ASU David Noble Relays Meet Central Page
SAN ANGELO – Petty-Holmes IV did not disappoint as competition opened at the ASU David Noble Relays Multi-Event Meet at the LeGrand Sports Complex Thursday. No, boxing was not added as an event in the decathlon, but the growing rivalry between Abilene Christian's Parker Petty and Angelo State's
Shane Holmes pushed the duo to the top of the standings after five events.
Petty, a sophomore from White Deer, Texas, got the best of Holmes in the first three bouts, including a 174-point victory when the two competed in the same field at last year's David Noble Relays. Petty also finished higher than Holmes, a sophomore from Iraan, Texas, at the 2010 Lone Star Conference Championships and held off a strong finish by Holmes in their third showdown earlier this season in San Angelo. Holmes closed the gap Thursday – he trails Petty by just 16 points, 3364-3348 – and the strong finish at the ASU Spring Break Multi-Event Meet – first place in the javelin and discus, and second place 1500-meter run – make Friday's finale worthy of pay-per-view TV.
Regardless of the winner, the two have helped each other become a pair of the top talents in the event in the Lone Star Conference and both provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships earlier this season. Petty was on a similar pace Thursday as he won the long jump (6.76m) and was second in the shot put (38-11). Holmes on the other hand, is 72 points ahead of where he was a month ago thanks to a stronger showing in the shot put (35-07.25) and has his eyes set improving his mark even more.
“We're pretty close at the meets,” Holmes said of his relationship with Petty. “We're always pushing each other and encouraging each other, even in the regular meets because he's a pole vaulter like me. It gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I've been able to finish strong and I'm really banking on that (Friday) too. Parker is the main person I want to beat because he's in our conference and at the LSC meet its going to be anyone's meet as far as who wins the overall meet. Every point you can get against another team really helps. He's really the main target right now.”
Petty's 6417 points scored earlier this season are the fifth most in the country entering this weekend's competition and Holmes' 6406 is the sixth-best in the nation.
On the women's side, Aisha Adams led the Gold Heptathlon with 3,330 points. She held off former ASU teammate Chrystal Ruiz (3,177) and Western Texas College's Ann Marie Duffus (3,029) through four events. West Texas A&M's Kirsten McCowan led the Blue Heptathlon with 2,787 points.
The ASU David Noble Relays continue Friday with the conclusion of the Multi-Event Meet. The decathlon will start at 1 p.m., with the Gold Heptathlon (2 p.m.) and Blue Heptathlon (3 p.m.) starting after. The Noble Relays continue through Saturday at the LeGrand Sports Complex. Meet information is available at AngeloSports.com, as well as a live video stream as part of the AngeloSports.com All-Access subscription package.
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