The Nicholls track team recorded three, second-place finishes in the University of Southern Mississippi Invitational Saturday in Hattiesburg, Miss. Jamaal James posted a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.51.

James was edged out at the end of the race by Dee Dee Overton of Louisiana-Monroe, who is ranked first in the Southland Conference in the 400-meter dash.

“Jamaal was leading the whole race, but the other guy (Overton) had a late charge to pass him toward the end of the race,” Colonel coach Matt Pantusa said. “I noticed him slowing down a bit towards the end, which is something he won’t do at conference.”

Donnie Ourso placed second in the shot put competition after throwing 51 feet 2 inches, but Pantusa said Ourso could have thrown better.

“His footwork was really good this week, but he was releasing the shot about a foot behind the line, which cost him a couple of feet,” Pantusa said.

Ourso also managed to place fourth in the discuss with a throw of 143 ft.

Farren Clark was the third Colonel with a second place finish. Clark notched his in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.88.

Clark’s time is the third fastest in school history in the 800-meter run.

“He has the second and third fastest times here at Nicholls,” Pantusa said. “He is only the second person at Nicholls to ever finish under 1:54 in the 800-meter run, and he’s done it twice so far this season.”

The men’s 4X400-meter relay team finished one spot higher than ULM’s team. The Colonel team completed the race in a time of 3:22.37.

The team was comprised of James, Clark, Jeremy Brown, and Troy Alvorado.

“Jeremy Brown came down with a cramp that slowed the team down a little bit,” Pantusa said. “James’ split of 46.90 was the fastest anyone on the relay team ran so far this year.”

The Lady Colonels had two runners finish in the middle of the pack of the 400-meter dash.

Mercedes James and Caroline Hulden placed sixth and seventh respectively with times of 59.50 and 1:00.83.

“They’ve been pushing each other since the beginning of the school year,” Pantusa said. “It’s good to have a little team rivalry.”

Emma Sjogren placed 11th in the 800-meter run, clocking in a 2:25. The time was Sjogren’s best of the year.

“I know in three weeks she’ll be faster,” Pantusa said. “Maybe this weekend she will knock a couple of seconds off.”

The Colonels next meet will be Friday at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, before taking part in the Southland Conference Championships in Arlington, Texas May 12-14.