News Archive: 2005-2006
Women’s track runs sixth in NESCAC
May 5, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
Playing host to the NESCAC Track and Field Championship gave the Bowdoin women a chance to enjoy the sunny spring weather and face some of the best athletes from the NESCAC league. Bowdoin finished sixth overall, ahead of rival Colby by only half a point.
Track powerhouse Williams won the meet, while Tufts and Middlebury took second and third, respectively. With tough competition, scoring in just one event was a challenge, but Kelsey Borner '09, Emily Hackert '06, and Louise Duffus '07 made it look easy. The women managed to post points in three events.
Once again, Duffus led the women in scoring with second, third, and fifth place in the hammer, discus, and shot put, respectively.
"Louise has been our high scorer for all six of her seasons on the team. She's a fantastic athlete and team leader," coach Peter Slovenski said.
Following Duffus's example, Borner snatched fifth, sixth, and eighth in her events, the discus, shot put, and javelin. Fellow first year Chelsea Jackson tallied additional points for the Bears with a third place in the javelin, while teammate Shemeica Binns '09 competed in the shot put and discus, grabbing 13th and 17th, respectively.
"Chelsea Jackson and Kelsey Borner both threw personal bests in the javelin. They really came through in the clutch on Saturday," Slovenski said.
On the track, Hackert joined Alyssa Chen '08, Ruth Jacobson '06, and Erin York '09 in the 4x100-meter relay, sprinting to fifth place. Hackert also anchored the 4x400-meter relay team of Gina Campelia '07, Alison Pilon '09, and Jacobson, which finished sixth. In between her relay events, Hackert improved on her 400-meter hurdle time to take fourth.
Junior Erin Prifogle contributed to the final point tally, placing in two individual events, including a sixth-place finish in the high jump. Teammates Jessie DePalo '08 and Pilon took eighth and 11th, respectively. Sophomore Amy Ahearn placed seventh in the 800 meters, followed by Lindsey Schickner '09, who took 13th in the event. In the pole vault, Chen snatched another seventh, just ahead of teammate Becca Perry '07 in 10th. In her second try of the season at the three-kilometer steeplechase, Katie Mevorach '09 shaved 30 seconds off her time.
First-year Molly Seaward represented Bowdoin in the jumps, contributing a 12th-place finish to the Bears' tally in the triple jump for a season best. On the track, juniors Jamie Knight and Kristen Brownell took a week off from the 10k to run the 5k race. Knight had a personal best in the event.
The last event of the day proved the most exciting for the Polar Bears, as the 4x800-meter relay team of Jess Sokolow '09, Courtney Eustace '08, Ahearn, and Ali Chase '09 pulled off the closest finish of the meet. Trailing Colby by 1.5 points going into the event, Bowdoin's anchor, Chase, got the baton 15 meters behind Colby's runner, but Chase gained steadily, passing the Colby runner in the last 80 meters of the race to capture fourth for the Bears by only .56 seconds.
Last Saturday's meet marked the close of the regular season for the Bowdoin.
Men’s track fields fifth at NESCAC meet
May 5, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Staff Writer
Some of New England's best track and field athletes hit Bowdoin's John J. Magee Track for the NESCAC championships, where the Bears met pre-meet expectations, finishing fifth out of 11 teams in Saturday's meet. Defending their title, the Williams Ephs claimed their sixth straight championship crown. Bates captured fourth place, while Colby finished eighth.
The Polar Bears boasted a number of exceptional performances. First-year Damon Hall-Jones captured fourth place in the 100 meters in a blazing 11.44 seconds. Bowdoin sprinters continued their success in the 400 meters with a fourth-place finish from sophomore Lamont White, breaking the 50-second barrier for the first time. Junior Joe Adu contributed to the Bears' effort with a second-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles and a fourth place in the long jump.
Junior Owen McKenna, slowed by traffic during the 1500 meters, still managed a fourth place in 3:57 minutes. Nate Krah '08 extended the Bears' success in the distance events, finishing fourth in the 5000 meters in 15:15. Fellow sophomore Tyler Lonsdale finished fifth in the 10,000 meters in 31:57.
The Bowdoin throwers had a fantastic day on Whittier Field. In the javelin throw, seniors Jared Prichard and Matt Regele took third and fourth, respectively. Senior Patrick Lyons heaved the shotput 46' 06" for fourth place. First-year Luke Fairbanks also delivererd big in the event, finishing fifth with a toss of 45' 08" feet. Senior Alex Linhart launched the hammer for a fifth-place finish with a toss of 164' 05". Lyons came in close behind for sixth place, throwing 163' 03".
The Bowdoin relays were equally impressive. The 4x100 and 4x400 relays both finished fourth. The distance medley relay was the highlight of the day for the Bowdoin, with first-year Jay McCormick, sophomores Tim Katlic and Steven Bartus, and junior Owen McKenna garnering the Bear's only first-place victory of the day.
According to Lyons, playing host to the NESCAC meet was exceptionally exciting for the men.
"[The] men really carried the momentum from the state meet into their events. We were all excited to compete in front of the home crowd. We're looking to do some damage at regionals," Lyons said.
The Bears are traveling to Springfield, Massachusetts today to compete in the New England DIII Championships.
Women’s track takes second place at Aloha Relays
April 28, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin women battled USM, Colby, and Bates for a second-place finish at the annual Aloha Relays. The Bears finished a mere nine points behind USM and ahead of NESCAC rivals Colby and Bates.
Saturday's meet started off strong for the women with juniors Kristen Brownell and Jamie Knight dominating the first event of the meet.
"The team got a great boost in the opening event when Kristen and Jamie finished 1-2 in the 10k," Coach Peter Slovenski said.
Led by Louise Duffus '07, Bowdoin's throwers also turned out top performances, picking up important points for the Bears. Duffus led the Bears in points, taking second place in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw. Kelsey Borner '09 snatched third and fourth in the discus and shot put, respectively.
"Louise and Kelsey gave us a big boost in the discus at the end of the meet when we were trying to pull ahead of Colby," Slovenski said.
