FOREST GROVE, ORE. – Lewis & Clark College sophomore and Roseburg native Noah Aery fell just short of winning the Northwest Conference decathlon championship on Tuesday at Pacific University.

Avery, a 2015 graduate of Roseburg High School, was in first place heading to the final event of the competition, but he finished eighth in the 1,500 meter race and dropped to third in the overall standings.

Avery held a 153-point lead before the finals of the 1,500 meter race, but it wasn’t enough. John Koch and Alex Canchola of George Fox finished first and second in the 1,500m to jump in front of Avery in the overall standings. Canchola won the conference championship by seven points, while Koch finished second. Avery was only 10 points away from finishing first.

“Noah had an awesome two days here,” said Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Keith Woodard. “He just started knocking off personal records and took it right down to the wire and got squeaked out, but boy, did he compete.”

Avery set seven new PRs during the conference championships and reached a new personal record for total points scored in the decathlon. He now holds the fourth best score in the decathlon in Lewis & Clark sports history.