Track Teams Sweep Springfield and Bowdoin

The Middlebury men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in two meets in California over spring recess, March 23 and 30, and in a three-team meet at Springfield College on Saturday, April 6, with the teams competing well in all three meets.

The Panthers opened up the season at Point Loma Nazarene University on March 23 in the Ross and Sharon Irwin Invitational.  After practicing outside only sporadically during the preceding weeks, the Panthers were excited to get outside in California.

“They’re two different sports, indoor track and outdoor track,” said coach Martin Beatty.  “So we jumped into our first meet almost cold.  And I was really happy with the performances that we had.”

Kevin Chu ’14 won the 100-meter hurdles and placed third in the 400-meter hurdles. Panther men Bryan Holtzman ’14 and Diego Galan Donlo ’14 also captured victories in the 100 meters and high jump, respectively.  Additionally, the 4x800-meter relay team, comprised of Jack Davies ’13, Patrick Hebble ’13, Sam Craft ’14 and Wilder Schaaf ’14 paced the field with a time of 7:50.44.

The women’s 4x800-meter team of Juliet Ryan-Davis ’13, Addie Tousley ’13, Alison Maxwell ’15 and Sarah Guth ’15 also finished first. Ryan-Davis also won the 400 meters while Tousley won the 1,500 and Dana Tripp ’14 out tossed the rest of the field with a hammer throw of 128’8”.

There were more impressive finishes on both the men’s and women’s sides.  Davies placed second in the 1,500 meters. First-years Mark Perry ’16 and Aaron de Toledo ’16 finished 2-3 in the 5,000 meters.  The 4x100-meter relay team of Holtzman, Chu, Fritz Parker ’15 and Sam Rives ’15 also finished second. Also finishing 2-3 were Jason McCallum ’14 and Conor Simons ’16 in the pole vault.  Peter Hetzler ’14 placed second in the 400 meters.  For the women, Maxwell finished third in the 1,500 meters. Also finishing third were Grace Doering ’13 in the high jump and Carly Andersen ’16 in the javelin.

Middlebury competed at the same venue on March 30 and again experienced a great deal of success.

“We’re working pretty hard during the week,” said Beatty, “so the second meet, the people who are well prepared from the whole year, who are in great shape, they’re going to respond well from the hard work and do well.”

Craft defeated the field of 68 in the 800 meters, while Hebble won the 1,500 meters, Louis Cornacchione ’13 won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.55.  In the women’s 800 meters, Ryan-Davis, Tousley and O’Brien finished 1-3.  In the 5,000 meters, Katie Carlson, Guth and Caroline Guiot pulled off the same feat.  Emily Dodge ’13 won the 100-meter hurdles. Andersen bested the field with a javelin throw of 130’.  Tripp finished second in the women’s hammer throw, while Chu placed second in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and Deklan Robinson ’16 finished second in the high jump.

Additionally, Davies won the 3,000 steeplechase, earning himself NESCAC Performer of the Week accolades

“He’s a stud,” said Beatty.  “He’s expected to do really well.  We’re hoping he’ll end up being a national champion; he has that type of capability.”

When asked if any newcomers had impressed during the week in California, Beatty singled out thrower Carly Andersen.  Andersen finished second in the javelin throw at the first meet and won the second meet.  She also competed in the discus and hammer throws.

“She cranked out a great throw of 130 feet in the second meet.  And there’s more there, she has a couple of technique things that she needs to work on.  She can go even further and hopefully go to NCAAs.”

“I was throwing okay in practices,” said Andersen, “The first throw of the second meet was a PR by about two feet, and I hadn’t thrown that far since junior year of high school.”

Andersen has received coaching and guidance from older throwers and assistant coach Luke Hotte.

“There are a lot of little tips that people have about how to prepare for a meet,” said Andersen, “Just how to practice and how to be deliberate so you get the best results. NCAA nationals is the top 22 women and I think I’m 16th or something now so hopefully I keep it up and get to go.”

Beatty commented on the team’s trip to California and its value to the team.

“It’s a great bonding trip,” he said.

On Saturday, April 6, Middlebury competed against Springfield and Bowdoin in a meet hosted by Springfield.  Both the men’s and women’s teams won the three-team meet.

Alexandra Morris ’16 won the 400 meters.  Andersen again was victorious in the javelin throw.   The women dominated the 1,500 meters, with Ryan-Davis, Maxwell, O’Brien and Guth finishing 1-4.

For the men, Holtzman won the 100 meters and Hetzler the 400 meters.  Schaaf took home the victory in the 1,500 meters.  Stu Fram ’13, Taylor Shortsleeve ’15 and James Lynch ’16 swept the podium in the 110-meter hurdles. Chu and Jake Wood ’15 went 1-2 in the 400-meter hurdles.  Anthony Lee ’13 won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:23.29.  The Middlebury men’s teams won both the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays.  Kyle Harrold ’13 also won the pole vault and Dan Bent ’13 won the triple jump for the Panthers.