In the javelin, first-year Chelsea Jackson captured an individual first for the Bears.
First-year Katie Mevorach made her debut in the 3k steeple chase, posting a second place and adding more critical points to the Bears' tally. Upon learning that Bowdoin did not have anyone entered in the event, Mevorach seized upon the opportunity to capture more points for Bowdoin in the most important team meet of the season.
Bowdoin's success continued in the sprints with Erin York '09, Ruth Jacobson '06, and Jessie DePalo '08 grabbing third, fourth, and sixth, respectively, in the 100-meter dash. First-year Alison Pilon and junior Gina Campelia finished second and third, respectively, in the 400 meters.
Bowdoin's mid-distance runners tallied up more points for the Bears with fourth-and fifth-place finishes in the 800 meters from Amy Ahearn '08 and Ali Chase '09 in a very competitive field. Sophomore Courtney Eustace added a sixth-place finish the 1500-meter race. In the second longest race of the day, the 5k, sophomore Laura Onderko took fourth.
Emily Hackert '06 added an individual first place in the 400-meter hurdles. Elizabeth Onderko '08 took fourth.
A few minor improvements will make Hackert a strong force on the track in the last races of her college career.
"Emily has been having a great season in the hurdles," he said. "We're working on a slightly more moderate opening in her race so she can have a faster final 100. She's ready for some great races in the next three weeks," Slovenski said.
In the jumps, Molly Seward '09 and Becca Perry '07 both captured fifth-place finishes in the triple jump and pole vault, respectively. DePalo led Bowdoin's high jumpers, taking third, just one place ahead of teammate Erin Prifogle '07, who tied for fourth in the event. Pilon took sixth in the high jump. Prifogle also placed in her two other individual events, pulling in a second place in the 100-meter hurdles and a sixth place in the javelin.
Back on the track, Bowdoin's relays raked in two third-place finishes and a first place. The 4x100-meter team of Alyssa Chen '08, Jacobson, York, and Hackert took third, followed by the 4x400-meter team of Jacobson, Hackert, Pilon, and Campelia for another third-place finish. The 4x800-meter team of Chase, Ahearn, Lindsey Schickner '09, and Jess Sokolow '09 snatched first.
This Saturday the women will face even tougher competition in the NESCAC championship meet, which is being held at home on Saturday.
Bears give Bates a run
April 28, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Staff Writer
Eager to repeat their upset win over Bates in the indoor Maine State Meet, the Bowdoin Men's Track Team stepped onto the Colby track with anticipation. After trading the lead throughout the day, the Bears came up short in the last event of the day, falling to the Bobcats by just five points in Saturday's state meet.
Bates finished first with 204 points to Bowdoin's 199.5 points. Colby took third with 99 points, and USM came in last with 93.50 points.
There were many notable performances on the oval. Junior Eric Sofen ran a quick 33:21, good for third place in his first try at the 10k, while first-year Jay McCormick held back until late in the race and unleashed a ferocious kick at the end to pick off second place for the Bears. In the 5k, sophomore Nate Krah finished first, well ahead of archrival Dan Vassalo of Colby. Sophomore Tyler Lonsdale finished fourth.
Once again, Joseph Adu '07 dominated the 110 hurdles with a first-place finish. Adu went on to take second in the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump. Sophomores Lamont White, Eric Lee, and Brendan Egan finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, in the 400 meters. Junior Owen McKenna lead the 800 meters from the start for a first place.
The men had another good day on the field. Junior Bari Robinson leaped to second place in the high jump, despite recently recovering from a twisted ankle. Senior Alex Linhart captured second place in the weight throw with a personal best 51.5-meter launch.
Sophomore David Wagoner-Edwards earned second place in the pole vault, despite breaking his pole, while junior Robey Clark finished third. Senior co-captain Jared Prichard claimed top honors in the javelin throw for the second year in a row, with a 53.14-meter throw, while senior Matt Regele earned fourth. Senior co-captain Patrick Lyons launched his shot put over 13.75 meters, good for second place. First-year Luke Fairbanks finished close behind for third.
According to Lyons, "the men competed with great valiance, honor, and bravery. We look forward to overtaking our foes from Lewiston in the next battle."
The men will play host to the NESCAC championship this weekend at the John J. Magee outdoor track.
Panthers outpace women’s track
April 21, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The women's track team looked to the leadership of its strong contingent of throwers in an on-the-road meet against Middlebury and New England College last week.
"Our throwers had a great day breaking the college hammer record and sweeping the shot put," Coach Peter Slovenski said. "Louise Duffus ['07] and Kelsey Borner ['09] have the wonderful poise it takes to be patient and drive with their legs. A lot of throwers use their arms too much, but Louise and Kelsey win with better technique and timing."
Though the Bears took second behind the Panthers, Bowdoin dominated the throwing events. Led by Borner, the Bears swept the shot put, claiming first through fourth place. Duffus captured two first places in the discus and the hammer throw. Duffus's personal best of 170' 8" in the hammer throw broke the school record and qualified her provisionally for nationals. Borner added to her first place in the shot put by taking second and third in the discus and hammer throw, respectively.
First-years Shemeica Binns and Chelsea Jackson continued Bowdoin's success in the field events with Jackson taking second in the javelin and third in the shot put. Binns grabbed two fourth places in the shot put and discus.
Junior Erin Prifogle competed in four events for the day, capturing a first-place finish in the high jump, a second in the 100-meter hurdles, a third in the 400-meter hurdles, and a fourth-place spot in the javelin to tie Duffus for points.
The high jump also proved to be a strong event for the Bears. First-years Alison Pilon and Katie Mevorach snatched second and fourth. Co-captain Emily Hackert '06 captured another individual first place for Bowdoin, winning the 400-meter hurdles. Elizabeth Onderko '08 also competed in the hurdles, improving her time by five seconds to notch a fourth-place finish.
In the sprints, Erin York '09 and Ruth Jacobson '06 captured the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Pilon captured another second place for the Bears in the 400 meters. Fellow first-year Ali Chase finished close behind in third.
