By Ronald Hanaki
Sports Editor
ESU senior Christina O’Connor won Most Valuable Field Athlete while leading the women’s track and field team to a seventh place finish at the 2015 PSAC Indoor Track & Field Championships held in Edinboro on February 28 and March 1. Sophomore Steven Morgan, senior Damien Boham, and junior William Berry led the men’s track and field team to a fourth place finish.
O’Connor set a new PSAC championship record in the women’s high jump by clearing a height of 5’ 10” or 1.78m. It was the fourth PSAC title for O’Connor.
Senior Danielle Smith won the 60m dash. Her time of 7.62 seconds is a new school record. This was her third consecutive PSAC indoor title in the event.
Smith placed second in the 200m. Her time of 24.92 seconds is also a new school record. In total, Smith has now won eight individual PSAC championship titles.
Sophomore Allison Decker ran the 3000m in 10:02.11, which was good for third place.
Sophomore Kelly Anne Stuetz cleared 5’ 1/4” to finish in eighteenth place in the high jump.
The women were strong in the team relays. The fantastic four of sophomore Erin Brady, freshman Hope Decker, freshman Jaid Harsch, and Danielle Smith finished the 4x400m relay in third place.
ESU’s quartet of freshman Kaylyn West, junior Heather Spadola, freshman Hope Decker, and sophomore Erin Brady ran the 4x800m relay in 9:48.12. That was good for third place in the event.
The distance medley team of freshman Samantha Young, Kaylyn West, sophomore Lauren Toth, and Allison Decker finished in fourth place with a time of 12:24.89.
The Warriors had eleven men who scored at the indoor championships. Steven Morgan won the 60m hurdles in a provisional time of 8.19 seconds. This makes back-to-back championships for Morgan.
Sophomore Ronald D’Eliseo ran the 60m hurdles in 8.43 seconds for sixth place, and junior mathematics wizard Adam Robertino finished in eighth place with a time of 8.75 seconds.
Senior Damien Boham ran the 800m in 1:54.01 to win the event. This is the second PSAC title for Boham.
In the high jump, William Berry cleared 6’ 8 3/4” to finish in second place. Berry is the defending outdoor high jump champion, and he will defend his title at the outdoor championships to be held at ESU in May.
Freshman Zach Dillon finished third in the long jump with a mark of 22’ 3 1/2”. Morgan jumped 21’ 10” to finish in fifth place.
Senior Steve Ruch ran the mile in 4:23.17 for tenth place, and sophomore and political science major Anthony Ruiz ran the mile in 4:34.25.
Ruch and Ruiz were joined on the distance medley team by junior Chris Ott and sophomore Robert Garvey. Together, they finished the distance medley in fourth place with a time of 10:30.03.
ESU’s 4x800m relay team of freshman Sean Halligan, Steve Ruch, freshman Eli Mercado, and Chris Ott finished in third place with a time of 7:58.53.
Other notables include junior Derrick Washington’s fifth place finish in the 400m, senior Mike Smith’s fifth place finish in the shot put, and junior Eric Conard’s fifth place finish in the heptathlon.
Email Ronald at:
rhanaki@live.esu.edu
