STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – In IC4A-qualifying performances, the Hawks placed second in both the 4x400m relay and Distance Medley Relay at the unscored Fastrack National Qualifier, held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Friday afternoon. The meet served as a final opportunity for the Saint Joseph's men's track and field squad to compete before the 2018 Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships, set for February 17-18.
Turning in the squad's fastest 4x400m relay time of the indoor season, SJU's group of senior David Henderson, freshman Stephen McClellan, sophomore Trae' Robinson, and senior Kenny Evely crossed in 3:16.80 to meet IC4A qualification in the event. The performance was also good for second in a field of 10 groups.
The Distance Medley Relay group of sophomore John Walker, sophomore Aaron Lemma, sophomore Colin Parker, and freshman Brendan Price crossed in 10:17.33 to place second in a field of six squads. The time stands as SJU's second-fastest DMR performance of the season and second of IC4A-qualifying standard.
A quartet of Hawks raced out of the 'invitational' segments of their events as rookie Matthew Scarpill raced the mile, senior Collin Crilly and junior Justin Moscoe raced the 3000m, and sophomore Zach Michon further extended his versatility with an appearance in the 800m.
Scarpill ran a season-best mile time of 4:16.32 to post the second-fastest performance by a freshman, just behind Columbia's Solomon Fountain (4:16.12). Scarpill placed 11th in the mile invitational section of 25.
Crilly turned in a 16th-place showing in the 3000m (8:35.88), while Branco ran for a season-best time of 8:37.75 for 17th in the field of 22.
In just his third collegiate 800m race, Michon ran a collegiate-best time of 1:56.57, just 2.07 seconds away from IC4A qualification in his fourth different event this winter.
Also of note, senior Dave Garton ran a season-best 800m time of 1:56.20, good for fourth in a field of 56, while sophomore Colin Gallagher ran a 4:19.84 mile, good for fifth in a field of 29 and a new PR. Sophomore Christian Roberts (4:20.20) and junior Will Sponaugle (4:20.98) placed seventh and ninth, respectively, in the mile as the Hawks placed three in the event's top 10.
Junior Sean Macpherson turned in a season-best time in the 3000m (8:44.94), good for ninth in a field of 40, while Robinson, in addition to racing on the second-place 4x400m relay, placed 13th in a field of 60 in the 400m (50.40).
The Hawks will return to action next weekend at the 2018 Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships in Kingston, R.I. on Saturday, February 17 through Sunday, February 18. Field events are slated to begin at 9:00 a.m. that Saturday, followed by track events at 2:00 p.m.