The distance contingent added more points to the Bears' total as sophomores Amy Ahearn and Courtney Eustance raced to second-place finishes in the 800 meters and the 1500 meters, respectively. Junior Jamie Knight took a week off from running the 10k to compete in the 5k for a third place.
Sophomore Alyssa Chen showed her versatility, competing in the pole vault, the long jump, and the triple jump. In the pole vault Chen posted a third-place finish, while junior Becca Perry added a fourth place to Bears' record. Chen went on to take a fourth place in the long jump and a fifth place in the triple jump. Teammate Molly Seward '09 placed third in the triple jump.
On the track, Chen combined with Jacobson, York, and Hackert to make up the 4x100-meter team, which took second. In the 4x400-meter relay, the team of Jess Sokolow '09, Hackert, Pilon, and Jacobson took second. Hackert ran an impressive anchor leg, almost catching the Middlebury runner who had a six-meter lead.
The women are looking forward to the Aloha Relays at home on Saturday against Colby, Bates and USM.
Men’s track leaves competition behind
April 21, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Men's Track Team hit the road for its second outdoor meet of the season at Middlebury. Even without a full contingent of runners, the Bears tromped Middlebury 178 to 148, persevering in the face of high winds that gusted up to 25 mph during last Saturday's meet.
Junior Joe Adu extended his winning streak by dominating the competition in the hurdles, winning in 15.60 seconds. Sophomore Tyler Lonsdale demonstrated his endurance with a convincing win in the 5,000-meter race in 15:35. First-year Jay McCormick hunted down his foe on the homestretch of the 800-meter run to nab a victory. Junior Owen McKenna and sophomore Tim Katlic double-teamed their opponents in the 1,500 meter run to take the top two spots.
The men did equally well on the field. Sophomore Ben LeHay earned double victories in the long jump and triple jump. Senior co-captain Patrick Lyons won the shot put by heaving the 16-pound ball 45'05". Senior Alex Linhart showed good form in the hammer with a winning launch of 154'4". Senior co-captain Jared Prichard and senior Matt Regele dazzled in the javelin, earning the top two spots with throws of 174'10" and 169'10", respectively. Sophomore Dave Wagoner-Edwards set a new personal best in the pole vault, jumping a foot higher for a 13' jump to take second place. Junior Robey Clark finished close behind with 12-foot jump.
Lyons was very pleased with the team's performance on Saturday.
"The team is hitting its stride just in time for the championship meets," he said.
The men will face Colby, Bates, and other intrastate foes at Colby College for the Maine State Meet this Saturday.
Track has strong start
April 14, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Men's Track Team traveled to Tufts University to compete in a scoreless early season tune-up. The Polar Bears had numerous impressive performances and showed great post-season potential in last Saturday's meet against teams from all divisions, including Harvard, Colby, Wesleyan, and their hosts, the Jumbos.
Junior Joe Adu led the way, winning the 110-meter hurdle in a scorching 15.41. Teammates Joel Presti '06 and Mike Krohn '09 finished close behind in seventh and eighth place, respectively. First-year Damon Hall-Jones made a strong debut in the 100-meter dash, capturing seventh place in a time of 11.78. In the 400-meter dash, the "Twin Towers" of sophomores Brendan Egan and Eric Lee demonstrated that they were perfectly suited to the wide curves of the outdoor track by earning the sixth and eighth places, respectively.
Although the men did not send their whole distance squad to the meet, they still managed to notch some impressive times. Sophomore Nate Krah, arriving ready to rumble against an impressive field in the 10,000 meters, showed that he was prepared for the big leagues by earning sixth place in 31:22, just narrowly missing the national provisional qualifying mark. In the 800-meter run, junior Owen McKenna snagged fourth place, with a time of 1:57.18, despite nursing a knee injury.
The Bears also had a successful day in the field events. Senior co-captain Patrick Lyons earned second place with a 46'2" toss in the shot put. First-year Luke Fairbanks capitalized on his indoor success by throwing 43'2.5" for fourth place. Senior co-captain Jared Prichard finished close behind in eighth. Senior Alex Linhart showed good form in the hammer throw, capturing fourth place. Lyons returned to competition later in the day, finishing sixth in the hammer throw. Sophomore David Wagoner-Edwards took eighth place in the pole vault with a jump of 11'5.75".
The Bowdoin relays also fared well. The distance medley relay finished second in 10:46.56. The 1600-meter relay finished fourth in 3:31.43, while the 400-meter relay finished fifth in 44.50 seconds.
The Polar Bears proved their strength and showed that they will likely be top contenders in post-season competition. They are leaving for Middlebury, Vermont, today to face the Panthers and the Colby-Sawyer Chargers.
Men brave tough competition at New England Open
March 3, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Men's Track Team ventured to Boston University's world-class track facility to compete against teams of all divisions in the NCAA Open New England Championship. Saturday's meet was only for champions, who had met stingent qualifying requirements. The men held their own against fierce competition and boasted some impressive performances.
Junior Joseph Adu added to his regular-season success, running the preliminary heat of the 55-meter hurdles in a quick 7.94 seconds, qualifying Adu for the semifinals, where he placed 16th.
Sophomore Nate Krah capped a breakout season by running the 5000-meter run in 15:22, earning him a 19th-place finish. In the mile, junior Owen McKenna ran a season-best 4:16.52 to capture 12th place out of 27 competitors.
The most impressive race of the day was the 4x400-meter relay, run by Adu and sophomores Brendan Egan, Eric Lee, and Lamont White. Capitalizing on their regular season potential, these Bowdoin speedsters averaged under 50.5 seconds for each leg, to finish 14th with a scorching time of 3:21.93.
The Polar Bears delivered some great performances in the final meet of their season. They hope to build upon their very successful indoor season in outdoor track. According to Krah, the upcoming outdoor track season "is especially important to us because we will be hosting the NESCAC championships."
The NESCAC championships will be held at home on April 29.
