Complete ResultsSpringfield, Mass. – April 21, 2012 - The Springfield College men’s track and field team won the Springfield Invitational at Blake Track Saturday afternoon. The Pride tallied 214 points to cruise to victory.
Westfield State (141 points), Saint Rose (93), Eastern Connecticut State (82) Merrimack (75) rounded out the top five team finishers.
The Pride earned several first place finishes to help the team climb up the scoreboard. Anthony Salvucci won the 3000 meter steeplechase by more than a minute, clocking in at 9:36.25. The Pride enjoyed great success in the field events. Dylan Brock took the long jump crown by more than two feet, measuring in at 22’0.25”. Jessie Charette won the triple jump, leaping 41’10.5”, Orlando Harvey took the shot put title at 49’10.5”, and John Dayton and Ryan Ux added wins in the hammer throw and javelin, respectively. Dayton launched the hammer 160’10” and Ux had a toss of 199’5”.
Others that performed well for Springfield included Ryan O’Connell in the 800 meter event. O’Connell finished in second place at 1:58.85, less than two tenths of a second out of the first spot. Matt Peabody ran well in the 5000 meter event, taking second in 16:36.25. Zach Pietras garnered third place points in the 1500 meter event with a time of 4:00.46, Ryan Allison placed fourth in the 5000 meter at 16:49.19, Sean Nunan and Nolan Manley went 3-4 in the 400 meter hurdles in 58.50 and 58.53, respectively, and Nathan Pinciak and Steven Gilfeather finished fourth and fifth in the 800 meter in 2:01.60 and 2:01.97.
In the relay events, the Pride finished second in the 4x400 meters, as Gilfeather, Matt Scully, O’Connell, and Pinciak teamed up for a time of 3:33.17.
Springfield will compete in the NEWMAC Championships next weekend in Northampton, Mass.
Ken Klatka, just inducted into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in October, 2011, enters his 37th season as head coach of the men’s track and field program in 2012-2013. He ranks among the nation’s most successful coaches, with an overall record of 442 wins, 144 losses, and two ties for an impressive .753 winning percentage. Under his direction, Kevin Coyle '12 won the 2011 Division III Indoor Long Jump National Championship.
Read more.