Five Demons ready for USA championships

INDIANAPOLIS - Northwestern State All-Americans Cody Fillinich, Samantha Ford and Ravyn Hayward will compete this week in the AT&T USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships along with former Demon All-American Kenta Bell, a 2004 USA Olympian. Wednesday, Northwestern freshman Randy Fauntleroy lines up in the men`s javelin at the Finish Line USA Junior Track and Field Championships held concurrently with the national meet for athletes 20 and older. Fauntleroy, who had a best mark of 209-8 while qualifying for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships this spring, throws Wednesday at 12:30 against other competitors 19 years old and younger. Hayward runs in the 100 meter preliminaries Thursday evening at 6:55. Ford competes in the women`s javelin beginning 15 minutes earlier Thursday. Fillinich throws in the men`s javelin Sunday afternoon at 12:30. Bell is among the favorites in the triple jump Sunday at 2:45. Fillinich and Hayward earned All-America honors earlier this month at the NCAA Championships in Sacramento. Fillinich, a sophomore from Cut Off and South LaFourche, was a repeat All-American after earning the honor as a freshman in 2005. Ford was a 2003 All-American who has overcome shoulder surgery to return to national competition. Her best mark this year is 160-3. Hayward has a best mark of 10.25 in the 100 meter dash and finished 10th in that event at the NCAA Championships. Fillinich has a personal best of 230-9 earlier this year and was ninth in the javelin at this year`s NCAA meet. Bell, a 2000 NSU graduate, finished seventh last year at the World Outdoor Championships and has a career best of 57-10 1/4 in the triple jump.