Track places seventh
February 24, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Contributor
The Bowdoin Men's Track Team traveled to Cambridge on Friday to compete in the New England championships held at MIT. The Polar Bears displayed strength, speed, and stamina in the penultimate meet of the season, finishing ninth out of 25 teams.
Junior Joe Adu led the charge for the sprinters on Saturday, capturing fifth place in the 55-meter hurdles, demonstrating his explosive power, shattering the final hurdle with his lead leg. In the 400-meter run, sophomore Brendan Egan gave the Bears another strong finish, taking seventh place in 51.53 seconds. First-year Damon Hall Jones capped off Bowdoin's success in the sprints, taking tenth place in the 200-meter dash.
Senior co-captain Patrick Lyons threw 46'10" in the shot put for eighth place. Lyons passed on the torch to first-year Luke Fairbanks, who finished right behind Lyons, for ninth place.
Junior Owen McKenna executed his strategy well in the mile race to capture fourth place in 4:17.68 minutes. Sophomore Nate Krah ran the 5000-meter race in 15:21 minutes for sixth place. Fellow sophomore Tyler Lonsdale was close behind, taking 10th place. Sophomore Eric Lee demonstrated his maturity as a distance runner, finishing eighth in the 600-meter run in 1:24.59 minutes.
The relays were once again the strongest events for the Polar Bears. The 4x400 team put together four solid legs to capture fifth place in 3:38.56 minutes.
In the 4x800 relay, the men ran a blazing 8:01.3 for third place, lapping the competition in their heat and catching the timers off guard. Relay anchor McKenna crossed the finish line before timing officials could turn on the automatic timing system, forcing the officials to rely on Ken Akiha '08, who was timing his teammates with a stopwatch.
The Polar Bears are completing their most successful track season in three years with a strong placing at the DIII New England Championship. They will compete in their final meet today and Saturday against athletes of all divisions in the Open New England championship held at Boston University.
Trackster Emily Sheffield brings versatility and talent to team
February 24, 2006
By Nick Day
Staff Writer
Emily Sheffield '06 is one of the top middle-distance runners in New England, but you would never guess that from talking to her.
"She's got a terrific sense of perspective and humility. She's an old school athlete," Bowdoin cross country and track coach Peter Slovenski.
However, the senior's humility off the track dwarfs her success on it. Sheffield has dominated opponents all season long, running and winning everything from the 400 through 1000 meters. Her skill across a broad spectrum of events has added tremendous depth and strength to Bowdoin track.
"Emily makes us a better team with her range as a runner. She has the speed to be an All-New England runner at everything [she runs]," Slovenski added.
Sheffield began running when she was in eighth grade. Sheffield also played field hockey and basketball in high school, but she decided to focus solely on running when she arrived at Bowdoin.
In her first year, Sheffield ran cross country and two seasons of track. Although Sheffield left the trails after her first year of cross country, she continues to compete in both indoor and outdoor track.
"I wasn't a long distance runner," she said.
Sheffield believes that her work ethic and dedication to Bowdoin track stems more from the notion of "running for the team" than competing for personal success, a feeling she attributes to the close bonds her teammates have formed with one another.
"I love the girls on the team," she said.
This indoor track season has been Sheffield's most successful. Despite training tirelessly during the off-season, she credits her achievement to a more relaxed, focused approach to competing.
"I just don't put as much pressure on myself as I used to. There is no point in getting anxious or nervous. I just go out there and run," she said.
Sheffield has run many impressive races this season. Two weeks ago, Sheffield sped to an amazing 1:37.83 finish in the 600 meters, breaking the school record.
At the Maine State Meet, Sheffield won the 800 meters, running an impressive 2:20.37. Just last weekend at the Division III New Englands, she shaved more than four seconds off her already impressive time.
Slovenski recognizes her mental composure and strategy.
"Emily never gets rattled, and she makes intelligent moves during her races. She's fearless and daring, and has a great finishing kick," he added.
Sheffield has also been a strong role model for the team's younger runners. First-year Lindsey Schickner, who also runs middle distance, is grateful for the advice she has received from her friend and teammate.
"I really admire her for her hard work and talent. She is proof that dedication pays off. She gives me race strategies and says that the most important way to do well is to stay relaxed and confident," Schickner said.
Sheffield, an anthropology major, isn't sure how running will shape her plans after graduation.
"I'd like to eventually run a marathon, or train for a triathlon," she said.
Nonetheless Sheffield is looking forward to a chance to catch her breath.
"After the spring season, I'm going to be ready to take a break," she said.
Track falls to Coast Guard
February 17, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Contributor
The Bowdoin Men's Track Team faced Middlebury and the Coast Guard Academy at home on Saturday, using the competition as preparation for the upcoming championship season.
The meet served as a last chance for the athletes to post qualifying marks for next weekend's Division III New England Track Championship, as well as an opportunity for those who had already qualified to compete in different events. Bowdoin and the Coast Guard Academy traded the lead throughout the meet, but the Coast Guard fought hard and captured a well-deserved win at the end of the day.
There were many notable performances throughout the meet. Senior captain Patrick Lyons won both the shot put and the weight throw, while senior teammate Alex Linhart claimed second place in the weight throw. Sophomore David Wagoner-Edwards clinched third place by clearing 12 inches in the pole vault, improving upon his previous personal best by a foot.
The Polars Bears once again dominated the 55-meter hurdles. Senior Joe Adu won the event. First-years Mike Krohn and Ike Irby, and sophomore Ben Coquillette captured second, third and fifth, respectively. First-year Damon Hall-Jones built upon his breakout performances last week with victories in the 55-meter dash and second in the 200-meter dash.
The distance squad had another strong day. Sophomore Owen McKenna and first-year Jay McCormick captured first and second in the 800 meters, while sophomores Tim Katlic and Nate Krah claimed the top spots in the 1000 meters. Krah, a standout runner in the 5000 meters, had already won the one mile earlier in the day.
The Bowdoin men saved their best for last. In the final event of the day, the 4x400 relay team showed post-season potential by running a blazing 3:26.89, besting an earlier seed time by nearly two seconds.
