Metcalf sets school pole vault record again

The men’s and women’s track teams proved to be full of talented athletes as they racked up personal records in Boston last weekend.UR split into two squads to compete in different meets on Saturday ? the St. Valentine Invitational at Boston College and an invitational meet at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”The basic goal was to get people qualified for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference meet and the New York State meet,” men’s head coach John Izzo said. No team scores were tabulated for either invitational.This test of individual competition helped some Yellowjackets reach their personal bests. The 4×400-meter relay team of seniors Justin Lamontagne, Damian Leonard, Andy MacMillan and sophomore Greg Dusek placed second with a time of 3:25.69 and is currently ranked No. 1 in the state.MacMillan’s personal record in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:55.34 placed him among the top seeds in the upcoming state meet.Freshman Dan Duett led the men in the 1,000-meter run all season and this time had a personal record of 2:28.16. Duett followed that with a great finish in the 1,500-meter race, clocking a time of 4:15.11. Senior Scott Rhodes also qualified for post-season action in the mile, with a time of 4:28.23.The men also fared well in the field events. Junior Dan Quinn qualified for ECACs with a 49-foot, 6-inch throw in the 35-pound weight. Take Five Scholar Matt Powers came back from a two-year leg injury to finish strong in the triple-jump at 12.77 feet.”Right now, we are in the ECAC and State championship meet mode, and we are looking for a good result at those meets.” Izzo said.On the women’s side of the track, the expectations and successes were similar.”Basically, I had hoped that we would perform well at a high quality meet,” women’s head coach Barbara Hartwig said. “The good competition at both meets really gives a chance for people to perform well.”Junior Kate Sattelberg and sophomore Michelle Gabriele set personal records in the 400-meter dash with times of 1:03.14 and 1:02.96, respectively. Sophomore Mary Lebrun also put in a personal best time of 10:48.01 in the 3,000-meter run. In the 5,000-meter run, sophomore Lisa Johns was in a class all by herself, winning the event with ease in a time of 19:44.75.Junior Robin Metcalf set the school record in the pole vault for the third straight week at 9 feet, 9 inches.”She is really getting more confident each time,” Hartwig said.Junior Madeline Worsnopp also set another personal record this week. She placed second overall in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:24.73, knocking 3.66 seconds off the record she had set at the last meet. “With Madeline, she really needs to believe that she belongs,” Hartwig said.Some of the athletes who set personal records were successful in qualifying for ECACs, but others just missed the mark.Junior Lizzy Conway placed ninth overall in the 500-meter run with a season-best time of 1:20.64, just .44 seconds off the ECAC qualifying time.The big surprise thus far for the women continues to be sophomore Angela Burgess, who is in her first season. Burgess anchored a 4×200-meter relay team, which trailed by 30-meters, to a comeback win in a time of 1:53.13. Burgess also finished in second in the 200-meter dash in 28.03 seconds.”She is soaking things up like a sponge,” Hartwig said. “She will continue to get better as she masters the blocks.”Hartwig recognizes the talent in Burgess already.”As a coach, you can’t teach that competitive drive, and she instinctually has it,” she added. “She is such a fighter.”All of the Yellowjackets hope to put up a good fight over the next two weekends, as the New York State Collegiate Track Championships begin with this Sunday’s Pentathlon.Wu can be reached at jwu@campustimes.org.