Eph Men Face Best in the Region at Boston University; Other Eph Men strong at M.I.T.
Deividas Seferis '09
Boston, MA-- Boston University has a fast track. A really fast track. "BU has the fastest track in the country," said Jeff Perlis '10, likely remembering his 8:43 performance in the 3K as a freshman. And the track would prove fast once again, for Perlis and others. By the time Perlis crossed the finish line after a speedy 15:04 performance in the 5K at 9:00 P.M., numerous athletes had already posted blistering marks, personal bests, and qualifying times. BU's track was not the only one being scorched on Saturday afternoon in Boston. Other Eph men turned in impressive performances at M.I.T., site of next week's Division III Indoor Championships.
The word has obviously gotten out about BU's track as the Valentine's Day Invitational is one of the largest meets in the country. 37 different heats in the 200m race says just about all that needs to be said. Not only did the Ephs get to compete on a blistering fast track, they also got to do it against the top competition in all of New England and the Atlantic Coast Region.
When this many top athletes are out to race, special performances are bound to happen. Two runners from Providence University, David McCarthy and Hayden McClaren, set the tune for what the day was to be like when each ran a 3:57 mile, breaking the track record by over two seconds. Three heats later, Macklin Chaffee '09 took the track, still looking to find his stride this season. And find it he would, running an impressive 4:10.01 and ensuring himself a spot in the NCAA Division III Championships meet. Running even 31 second 200's almost the entire race, Chaffee even found a little extra on the final lap, passing a couple of competitors.
Geoff Rodriguez '11 also authored a magnificent performance, running even 30 second 200's in the 1000m race to a personal best 2:31.56. On his race Rodriguez remarked, "I came through the 600m mark at 1:30 and thought to myself, 'Wow, I still have so much left.'" The breakthrough comes at a good time both for Rodriguez and the Ephs. Rodriguez now looks like a candidate to score in next week's Division III Championships, and could provide the Ephs with an extra boost in the mid-distance races. Classmate Dan Waters '11 also ran quite well, besting his previous best time of the season by three seconds en route to running 2:34.51. Waters, who "felt terrible" before the race felt similarly to Rodriguez and was "surpised at how comfortable I felt with 200m to go." Jeff Perlis '10 was a bit off where he was hoping to be in the 5000, but still put up an impressive time of 15:04, good for the 28th fastest time of the meet.
Perhaps the group of Ephs that fared best where the sprinters. Taylor Fitzgerald '11 and Alex Hoerman '09 provided fireworks all afternoon. Indeed, in heats they seemed almost inseparable. In the 200, it was "Fitz" who had the upper hand, narrowly out-leaning Hoerman (they were in the same heat) and running 22.21 to Hoerman's 22.22. In the 400, it was Hoerman's turn to reign supreme, as he threw down the gauntlet with a time 49.23, which Fitzgerald (49.39) was unable to match in a later heat. Sandwiched between the two was Deividas "Lithium" Seferis '09, who ran 49.31. But the best was saved for last when the two combined to make up the second and fourth legs of the 1600m relay, along with Seferis and freshman Viktor Nagy '12. The Ephs provided that marquee performance they had been looking for in the 4 x 400 relay, running 3:16.04, 6th for the entire meet and practically ensuring themselves a spot in the NCAA Championships. After a ridiculously fast high 22 second opening 200 from Lithium, the Ephs continued to hold ground until the anchor leg, where Hoerman turned in a magnificent 48.5 second split. The energy in the fieldhouse was electric, and Hoerman made sure to capitalize on every bit of it.
Throwers and jumpers competed across the Charles River at M.I.T. Eric Jonash '11 and Tomas Kearney '12, who seems to be mentioned every week, combined for a one-two punch in the high jump, with Jonash leaping 1.91 meters. In the long jump, it was Isaac Nicholson's '11 chance to take center stage as he snagged victory with a jump of 6.45 meters. Cracking the top five in the weight throw was Matt Farley '11, who 14.56 meters to finish 5th against elite competition (two Division I competitors finished in front of him).
Next week's meet, however, will be the crown jewel of the indoor season. Every team in Division III New England has their sights afixed on this meet. It should be the loudest, fastest, strongest, longest (in terms of jumps and throws) meet of the season. Tune in next Saturday to find out the exciting conclusion to the Eph Men's Indoor Season! Will 2009 bring another championship to Williamstown?
