ESPN TIMBERSPORTS

CUMBERLAND, Md. — A clean cut down a 16-inch diameter log with an STIHL MS 460 Chain Saw, and a clean 16-inch cut back up on the same log, and the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series mid-Atlantic conclave championship became a formality for Matt Slingerland.

His clean run in the stock wasn't his first or best performance of the day, but it was the only chance for eventual second-place finisher Daniel Jones, of Haywood Community College, to make up ground.

Stock saw, considered an equalizing event because all the competitors use the same equipment, hurt Slingerland in the 2008 Collegiate Series championship when he cut his cookies too large and was disqualified.

It also derailed N.C. State's Logan Scarborough's bid for a perfect day and victory in the Southeast conclave. He won three events outright, DQ'd in the stock and finished second.

"I was so bad at it last year in the championship, I've been training for it a lot," said Slingerland, of Montgomery Community College in North Carolina. "I wasn't used to the saw so it bogged down a little bit, but I cut between the lines and got a score."

His time of 14.39 seconds was good enough to win the event and give him a comfortable lead that would only grow larger.

The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Collegiate Series presented by Carhartt wasn't kind to its favorites in the first three stops, but Slingerland had no trouble qualifying for his second championship.

His day started with an almost perfect cut in the underhand chop.

Underhand Chop

When STIHL TIMBERSPORTS professional Mike Slingerland, Matt's father, was giving a demonstration of the underhand chop to the crowd before the event began on Saturday, he said good underhand should be done in 20 to 22 swings of the ax.

Matt Slingerland put 11 hits in each side before splitting the 12-inch diameter piece of white pine. It took 23.03 seconds, which is 6 seconds faster than any college competitor this year.

"It ran exactly how I wanted it to," Slingerland said. "I was cutting a little bit slow, but I hit the pattern perfect."

Stock Saw

This event had been marked on Slingerland's calendar since the championship last June. An extensive training schedule helped him add pounds of muscle and strength, but it was all for not if he couldn't make two clean cuts.

"I've been working every day for about three hours a day since August," he said. "I've done all that looking forward to today."

Standing Block

Of all the events Saturday, Slingerland was most disappointed in his standing block.

"I missed about four hits in the front," he said. "I'm not as good at that event. I haven't been training on it as long. That's definitely something I need to work on in the next couple months."

His time of 32.87 seconds was 22 seconds faster than second-place Daniel Jones' time, and it was the second fastest time of the 2009 Collegiate Series behind Brian Rupp's (West) time of 31.49. Rupp did not qualify for the championship.

Single Buck

Slingerland only needed to finish fourth or better (out of five competitors) to qualify for the championship in the day's final event.

He responded by putting up an incredible time of 13.29 seconds, which is a Collegiate Series and a personal best.

"I'm pretty sure it was the wood," he said. "It was pretty soft, and I just focused on pulling it long and fast."

It was a fitting ending to a day that Slingerland dominated from the first chop.

With just over two months until the championship, which will be in Columbus, Ga., on June 20, Slingerland said he'll get back into his training regimen with his father, focusing specifically on the standing block.

The winner of the Collegiate Series get a sponsorship and a spot in the 2010 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Pro Series, which is Slingerland's ultimate goal.

"I definitely want to be on the pro circuit," he said. "I look forward to the day I can beat my dad."