College Track & Field
Rider at Colonial Relays
WILLIAMSBURG, VA-The Broncs competed at the 45th Annual Colonial Relays, hosted by the College of William & Mary Friday and Saturday. The men placed 12 of 30 teams while the women were 29th of 30. "This is a focal meet," said Rider head coach Bob Hamer. "There is a lot of great competition here, a high caliber."
On Saturday the men's 4 x 110m shuttle hurdles relay team of freshman David Hightower (Easton, Pa.), sophomore Ron Moore (Nashville, TN/John Overton), freshman James Burroughs (West Orange) and freshman Jammar Lim (Ewing) won in 1:00.64. "It was great for the young guys to win this event after all of the hard work they have put in," Hamer said. "Any time you win an event it is a highlight so this was the highlight of the day."
Junior John Clark (Pennsville) placed second in the discus (48.15m) and freshman Jorge Merino (Old Bridge) placed third in the discus (45.58m). "They both did very well in the discus," Hamer said. "Clark bounced back from a day yesterday that he was not real pleased with. To get second in a field of this caliber was great."
For the Rider women, the Distance medley team of sophomore Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford), freshman Ashley Hunter (Northampton, Pa.), junior Johanna Clarke (Laurelton, N.Y./Mary Louis Academy) and junior Chelsea Callan (Hazlet/Raritan) placed eighth in a time 12:18.94, breaking a ten-year old Rider record by 18 seconds. "We did not run as well as we are capable of but we ran a decent race," Hamer said.
The 4 x 100m team of junior Shaylah Counts (Newark/Malcolm Shabazz), freshman Mia Riley (West Caldwell/James Caldwell), junior Jillian Rubbico (Plains, Pa./Coughlin) and Hunter placed 10th (48.86).
"Ashley Hunter had a great weekend," Hamer said. "She ran two great 400 legs today and ran a 'PR' in the 400 hurdles yesterday and ran solid in the 4 x 100 today. She had a heck of a weekend and is turning into someone we can count on to score big points for us in the conference."
Senior Alicia Price (Voorhees/Eastern) placed 10th in the shot put (12.74m) and senior Jennifer Alksmant (Forked River/Lacey Township) placed 21st in the discus (37.61m).
The 4 x 400m team of Counts, Riley, freshman Lauren Findley (Hallstead, Pa./Blue Ridge) and Hunter placed 12th (3:57.62).
The 4 x 800m relay team of sophomore Kristen Perrine (Brick/Brick Memorial), freshman Victoria Lima (Westerly, R.I), Findley and freshman Nicole Tassello (Suffern, NY) placed 17th (9:41.74).
Also for the Rider men, the Distance medley team of freshman Greg Wesh (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham), freshman Daequan Kim (Bordentown), sophomore David South (Sergeantsville/Hunterdon Central) and junior Christian Gonzalez (Somerset/Franklin Twp.) placed eighth (10:01.52).
The 4 x 100m team of Lim, Kim, Burroughs and Hightower placed 13th (43.46) and the 4 x 400m team of Hightower, Burroughs, Lim and Moore placed 21st (3:21.93).
Freshman Tyree Leonard (Browns Mills/Pemberton) placed 16th in the triple jump (12.98m) and sophomore Adam Haun (Holland, Pa./Council Rock South) placed 18th in the high jump (1.89m).
Friday's highlight was Gonzalez placing sixth in the 1500m with an IC4A qualifying time of 3:48.15.
Rider hosts the Rider Invitational April 10. "Hopefully this better prepares us for the championship portion of our schedule," Hamer said.
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