Blazers Post Solid Showing Against Stiff Competition at Millersville
LANCASTER, Pa.--Seeking Capital Athletic Conference qualifying marks, the Hood College track and field team travelled to Lancaster County Pennsylvania to participate in the Millersville University Spring Opener Saturday.
Primarily an NCAA Division II meet, the competition featured 28 teams from throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland.
"We were in with state schools 10 times our size," said head coach Brent Ayer. "Sometimes, if you are serious about improving, you have to go looking for folks who can teach you something. I think we learned a little today about where we are as a program."
The meet was unscored, but top eight finishes were recorded by Chris DiGangi who tied for fifth in the pole vault (14' 1.25"), Justin Everett, who triple-jumped 39' 9.75" good for seventh place, and William Andrews came home eighth in the 3000 meter steeplechase in 10:28.73 to earn his CAC mark.
Ola Komolafe ran 50.69 for his best time of the season, a time well under the CAC qualifying mark, which should solidify his current ranking at No. 3 in the CAC.
NaseemZietoon came up 0.12 seconds short of Ola Komolafe's school record in the 400 meter hurdles and less that a second off the CAC mark.
"If we get cooperation from the weather, he will drill both next week," said Ayer. "He is gaining strength each week."
Brett Shelley arrived in 10:34.26 in the steeple, to take over 11 seconds off his previous qualifying mark.
Hood's "A" 4 x 400 meter relay team of Zietoon, Komolafe, Mike Cahill and Blair Ames ran a season best of 3:32.43, to narrowly miss the Penn Relays qualifying standard.
Ames earlier set a new school record at 3000 meters running 9:19.48 to finish 10th in a packed field.
"The event is seldom run outdoors, but Blair blew away both the indoor and outdoor records. This should give him some momentum heading into the conference meet," said Ayer.
Dave Gudeman set a new personal best at 1500 meters and anchored Hood's "C" 4 x 400 relay team, composed entirely of distance runners, to an upset victory over the "B" team, composed entirely of jumpers. Ryan Struss added personal bests in the shot and discus.
Hood's next meet is slated for Friday and Saturday at West Chester University.