The men's track team fought mightily, but came up short against the Coast Guard Academy, which posted 159 points to Bowdoin's 141 and Middlebury's 56. The Polar Bears will be traveling to Boston today, to compete Saturday in the New England Championship at MIT.
Women’s track hurtles over competition
February 17, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The women's track team had a full weekend of competition. Last Friday, the 4x400-meter team of Alison Pilon '09, Gina Campelia '07, Emily Hackert '06, and Emily Sheffield '06, traveled down to Boston University to represent Bowdoin in the Valentine's Day Classic. The team shaved eight seconds off its time, running a 4:02.76 for 19th place.
The next day the entire team faced Middlebury and the Coast Guard in the last home meet of the season, finishing the regular season with a win. Bowdoin scored 162 points to Middlebury's 100.5 and the Coast Guard Academy's 84.5. With several first places and faster times, the women proved that they are ready to head into the championship season.
Sheffield's success in the 4x400-meter relay carried over into Saturday's meet as she set a new school record in the 600 meters, running a personal best of 1:37.83 for first. Bowdoin's first years helped make the 600 meters the Bears' highest-scoring event of the meet with Ali Chase and Lynne Tempest, running personal bests for second and third place, respectively.
Junior Louise Duffus once again dominated the throws. Duffus, joined by first-years Kelsey Borner, Chelsea Jackson, and Shemeica Binns, made the shot put the second-highest scoring event for Bowdoin. Duffus threw a personal best for first, Borner took second, and Jackson captured third with a personal best. In the weight throw, Binns's efforts resulted in a personal best and fifth-place finish, as Duffus took another first, making her the leading scorer of the meet for the Bears. Borner and Jackson took third and sixth, respectively.
The women's high jump saw similar action as the Polar Bears swept the top three finishes. Erin Prifogle '07 led the women with a first place. Jessie DePalo '08 took second, clearing her highest height this season. Pilon, in her second meet of the weekend, placed third in the high jump.
Pilon also had the chance to run the 400 meters again, and taking full advantage of the opportunity, won the open 400 meters in 61.90 seconds.
Senior Ruth Jacobson's efforts pulled in more points for the Bears with two second-place finishes in the 55-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, running personal bests for the second weekend in a row.
Alyssa Chen '08 made her debut in the 200 meters, demonstrating her diversity as a runner and pole vaulter. She took sixth in the 200 meters and cleared 9'7" for fourth in the pole vault. In the 55-meter hurdles, the Bears posted more strong performances, taking three of the top five places. Prifogle finished for second place, Hackert captured third, and Alex Keeney '09 placed fifth.
Hackert continued her busy day with a second place in long jump. Keeney also competed in the jumps, qualifying for the New England DIII championships next weekend and earning second place. Molly Seaward '09 posted strong performances in both jumps, grabbing fourth in the long jump and third in the triple jump.
The mid-distance runners added more personal bests and brought in points for the Bears. Sophomore Amy Ahearn broke 2:20 in the 800 meters for a personal best that earned her second place, while fellow sophomores Laura Onderko and Courtney Eustace claimed the top two finishes in the mile.
In the 1000 meters, the Polar Bears took second, third, and fourth. Onderko and Lindsey Schickner '09 both ran personal bests for second and third. Caitlin Mevorach '09 finished fourth. Jamie Knight '07 took a break from the 5k to run the 3k, contributing another fourth-place finish.
The relay teams gave the Bears a strong finish. In the 4x400-meter relay, the Bears took first and second-place finishes.
The championship season will begin this Saturday at Tufts with the New England Division III Championships.
Track takes back state crown
February 10, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Contributor
It was hard to tell that the Polar Bears were seeded as 20-point underdogs at the Maine State Meet held at the University of Southern Maine. Bowdoin dominated the field in all disciplines and left the Costello Sports Complex Saturday night as State Champions.
Senior co-captain Pat Lyons, commenting on the team's upset win, said, "It was one of the most exciting meets I have ever been apart of. It will be something I will always think of when I look back on my four years at Bowdoin."
The Polar Bears knew that they would need dozens of step-up performances in order to win, and many athletes delivered, especially in the field events. In the throws, Lyons and first-year Luke Fairbanks delivered under pressure, throwing personal bests in both the shot put and the weight throw. The Bowdoin throwers outscored traditional throwing powerhouse Bates for the first time since 1976.
Coach Slovenski pulled out all the stops for the jumps, recruiting several runners and throwers. His gamble paid off for the Bears. Senior Joel Presti, who had not jumped since his first year at Bowdoin, won the high jump by clearing six feet. Senior Jared Prichard became the first man in the history of the Maine State Meet to score in both the high jump and the shot put, claiming fourth in high jump. First-year Jay McCormick captured fifth place in the high jump. He then went on to run a season best in the 800 meters for second place. Junior Joe Adu placed second in his first collegiate long jump, while Presti came through again with a 20-foot leap, good for fifth place.
Inspired by their teammates in the field events, the Bowdoin runners came through with several clutch performances on the oval. The Polar Bears dominated the 55-meter hurdles. Adu and first-year Ike Irby ran personal bests of 7.89 and 8.29 seconds to capture second and third place, respectively. First-year Mike Krohn placed fourth with a season best of 8.39 seconds. First-year Damon Hall-Jones ran personal bests to finish third in the 55-meter dash and to capture fourth place in the 200-meter dash.
Sophomore Eric Lee also had a stand-out performance. Getting off to a fast start in the 600-meter race, Lee seized the lead and never looked back, winning with a personal best 1:24. Senior co-captain Andrew Combs surged in the last lap of the 800-meter run to snatch the win. Minutes after placing third in the mile, junior Owen McKenna clinched second place in 1000 meters. First-year Archie Abrams overcame a hip-flexor strain for a third-place finish in the race. Sophomore Nathan Krah distanced all competitors in the 5000-meter run, making his New England DIII Championship qualifying time of 15:22 look easy.
The men put it all together to win in dramatic fashion in front of an electrified crowd. According to Lyons, "we wanted it more than Bates, and that is why we won."
