Track teams finish their strong season in Boston

By: Mike Yuan

Posted: 3/13/08

The men's and women's track and field teams ended their indoor seasons this weekend in Boston as both competed in the ECAC championships.

Strong finishes on both sides concluded an impressive season for both teams, in which school records were constantly being broken. Over the two-day meet, the women totaled 19 points, while the men managed to earn seven points.

"The final indoor event for the Hopkins track team was very successful, what with five school records and many personal best performances in this huge meet that is essentially the East Coast Championships of Division III," assistant track coach Jay Dunn said.

For the women, the top finisher for the Jays turned out to be junior co-captain Jordan Ireton, who earned herself a second place finish in the 500-meter run. Her time of 1:18.26 smashed the old school record by 4.19 seconds, a record which stood for 12 years.

Fellow sprinter junior Paula Osborn doubled as she ran in the 55-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Her time of 7.54 in the 55-meter dash was good for 15th place, while her time of 26.74 in the 200-meter dash, an indoor best, earned her a 19th-place finish.

Over on the distance side, the Jays were led by strong performances from two juniors. In the mile, Rachel Hogen took ninth place with a time of 5:14.07, and Emma Hiza was able to finish in 17th place in a time of 18:32.06, further lowering her personal best.

In the field, senior Becky Lossing, who set a new school record in the high jump the previous week (1.60 meters), was able to finish with a final jump of 1.56 meters, good for ninth place.

"Having just set a new school record in the high jump, I was hoping to jump that height again at ECACs," Lossing said. "While I didn't end up clearing that height, I cleared 1.56, which, before one week ago, would also have been a personal record. In the end, I am satisfied with my performance but am anxiously awaiting the outdoor season to meet my record again."

Hopkins had a very good showing on the relay side, as all three teams set season-best marks. The 4x220 yard relay team, comprised of Osborn, Ireton, senior co-captain Jessica Reeves and freshman Anita Mikkilineni, placed 11th with a time of 1:49.80 in the event. With a school-record performance of 9:39.05, the 4x880 relay team of Ireton, Hogen and freshmen Kit Harris and Martina Dodd claimed third place. The same four women came back to run the distance medley relay, which was able to place fourth with a time of 12:32.94, just shy of the school record.

On the men's side, the Jays were lead by sophomore David Sigmon's performance in the 3,000-meter run. Sigmon's personal best time of 8:49.62 earned the Jays one point as he finished in eighth place.

"It's been a frustrating season for me," Sigmon said, "so to come out and run well was a huge relief."

Fellow sophomore Graham Belton wasn't far behind Sigmon as he took 13th place in the event, running 8:54.56. Belton went on to compete in the mile, the first Hopkins runner to ever do so in the event at ECACs. His time of 4:20.66 was .28 seconds faster than his own school record, earning him the 10th spot

in the standings.

In the 5,000-meter run, senior co-captain Patrick Brandon broke his own school record for the second time this season as he crossed the line in 15:06.67, dropping his record another 6.02 seconds.

Fellow senior co-captain James Bronson captured eleventh place in the 1,000-meter run as he also broke his own school record by .01 seconds.

Senior Tristan Thomas, the lone sprinter representing the Jays, placed 19th in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.70. Thomas also took 19th in the 200-meter dash with a 23.01 second performance. Sophomore Nate Sotuyo's time of 1:58.28 was good for 19th place overall.

In the field, junior Matt Trachtenberg vaulted his way to 4.40 meters, just .01 meters shy of his season's best. The vault had Trachtenberg tied for 10th place in the event.

In the relays, the 4x880 yard relay team of Sotuyo, sophomores Gordon Mack and Noah Jampol, and freshman Elliot Wehner took seventh place with a time of 8:06.04. The distance medley relay team, made up of Bronson, Mack, Sotuyo and Belton, posted a time of 10:27.09 to secure a sixth place finish.

As the season ends, the Jays can reflect on their best seasons in program history on both the men and women's sides.

"The men's team has performed exceptionally this past season. Not only have a number of school records fallen, but nearly everyone on the entire team has set their personal bests this indoor season," Brandon said.

"As for the outdoor season I am sure that this trend of improvement will continue and I believe we will be in contention for the Centennial Conference championship again. Personally, I am hoping to break 15:00 in the 5k and 30:45 in the 10k."

Brandon is the current record holder in the 10,000-meter run.

The Blue Jays will return to action and kick off the outdoor season on March 22 at the Towson Invitational.