Fitchburg State Takes On Harvard Open

Wilkinson finishes seventh in 500m; Desrochers leads men with 17.40m weight throw

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (December 8, 2012) – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams were in action this afternoon as they visits Harvard University for the 2012 Harvard open.

The Fitchburg State women’s continued its hot start to the 2012-13 season, posting many PR’s and double PR’s on the afternoon. Junior Samantha Wilkinson (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) took home the top performer honors, posting seventh place in the 500m with a MASCAC qualifying time of 1:22.94 which finished just shy of the DIII mark of 1:22.82.

Senior Chenice Branquinho (E. Freetown, Mass./Old Colony) notched a pair of PR’s in the mile (5:52.46) and 3000m (11:28.27), as did Elizabeth Ward (Ashby, Mass./North Middlesex), Jessica Mangan (Everett, Mass./Everett) and Braila Roy (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable). Junior Stephanie Irvin (Malden, Mass./Mystic Valley) also collected two PR’s on the afternoon, shining in the 200m and 400m dashes.

The ladies also added eight new MASCAC qualifiers as Courtney Schaffer (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) qualified in the 55m hurdles (11.00), sophomore Alyson Moreau (Barrington, R.I./Barrington) notched times in the 55m hurdles (10.20) and 600m (1:55.23) and Arthina Robert (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Voc Tech) added MASCAC marks in the 55m hurdles and the 200m dash. Senior Kelsey Chand (Middleboro, Mass./Bristol Plymouth) and junior Karollynn Wickless –Adams (Lansdale, Penn./North Penn) both qualified in 600m, while Mangan (3000m), Linda Fortunato (Feeding Hills, Mass./Agawam), 3000m and mile, and Ebony Schuerman (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg), long-jump, all qualified for the post-season.

On the men’s side, senior Zach Desrochers (Dracut, Mass./Greater Lowell) continued his solid throwing, beating all MASCAC competitors in the weight with a post-season toss of 17.40m. Junior Pat Conaty (Southington, Conn./Southington) also notched a DIII mark in the pole vault with a personal best effort of 4.05m, while sophomore Jim Quinlan (N. Andover, Mass./N. Andover) and freshman Tim Allen (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) also qualified for the post-season, turning in MASCAC marks in the 3000m with times of 9:30.21 and 9:37.45 respectively.

On the track, freshman Richard Ethier (Shirley, Mass./Parker Charter School) was also solid in the 800m (2:06.22), while Michael Corvin (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) and Ethan Gorecki (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) finished strong in the 55m (7.00) and 600m (1:28.23) sprints. Freshman Brandon Brideau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) and sophomore Maximum Rocheleau (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) rounded out the Falcons top track efforts in the 55m (7.20) hurdles and 600m (1:13.44), while freshman Dan Fitzpatrick (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) posted a personal best in the 400m (53.13).

In the field, sophomore David Oster (Port Monomouth, N.J./Middletown) qualified for the MASCAC’s in the shot-put (11.94m), while freshman Ben Bottrell added MASCAC marks in the high jump (1.80m).

The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams will be in action again after the winter break as they visit Tufts University on January 12th.