They outperformed their stunned opponents with unsurpassed depth, scoring 184.5 points to Bate's 159.5, USM's 130 and Colby's 48. Bowdoin's victory brought the Mal Morrell trophy back home. The Bears will face Middlebury and the Coast Guard Academy at home this Saturday.
Women's track fields second place
February 10, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
Despite posting numerous personal bests, the women's track team was not able to overcome the University of Southern Maine at the Maine State Meet, finishing with 147 points to USM's 172 points. NESCAC rivals, Bates and Colby finished close behind in third and fourth respectively with 130 and 122 points.
Bowdoin had two first-place performances in the 800 meters and 5k. Senior Emily Sheffield led the 800 meters from the start with Amy Ahearn '08 close behind in second, making the event the highest scoring of the meet for the Bears. Junior Kristen Brownell, seeded first in the 5k, ran true to form, winning the race. Jamie Knight '07 took fourth for the Bears in the race.
Junior Louise Duffus once again led the team in points, dominating the throwing events with second places in both the shot put and weight throw. Duffus's fellow throwers also met success, making the shot put the second-highest scoring event with a third place throw from first-year Kelsey Borner, a personal best for fifth from Chelsea Jackson '09, and a seventh-place finish by Shemeica Binns '09. Borner also took fourth in the weight throw.
The Bear's success continued in the sprints and mid-distance events. Senior Ruth Jacobson ran two personal bests, running a 7.67 in the 55-meter dash to qualify for finals, where she placed fourth. In the 200 meters, Jacobson finished in 28.17 for fifth. Kari Barber '06 and Jessie DePalo '08 also competed in the sprints with Barber taking seventh and ninth in the 55 meters and 200 meters, respectively. DePalo took eighth in the 55 meters.
Emily Hackert '06 proved her versatility on the track placing in three individual events. Hackert had a fourth-place finish in the 200 meters, a sixth-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles, and another sixth place in long jump with a personal best of 15'11.75". Erin Prifogle '07 also tested herself in multiple events, taking fourth in the 55-meter hurdles and leading the Bears in the high jump with a third place finish. The women's pole vault added more points to Bowdoin's score as all three women, Alyssa Chen '08, Becca Perry '07, and Erin Taylor '09 posted season bests taking third, fifth, and ninth, respectively. Molly Seaward '09 added a fifth-place finish in the triple jump to the team tally, while Alex Keeney '09 posted an eighth-place finish.
The 400 meters was another strong event for the women, who claimed three of the top six places. Alison Pilon '09 finished second, Gina Campelia '07 took fourth, and Lynne Tempest '09 posted a sixth-place finish.
With only a short break after the 400 meters, Tempest was back on the track for the 1000 meters. Pulling a tough double she placed seventh. Joining her in the 1000 meters were sophomores Laura Onderko and Courtney Eustace, who took fourth and sixth, respectively. Eustace and Onderko teamed up again in the mile, taking fifth and seventh. Brownell ran the hardest double of the night, competing in the 3k after her victory in the 5k, for a sixth-place finish, just behind teammate, Elissa Gervais '09. Gervais ran a personal best for fifth place, despite two weeks of cross-training due to injury.
In the 600 meters, the Bears faced fierce competition from Bates and Colby runners, but showed they were up to the challenge. First-year Ali Chase, though not feeling in top form, sprinted to a third-place finish, closely followed by fellow first-years Jess Sokolow and Lindsey Schickner in fifth and seventh, respectively. Katie Mevorach '09, Elizabeth Onderko '08, and Betsey Griffin '09 placed in ninth, 10th, and 12th places for the Bears.
Bowdoin's relays began and ended the meet with strong performances. In the first track event of the evening, the 4x200-meter team of Barber, Sokolow, Seaward, and Campelia placed third. Bringing the meet to a close, the 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter teams, battled to the end with a close finish. The 4x400-meter relay, composed of Campelia, Pilon, Hackert, and Sheffield took second place, as Bates nudged out Bowdoin by .19 seconds for first. The 4x800-meter team of Mevorach, Schickner, Sokolow, and Ahearn came from behind to win the final event of the night for Bowdoin.
Men’s track finishes third of six at meet
February 3, 2006
By Patrick Pierce
Contributor
The members of the Bowdoin Men's Track Team tested their form against Colby, MIT, Tufts, Springfield and Gordon and find themselves to be in good shape.
Unfortunately reports of smoke inside Farley Field House delayed Saturday's meet for over two hours, forcing athletes and spectators alike to evacuate the field house, while the Brunswick Fire Department investigated the claims.
Although it appeared that the athletes might give way to competitive urges amidst the freshly fallen snow, cooler heads prevailed and the teams harmoniously shared the synthetic turf of Ryan Field, basking in the unseasonal heat until the meet resumed.
Upon receiving permission to re-enter, the meet recommenced with a bang. Within minutes junior Owen McKenna was dueling two MIT runners in the mile race. With just 400 meters to go McKenna unleashed his ferocious kick, for which he is notorious throughout the NESCAC, to surge past his two competitors with a personal best of 4:16.64.
The Polar Bears fared well in the other distance and mid-distance events. Sophomores Steven Bartus and Eric Lee both ran strong in the 600 meters, finishing third and fourth, respectively. Lee managed to finish just four seconds behind Bartus in the first 600-meter race of the season. In the 800 meter, first year Jay McCormick led the field through the midway mark, finishing with a personal best of 2:00.59.
Sophomores Tim Katlic and Ken Akiha reaped the results of their dedicated training, running personal bests in their races. Katlic improved upon his previous best mark in the 1000 meter by three seconds, while Akiha shaved 30 seconds off his best 5k time.
The 3k did not disappoint either, as sophomores Nathan Krah and Tyler Lonsdale, finished first and second, repeating their heroics from the previous meet. The super sophomore duo tagged behind two Engineers for 14 laps before burning their opponents with a flaming burst of speed.
