LEWISBURG, Pa. (Dec. 2, 2006) – The Saint Francis men’s indoor track & field team kicked off the 2006-07 campaign with several strong performances on Saturday as the Red Flash competed in the Bucknell Bison Opener at Gerhard Fieldhouse. Competing in the non-scored event with the Red Flash were Bucknell, Howard, Indiana University (Pa.), Kutztown, Lock Haven, Loyola (Md.), Morgan State, Shippensburg, Susquehanna, UMBC, and Ursinus.
Six different Saint Francis competitors combined to win six of the 18 events on the day. Sophomore Jorden Davis (Mississauga, Ontario / Loyola Catholic) started it all with a win in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.98 seconds, the fifth fastest time in school history.
Junior Ian Butcher (Georgetown, Ontario / Christ the King) won the next event, the 500-meter dash, in 1:04.73, a personal best and the third fastest time in program history, and senior Tavon Moss (Baltimore, Md. / St. Francis Prep) broke the school record in the men’s High Jump with a winning distance of 2.06 meters.
Senior Thomas O’Brien (Philadelphia, Pa. / Cardinal O’Hara) took first in the 600-meter run, recording a time of 1:24.63, junior John Balouris (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler) won the 1000-meter run in 2:28.13, and sophomore Karl DeWyngaert (Red Bank, N.J. / Red Bank) won the men’s Weight Throw with a toss of 18.60 meters, the second best throw in school history. The distance also qualified DeWayngaert for the IC4A Championships.
Sophomore Dennis Eradiri (Sofia, Bulgaria / Vladislav Gramatik 73) finished tied for fourth by setting the school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.97 seconds.
Also recording Top-5 finishes for Saint Francis on Saturday were junior David Holliday (Stonington, Conn. / Ledyard) with a fourth-place showing in the 1-mile run with a time of 4:36.12. He was followed in fifth place by teammate Chris Behre (Flanders, N.J. / Mount Olive), a freshman who crossed the line in 4:36.22.
Freshman Ben Peacock (Ebensburg, Pa. / Central Cambria) placed fourth in the 600-meter run in 1:33.15, junior Jonathan Gibson (Cannonsburg, Pa. / Cannon McMillan) took fourth in the 1000-meter run in 2:45.14 and was followed by Holliday in fifth (2:48.1), and sophomore Ryan Bair (Leola, Pa. / Conestoga Valley) took fourth in the 3000-meter run in 9:41.15.
Sophomore William Velez (Cleveland, Ohio / Benedictine) finished tied for second in the men’s High Jump with a distance of 2.01 meters, Mikko Aronopaa placed second in the men’s Long Jump with a distance of 7.18 meters, and Eradiri also recorded a third-place finish in the men’s Long Jump (7.06 meters).
Sophomore Josh Hazen (Vernon, N.J. / Vernon) recorded the second best effort in program history in the men’s Shot Put by placing fourth with a distance of 15.56 meters, and sophomore Ben Madeira (Summerhill, Pa. / Forest Hills) took third in the men’s Weight Throw with a distance of 16.37 meters.
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