Flash Finish with Four First-Place Medals
University Park, Pa. – Saint Francis’ men and women’s indoor track and field team raced to their neighboring campus on January 12 to compete in the Penn State Relays at Penn State University. The Red Flash once again proved their dominance in both areas by claiming four total first place finishes, one second place finish, six top five finishes and 12 top ten finishes. Senior thrower Kayla Herron (Cumberland, Ohio/John Glenn) set a new SFU field record in the 20-lb. weight throwing event by hurling a 60-1.00 (18.31) mark, eclipsing a nine-year old record by half an inch (Nicole Hoffman, 1999).
The rest of the women hurlers represent Loretto well by claiming both first place in the 20-lb. weight throw and the shot put. Senior launcher Lisa Morse (Freedom, N.Y./Pioneer Central) set the first-place benchmark with a toss of 47-4.50 (14.44) in the shot put event.
The men’s sprinting squad pounced on the competition early, as senior sprinter James Bush (Baltimore, Md./St. Francis Prep) took top honors in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.43.
Both the men and women’s distance runners placed well with a seventh place mark from sophomore Chris Behre (Flanders, N.J./Mount Olive), turning in a time of 4:28.63 in the mile event. Senior standout John Balouris (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) took home 11th place by bolting for a time of 4:33.53. Women’s senior mid-distance runner Antonia Artise (North East, Pa./Iroquois) ran the mile in 5:44.18 for a 12th place finish.
The Relay’s longest offering, the 3,000-meter race, was tackled well by SFU’s distance team by earning two top-ten finishes. Sophomore distance runner Anna Hoffman (Enon Valley, Pa./Mohawk) positioned herself in third place with a measure of 10:14.32 while senior Shannon Kovack (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) rounded out 10th place with a time of 10:48.10. Junior long-distance runner John Bair (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley) dashed for a 24th place time of 9:43.06.
Freshman Jacob Librizzi, the sole hurdler in place at the Penn State Relays, scored seventh in the 55-meter hurdles event with a time 8.02.
The quarter of James Bush, senior Ian Butcher (Georgetown, Ontario/Christ the King), junior Denis Eradiri (Sofia, Bulgaria/Vladislav Gramatik 73), and junior Jorden Davis (Mississauga, Ontario/Loyola Catholic) rallied together for fine second place finish with a mark of 1:30.01 in the 4x200-meter relay.
Another first place finish was pulled down in the men’s 1600 sprint relay by the collection of James Bush, Jacob Librizzi, Jorden Davis, and John Balouris with a lightning quick time of 3:31.70. The ladies’ foursome of sophomore Danielle Burton (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), sophomore Sarah Harmon (Quantico, Md./James M. Benett), freshman Sydney King, and Antonia Artise.
In the field, Denis Eradiri persisted throughout the day with a fourth place finish in the men’s long jump, springing for a span of 22-7.75 (6.9). Senior Ardell Francis (Ewing, N.J./Pennsbury) leaped to 15th place with a 20-5 (6.22) mark. Junior Jill Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover) participated in the women’s long jump, placing 25th with a jump of 15-11 (4.85).
For the triple jump event, the solitary effort of Denis Eradiri once again earned SFU another top-ten finish, this time with a figure of 46-8.25 (14.23). Ardell Francis produced a 13th place finish for his 42-6.25 (12.96) mark in the triple jump.
The physically powerful SFU throwers once again made waves with their high ranking finishes at the Penn State Relays. In addition to the first place finishes by Morse in the shot put event (47-4.50 (14.44)) and Herron’s school record in the 20-lb. weight throw (60-1.00 (18.31)), the Flash yielded nine top-ten finishes between the men and women.
In the shot put event for the men, senior hurler Jordan Hess (McConnellsburg, Pa./McConnellsburg) threw for a third place mark of 53-9.75 (16.4). Junior tosser Josh Hazen (Vernon, N.J./Vernon) earned fifth for a pitch of 51-3 (15.62) and junior Ben Maderia (Summerhill, Pa./Forest Hills) flung the pellet for a distance of 50-11 (15.52). Newcomer Nicholas Peterson finished in 22nd for his throw of 41-6.5 (12.66). As noted, Lisa Morse placed first in the shot put for the women followed by Kayla Herron’s fifth place effort of 41-7.75 (12.69). Junior Elise Pearce (Cherry Tree, Pa./Purchase Line) earned the Flash an 11th place finish with a heave of 39-7 (12.06).
Junior Karl Dewayngaret (Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank) and Ben Madeira placed sixth and seventh, correspondingly, with pitches of 58-4.5 (17.79) and 57-5 (17.5) in the 35-lb. throwing event. Jordan Hess placed 11th with his effort of 52-8 (16.05). Kayla Herron’s school-record setting hurl paced the way for the rest of her fellow comrades as Elise Pearce topped out in fifth place with a throw of 54-7.25 (16.64), senior Lisa Morse (Freedom, N.Y./Pioneer Central) placed sixth with her 51-2.75 (15.61) endeavor and senior Jenna Brian (Niles, Ohio/John F. Kennedy) receive a top-ten finish with her toss of 47-4.25 (14.43), good enough for eighth.
Head coach Felix Moreno stated, "After three weeks of being away, the overall performances of this team were impressive. They worked very hard over break and I am proud of them for htat. Kayla Herron, Lisa Morse, Elise Pearce, Anna Hoffman and Shannon Kovack were impressive to watch. James Bush, Jordan Hess, Jacob Librizzi, Jordan Davis, Ian Butcher and Denis Eradiri all shined at the Penn State Relays, as well."
Saint Francis will stay in state to compete in the Bucknell Heptagonal at Bucknell on Saturday, January 19 in Lewisburg, Pa. starting at 10:00am.