In the hurdles, junior Joe Adu charged hard at the finish to out-pace his talented MIT opponent, winning with a time of 8.08 seconds. Adu's personal best of 8.02 set during the trial heat of the hurdles makes him a top contender in post-season competition. In the 400 meters sophomores Brendan Egan and Lamont White took second and third, respectively for the Bears.
In the field events, senior Jared Prichard carried the high-jumping torch for his injured teammate junior Bari Robinson with a sixth-place finish.
In his first year of collegiate competition, sophomore David Wagoner-Edwards led the pole vaulters with a personal best of 11," giving athletes and spectators of glimpse of his potential for seasons-to-come.
Senior captain Patrick Lyons showed good form with a shot put distance of 47' 3", and a weight throw of 47'11", both good for fifth place.
The men, slowed by injuries, showed poise and promise by finishing third out of six teams. They scored 98 points to meet-winner MIT's 198. The Polar Bears trounced Colby's last-place finish of 20 points. The Polar Bears eagerly await their opportunity to take back the Mal Morrell Trophy, named after Malcom Morrell, the long time Bowdoin athletic director and namesake of Morrell Gym, at the Maine State Meet this weekend at the University of Southern Maine.
Track takes second
February 3, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Women's Track Team did not let a two-hour delay -caused by an electrical fire in Farley Field House, slow them down. The Bears took second out of the five-team field, losing to Tufts, the meet winner, by only 3.5 points on Saturday.
Once again junior Louise Duffus led the women in point totals, winning both throwing events and setting a new school record with a personal best in the weight throw. Her throw of 54'2" also qualified her provisionally for nationals.
Senior Emily Sheffield captured Bowdoin's other first place, winning the 1000 meters in 3:01.17. Sheffield's win, combined with sophomore Laura Onderko's second-place finish and first year Lindsey Schickner's fifth-place finish, made the 1000 meters the Bears' highest scoring event. First years Ali Chase, Lynne Tempest, and Jess Sokolow made the 600 meters another strong event for Bowdoin, with Chase and Tempest taking second and third in 1:41.45 and 1:42.35, respectively. Sokolow added points to Bear's tally for the event with a fifth-place finish.
The other mid-distance events brought more points to Bowdoin's total with Amy Ahearn '08 sprinting past competition in the 800 meters for fourth with a personal best of 2:21.97. Sophomore Courtney Eustace overcame fierce competition to take third place in the mile in 5:18.86.
Alison Pilon '09 captured third in the 400 meters. Kristen Brownell '07 followed suit, taking third place in the 3000 meters with a personal best of 10:50.36. Juniors Gina Campelia and Jamie Knight pulled fifth and sixth place finishes in the 400 meters, respectively. In the 55-meter hurdles, Erin Prifogle '07 and senior Emily Hackert took second and third, respectively. Hackert captured another third in the long jump, while Molly Seaward '09 took fourth. In the triple jump, first year Alex Keeney joined Seaward for another set of third and fourth place finishes. Prifogle was Bowdoin's top finisher in the high jump, clearing 5'1.75" for second place. Teammate Jessie DePalo '08 cleared 4'7.75" for fifth.
Seniors Ruth Jacobson and Kari Barber took seventh and eighth in the 200 meters. Jacobson also competed in the 55-meter dash, sprinting to a second place finish in 7.77. In the pole vault Alyssa Chen '08 cleared 9'1" for third and Becca Perry '07 took fourth.
Bowdoin finished strong in the relays. In the 4x200-meter relay, the team of Sokolow, Campelia, Barber, and Seaward took second. The Polar Bears took another second place in the 4x400-meter relay composed of Hackert, Pilon, Campelia, and Chase. The distance medley relay of Eustace, Sheffield, Ahearn, and Courtney Martin '09 placed fourth.
The Bears will attempt to capture the state championship in a meet against Colby and USM tonight at Bates.
Women’s track and field finds success over break
January 27, 2006
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
Returning two weeks early for preseason training, the women's indoor track team tested its progress with two meets against Brandeis. The Bears defeated the Judges in their first meet of the season 115 to 36, only to fall to them one week later 187 to 147.
In their first home meet of the season, the women demonstrated their strength by capturing multiple first-place titles with many personal bests that were good enough to qualify for post-season meets. Senior co-captain Emily Hackert, junior Louise Duffus, and first year Alison Pilon were Bowdoin's highest scorers of the meet, each taking first in two events. Pilon also contributed to the 4x200m team's second place finish. Hackert won both the 55m hurdles, and the long jump.
The throwers, led by Duffus, dominated their events, making the shot put and the weight throw two of the highest scoring events for the Bears. In the shot put, Duffus threw far enough for first, and first year Kelsey Borner took second. First years Chelsea Jackson and Shameica Binns finished third and fourth, respectively. The weight throw saw similar results with Duffus once again capturing first and Borner second.
The 3k was also a high-scoring event for the Bears with junior Kristen Brownell taking first. First years Annie Monjar and Elissa Gervais and Jamie Knight '07 were close behind. Brownell pulled a tough double, also running the mile, pulling off a second-place finish. Laura Onderko '08 took first.
Bowdoin's success continued in the other mid-distance events. Amy Ahearn '08 beat her Brandeis competitor to the finish. Senior Emily Sheffield sprinted to a first-place finish in the 1000m. In the shorter distances Jess Sokolow '09 continued the team's success with a first in the 600m. Captain Gina Campelia '07 teamed up with Pilon to dominate the 400m, taking second and first, respectively.
In the sprints, senior Ruth Jacobson took two second-place finishes in the 55m dash and the 200m. The Bears also found success in the field tests. Pilon and Jessie DePalo '08 took first and second, respectively, in the long jump. In the pole vault Becca Perry '07 took first. The triple jump increased Bowdoin's lead with a first-place finish from Molly Seward '09.
