CANTON, NY - The Utica University track and field programs got in one final pre-championships tune-up on Saturday as they trekked to Canton, NY for the St. Lawrence University Twilight Meeting. Both teams were second in their respective team competitions.
Dominant throws and a sweep of the 3,000 steeplechase were among the day's highlights.
The Pioneers put an athlete in first, second, or both in all six throwing events. For the men, rotational specialist Antwan Kelly (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) was a dual winner in the hammer and discus. He tossed the hammer a distance of 43.46 meters, and won the discus with a 40.77. The Pioneers finished 1-2-3-4 in the men's discus, with Nathan Florian (39.94) placing second, Hunter Logan (Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer College) (37.54) placing third, and Brady VanAernam (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) (34.42) placing fourth. In the men's shot put, Logan was the winner at 15.80 meters, just ahead of Arthur Bittel (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) in second at 13.63 meters.
Jane Fahy was second in the shot put (12.42), and discus (35.62). Gabrielle DeSanctis was third in the discus with a top toss of 32.47 meters. Skyler Whorf was second in the hammer throw at a performance of 38.98 meters.
In the 3,000 steeplechase, Jade Dening topped the table with a time of 12:24.55, while Michael Roberts (Remsen, NY/Remsen) put down a time of 12:22.91 to take the win.
The jumps also delivered. Josh Washington had his second-best long jump of the season at 6.33 meters to take the win, while Chase Pecoraro (Medina, NY/Medina) captured the triple jump at a distance of 12.42 meters. Pecoraro added on another win with a 1.90 meter clearance that sits just outside of his personal best performance. Nora Devitt had personal bests in the long jump and triple jump, with her 10.18 meter triple jump placing second.
In the relays, the women's 4x400 team of Laura Levi, Janaiya Cruz-Bermudez, Noella Burlette, and Alexis Cole was a winner in 4:19.43, while the men's 4x100 team of Ka'sean Watlington, Josh Washington, Michael Campbell, and Daijon Richards (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon) ran a strong time of 42.55 seconds to win and set a meet record.
Daijon Richards (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon) won the men's 100 meters with a time of 11.06 seconds. Cole was second in the women's 200 meters in 27.31.
The Pioneers will compete at the Empire 8 Championships next weekend.
