School) was third in weight throw (52-7).

Southeast's women were led by sophomore Whitney Thomas, who was fourth in the 55 hurdles (8.28 seconds).

Thomas also ran on the Redhawks' 1,600 relay team that placed third (3:56.15). Other relay members were freshman Brenda Whitworth, freshman Jerica Hamm and senior Natasha Fortenberry.

Whitworth also placed fourth in the 600 (1:39.70), while Hamm was fifth in the 400 (58.61).

"It was a really good first meet for us," Haines said. "There was some pretty good competition there."

The Southeast jumpers and distance runners did not compete at Arkansas State, but the jumpers and a few other athletes will be in action Friday night at Southern Illinois-Carbondale.

Southeast then has more than a month off before resuming the indoor season Jan. 19 at Southern Illinois-Carbondale.