Fitchburg State Hosts Annual Eric Loeschner Memorial
McClure places first in the pole vault: Desrochers earns top honors in the discus
FITCHBURG, MASS. (April 20, 2013) – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams were in action this afternoon as they hosted the 2013 Eric Loeschner Memorial Meet this afternoon at Elliot Field.
On the women’s side, sophomore Rebecca McClure (Lyndeborogh, N.H./Wilton-Lyndeborough) earned top honors in the pole vault with a height of 2.90 meters, while classmate Arthina Robert (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Voc Tech) was also strong, placing sixth in the 100 meter with a post-season qualifying time of 13.07.
Junior Brittany Chance (Foster, R.I./Ponaganset) was solid in the javelin, placing second overall with a post-season throw of 35.45 meters, while sophomore Jenae Harrison (Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) posted a fifth place effort in the 400m with a post-season qualifying time of 1:02.05. Senior Chenice Branquinho (Eat Freetown, Mass./Old Colony) placed fourth in the 5K with a post-season time of 20:01.54.
On the track, sophomore Braila Roy (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable) placed eighth overall in the 800 meter with a MASCAC qualifying time of 2:24.54, while junior Karollyn Wickless-Adams (Lansdale, Penn./North Penn) was also strong with a post-season qualifying time of 2:39.87, surpassing her previous best time by seven seconds.
In the 200m dash, Robert and Roy both registered MASCAC qualifying honors with times of 28.71 and 29.37 respectively. While in the 100m, sophomore Tashanna Brown (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical) was solid, qualifying for the MASCAC’s with a time of 14.35, while freshmen Shamira Nambafu (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) also qualified for the post-season with a time of 14.89.
In the field, Senior Megan Gonzalez (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) was also solid for the Falcons, placing seventh in the discus with MASCAC qualifying mark of 33.01 meters, while also qualifying for the MASCAC’s in the shot put (16th) with a throw of 9.55 meters and in the hammer throw (13th) with a toss of 35.65m.
Junior Katelyn Sletterink (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) finished 16th in the hammer throw with a post-season toss of 33.44 meters. While Brown (10th) and sophomore Ebony Schuerman (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) (15th) rounded out the top Falcons efforts for the women with MASCAC qualifying mark in the high jump (1.35m) and long jump (4.46m) respectively.
For the men, senior thrower Zach Desrochers (Dracut, Mass./Greater Lowell) continued his strong throwing for the men, taking top honors in the discus with a post-season throw of 46.70 meters. The senior thrower continued his solid afternoon with a post-season toss of 49.27 meters in the hammer throw (5th).
Classmate Will Lary (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) finished fifth in the 1500m with a DIII NE qualifying time of 4:07.30. Senior Michael Grasela (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) put forth a strong effort, placing seventh in the 3000m steeplechase with a MASCAC qualifying time of 10:11.44.
Freshman Ben Bottrell (Medford, Mass./) placed sixth in the high jump with a DIII NE qualifying mark of 1.88 meters, while sophomore Ethan Gorecki (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) finished seventh overall in the javelin with a post-season toss of 46.74 meters.
Freshman Brandon Brideau (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) was strong in the 400m hurdles (PR), placing fifth with a post-season time of 59.80, while Gorecki finished ninth overall with a time of 1:02.08 to qualify for the MASCAC’s. Freshman Tim Allen (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) notched a post-season time of 16:30.87 in a seventh place effort in the 5K.
On the track, Lary placed fifth with a MASCAC qualifying time of 2:00.63 in the 800 meter, while senior Josh Kaddy (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont) ran a 2:08.31 to qualify for the post season as well. Sophomores James Quinlan (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) and Michale Osborn (Vineyard Haven, Mass./Martha’s Vineyard) and freshman Sam Carroll (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) posted MASCAC qualifying times in the 1500 with times of 4:27.71, 4:39.20 and 4:41.71.
Sophomore Mark Wesgan (Lunenburg, Mass./Lunenburg) and Brideau finished ninth (17.68) and 13th (19.85) respectively in the 110 meter hurdles to qualify for the MASCAC Championships. Freshman Richard Ethier (Shirley, Mass./Parker Charter School) (11th) and sophomore Maximin Rocheleau (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) (14th) were solid in the 400 meter dash, setting personal best and MASCAC qualifying times of 52.21 and 52.55 respectively.
In the 10,000 meter, freshman Zach Levenson (Canton, Mass./Canton) and junior Patrick McCarthy (Saugus, Mass./Northeast Metro) each set personal best times of 40:38.62 and 43:05.27 respectively. In the 200m dash, Rocheleau (PR) qualified for the MASCAC Championships with a time of 23.80
In the field, Wesgan placed 16th in the long jump with a post-season mark of 5.71 meters, while freshman Joe Santiago (Ayer, Mass./Ayer) put forth a solid showing in the javelin with a MASCAC qualifying throw of 45.27 meters. Wesgan concluded his day, placing sixth in the triple jump with a post-season mark of 12.11 meters, while freshman Akhiel Willis (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) was also strong, finishing seventh in the event with a MASCAC qualifying mark of 12.08 meters.
Sophomore Brendan Coan (Westbrook, Conn./Westbrook) and freshman Kevin Duong (Fitchburg, Mass./Monty Tech) put forth solid efforts in the discus with post-season marks of 31.51m and 29.62m respectively, while Rocheleau placed seventh in the pole vault with a height of 3.10 meters to qualify for the post season in his first time participating in the pole vault.
Willis (5.67m) and Bottrell (5.62m) posted MASCAC honors in the long jump, while freshman Joseph Fredette (Palmer, Mass./Palmer) (40.63m) and sophomore Adrian Chavez (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) set PR’s in the javelin.
The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s outdoor track & field teams return to action on Saturday as they compete at the 2013 MASCAC/Alliance Meet hosted by Bridgewater State University starting at 11 a.m.