Robin Glynn – General Assignment Reporter –
Southern Connecticut State University men’s track and field team, which is currently ranked tenth nationally, had five first-places finishes to give the Owls a lead during the UConn Classic Saturday in Storrs, Conn.
The Owls finished third out of three teams with 56 total points, falling behind UConn with 81.5 points and University of Rhode Island with 61.5.
“We lost in the last event, which is our best event” said John Wallin, head men’s Cross Country and Track and Field coach, who said the mistakes cost the team second place. “We will not make the same mistakes twice.”
The first-place finishers for the Owls were Selasi Lumax in the 800m, with a time of 1:52.22, Tom Saksa in the 3,000m steeplechase with 9:59.52, Nick Lebron in the high jump, scoring 2.00m, Michael Lee in the triple jump with 14.65m and Omar Gonzalez in the javelin with 60.51m.
The Owls also earned four NCAA provisional marks for the NCAA Championships. SCSU’s qualifiers were Gonzalez in the javelin, A.J. Guerra in third with 60.69m, which is also nationally ranked fifth, and Tresley Dupont in seventh with 54.62m during the hammer throw, and Michael Cameron in second during the shot put with 16.50m.
“It lets us know where we are,” said Wallin.
In the 100m dash, Twayne Forth led SCSU in third place in 10.76 seconds while Jimm Guerrier was sixth in 11.10 seconds.
“I was pleased with Forth,” said Wallin. “He had the best meet out of anyone.”
In the 200m, Forth led the Owls in fourth place in 21.59 seconds while Thomas Phommalinh was 10th in 23.42 seconds.
During the 800m, Lumax led SCSU while Brian Nill was also eighth in 1:56.19.
In the distance events, Saksa led SCSU to finish in the top four spots as well as Paul Ryskowski in second with 10:06.40, Thomas Cassello in third with 10:15.69 and Michael Vagnini in fourth with 10:33.06.
Nill was also fifth in the 1,500m in 1:56.19 while Samuel Montclair led in the 5,000m in 15:14.79.
Lebron also finished fifth in the 110m HH in 14.85 seconds.
In the relays, the 4X400 relay team was third in 3:16.16, while the 4×100 team finished second in 42.09 seconds.
During the shot put, Cameron led in second along with Dupont in fifth with 14.62m. Cameron said he still has more left in him for the upcoming meets.
“I know I have 30 percent more effort in the tank,” said Cameron, who said it is a gauge for training to get to where he wants to be.
In the long jump, the Owls took three of the top four spots with Guerrier in second with 6.86m, Lee in third with 6.84m and Joseph Caraciolo in fourth 6.76m.
In the pole vault, Nelson Laskoski would finish second at 4.65m, while Justin Escaravage was fourth at 4.35m.
Cameron said there is an emphasis on structured training during championship season.
“When it is championship season, that’s when it counts,” said Cameron. “The team will try to make a push for the podium.”
Caracillo said the weather was not as good as it could have been and some athletes did three events with not much time in between.
“We didn’t get what we wanted,” said Caracillo. “We could have beat UConn. We can be the University of Rhode Island.”
Caracillo said the lose will strengthen the team for what to comes.
Wallin said the meet gave the team good information. Wallin said with the end of the school year approaching and the weather getting warmer, a lot of times people are focused on other things.
“It is a wakeup call,” said Wallin. “We will stay focused for the next few weeks and refocus our goals.”
A.J. Guerra placed third in the hammer-throw at 60.69 meters.
