After an extended winter break, the Slippery Rock men’s track and field team returned to action Friday at Youngstown State University.
Most of the athletes returned to the Rock about a week before the meet in order to prepare for their events.
Senior sprinter Kevin Jewel feels the longer break had little effect on the team’s performance and was pleased with the results at YSU.
“We knew what we had to do to stay in the game and I think everyone did that,” Jewel said.
The Rock earned 34 PSAC qualifying performances and 11 top-five finishes at the meet.
Senior pole vaulter Cameron Daugherty cleared 5.10 meters to win the event, break his own facility record and record the second-best clearance in Division II this season.
Head coach John Papa said that Daugherty’s success is a reflection of his competitive drive and determination.
“Even though he has had a great deal of success, he isn’t satisfied with his performance,” Papa said. “He expects the bar to be set higher and works longer and harder to meet the challenges that lay ahead.”
Five other SRU vaulters had PSAC qualifying clearances.
Freshman Keiffer Reed and graduate student Ryan Camody cleared 4.60 meters and tied for sixth place. Junior John Piserchio and freshman Michael Shiverdecher tied for eighth, clearing 4.00 meters. Freshman Andrew Lovano cleared 4.00 meters on his final vault, which dropped him down to 16th.
PSAC qualifications continued for the Rock in the weight throw.
Senior Joseph Kelly took second with a throw of 15.65 meters. Kelly was followed by senior Kyle Toms in fourth (15.21m), junior Billy Martin in sixth (14.59m), sophomore Jerrod Galloway in seventh (14.14m), sophomore Nick Turk in 12th (13.73m), freshman David Reinhardt in 13th (13.63m), sophomore Trevor Miller in 14th (13.62m), and senior Devin Skinner in 16th (13.45m).
In the 500-meter run, a non-PSAC event, sophomore Hunter Williams took first place with a time of 1:06.40. Junior Trevor Foley came in second at 1:06.94, senior Ethan Geisler in fourth at 1:08.03 and sophomore Monte Chapman in sixth at 1:09.00.
Jewel took second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.89 seconds, leaving him with confidence he wants to bring to the 800m event.
“Normally my open 400-meter time is slower than my 4×4 split,” Jewel said, “but this week I was right where I needed to be. I’m hoping to bring that speed to the 800-meter this weekend.”
Senior hurdler Dan Hedglin placed third in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.41 seconds.
In the high jump, junior Victor Santoyo cleared 1.96 meters, placing third. Junior Hans Lubich took sixth with a clearance of 1.85 meters.
The team will travel to Geneva, Ohio Friday to compete in the NCAA Division II Challenge. Day one will consist of the heptathlon’s first four events and all other events will be held on Saturday.
Coach Papa anticipates the team to have several strong performances at the Challenge, resulting in PSAC and NCAA qualifying marks.
