Younger Athletes Lead the Way at MASCAC Meet

For the second consecutive season Westfield State College claimed victory in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Track & Field Meet. The Owls collected 267 points to top the field in the women's events and 251 points in the men's events.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy displayed a strong contingent of under classmen, boding well for the future, as the Buccaneers landed in sixth place in both categories in the field of six MASCAC competing schools. Freshman Rory O'Donnell earned a first place finish among MASCAC schools in the triple jump with a distance of 42-10.25 qualifying him for the New England championships on May 3. He was second overall in the combined Alliance/MASCAC/Little East Meet at Rhode Island College on Saturday. Freshman Brian Reske (2:12.59) ran seventh in the 800 meter dash. Freshman Joseph Choinere (18-2.5) claimed an eighth place MASCAC finish in the long jump and sophomore Jason McWhirter (11:21.30)ran a personal best time to finish eighth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. McWhirter and Rory O'Donnell were both selected as MASCAC Honor Role Players of the Week. Reske also picked up a ninth place finish in the 1,500 meter running a time of 4:27.03.

In the javelin it was freshman Bryan O'Donnell taking ninth with a throw of 132-03. Sophomore Anthony DeBalsi landed in 14th at 111-01. Freshmen Brian Fuller (112-02) and Ryan Buchanio (109-06) took ninth and 11th respectively in the discus. Cassandra Gilmore, a sophomore, ran ninth in the 400 meter dash in 54.63, with freshman Anthony Venterosa (55.15) on his heels in 10th. Ben Zager (59.91) ran 14th. Two freshmen performed well in the shot put for the Buccaneers, with Joseph Page finishing in 10th with a throw of 37-6.75 and Bryan O'Donnell landing in 19th. Choinere (24.27) ran 13th in the 200 meter, with Gilmore (25.06) taking 18th. Freshman Meredith Hall led the Lady Bucs with a third place throw of 91-10 among MASCAC competitors in the javelin. Hall's throw was 6th overall. The MMA Women's 4x1 relay team of Hall, Danielle MacPhee, Annie Scoran and Samelia Joe ran fourth among the MASCAC crossing the line in a time of 59.02. MacPhee (12-11.25) finished eighth in the long jump. Erika Berube (7:19.93) was ninth in the 1,500 meter dash and in the 200 meter it was Joe (32.22) in 16th and Scoran (32.88) in 18th for MMA.