A week later in the two teams' second meeting, Brandeis took Bowdoin down a notch. Brandeis won the meet 187-147. The women's highest scoring event was the 5k with Brownell and Knight taking first and second place finishes. Duffus posted the most points for Bowdoin again with first places in the shot put and weight throw. Emily Sheffield '06 captured one more first for Bowdoin in the 800m. Bowdoin's relays contributed to Bowdoin's total with a first place finish from the Distance Medley Relay team of Gervais, Campelia, Courtney Eustace '08, and Onderko. The 4x800m team of Onderko, Ahearn, Schickner, and Sokolow captured another first. The final 4x400m relay of Chase, Sheffield, Campelia, and Pilon took second.
Bowdoin will play host to MIT, Tufts, and Springfield this Saturday at noon.
Men’s Track Thwarts Competition at Brandeis Invite
January 27, 2006
By Steven Bartus ‘08
The Bowdoin men’s track and field team emerged victorious at the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational contested last Saturday at Brandeis University. Though it is still early in the season, the men valiantly demonstrated to eight-team field that they are indeed not just a bunch of pretty faces and are fully deserving of their place as one of the New England’s perennial track powers.
The Bowdoin throwers led the victorious effort, sweeping the top three positions in both the weight throw and the shot put. Senior captain Patrick Lyons notched two first place efforts, followed closely by his comrades Alex Linhart ’06 and Luke Fairbanks ’09 in the weight as well as Jared Prichard ’06 and Fairbanks in the shot. When reflecting on Lyons’ dominance in the throwing circle, Linhart gushed, “His poise and prowess reminded me of a young Ronald Reagan in his fight against the evils of Communism. Undoubtedly, Patrick Lyons remains the last best hope for a mankind plagued by tyranny and deprivation.”
On the track, the dynamic duo of Nathan Krah ’08 and Tyler Lonsdale ’08 mesmerized the cheering crowd with their dramatic victorious finishes in the 5000 meters. With two laps to go, the pair looked destined for defeat at the hands of their swift, though somewhat scraggily USM foe. However, as the bell rang for the last lap, Krah and Lonsdale proved that the race was never in doubt, blasting past their opponent at a blistering pace. Krah crossed the finish line first with a time of 15:26; Lonsdale followed a second later. More heroics were going on farther back in the race. Junior Eric Sofen, long plagued by nagging injuries, left the rest of the field in his dust, running a personal best of 15:49. Following the race, Sofen proclaimed, “I’d like to dedicate this effort to my good friend, mentor, and role model Aaron Goldstein ’05. Without his dedication to the free market system as well as his charming penchant for Banana Republic sweaters, I would never have been able to persevere to this great day.”
Elsewhere, Owen McKenna ’07 dished up a patented O-Mac attack in the mile, handedly winning in 4:20. The rest of the pack realized early on in the race that the man in black and white was vastly out of their league, superior in both his dashing charm as well as track prowess.
The men look to continue their success this Saturday against MIT, Tufts, Springfield, and Colby at the Farley Field House.
Men’s XC takes fifth
November 18, 2005
By Scot McFarlane
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Men's Cross Country Team took advantage of the perfect fall weather to capture fifth place out of 43 teams at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Regionals. The team fell two places short of a chance at national level competition in Saturday's meet.
Several Bowdoin runners had standout performances. Owen McKenna '07 ran very well with a 16th place finish, only spot away from an individual bid at Nationals. Tyler Lonsdale '08 followed McKenna to finish for 17th place. "It was a terrific boost for our lineup to have Tyler and Owen race so well. They both ran smart and aggressive races," Coach Peter Slovenski said.
First year Archie Abrams took 41st place, showing his potential to become an integral runner for seasons to come.
"Archie Abrams had a great race. He helped our team pass both MIT and Connecticut College in the final mile," Slovenski said.
Abrams and 49th place finisher, Nate Krah '08, fell in the middle of race when a runner tripped in front of them. The two recovered to secure Bowdoin's top five finish.
Captain Andrew Combs '06, a three-time All-American in the mile race, was poised to head to Nationals himself, but fell victim to over-training.
"Nobody on our team trained more hours than Andrew this summer and fall," Slovenski said. "There is a fine line between training up to the edge and going over the edge. We took some risks with his training, and I think we miscalculated. He was training at an All-American level all summer and fall, but it was probably a little too much. He gave it everything he had."
Last weekend's race capped off a successful season for the team and demonstrated its potential for continued success in the future.
Men's XC finishes fourth at NESCAC Championship
November 4, 2005
By Scot McFarlane
Staff Writer
Taking advantage of another tough, hilly course, the Bowdoin Men's Cross Country Team captured fourth at the NESCAC Championship meet at Wesleyan.
The Polar Bears were outpaced by Tufts, Williams, and Wesleyan in Saturday's meet. The team came painfully close to Wesleyan's 99 points with a team score of 105.
The Wesleyan course featured a devestating climb during miles two and four of the race. It was so steep that some racers were forced to walk up the hill.
The top two Bowdoin finishers, sophomores Tyler Lonsdale and Nate Krah, ran very smart races, according to coach Peter Slovenski. "They were in 30th place after a mile, and moved up relentlessly. They ran beautiful races and ended up in the top 20," Slovenski said.
First-year Archie Abrams made a great championship debut, sticking with the lead pack during much of the race for a sixth-place team finish.
Sophomore John Hall and junior Owen McKenna ran solid races, placing in the top 30 overall. McKenna struggled for the early portion of the race, but turned up the heat to pass ten runners in the final leg of the race.
Top runner Andrew Combs '06 fell early on in the race. "Andrew has been our top runner all season. He fell in the second mile and didn't get back into his rhythm after that. He's a tough and inspired runner in the biggest races, so I think he'll come back with a great race next week," Slovenski said.
Satisfied with its performance, the team looks forward to another strong race at Regionals. The Bears hope to surge past Wesleyan and surprise Keene State.
Ben Martens '06 said, "A lot of potential was shown and it should be a good meet to build upon."
Lonsdale echoed this sentiment. "The Bears are not only the best looking team in NESCAC, but also the strongest pack out there," he said.
Men’s cross country takes first place
October 21, 2005
By Scot McFarlane
Contributor
Up a mountain and then down again, in the pouring rain and slippery mud, the Bowdoin Men's Cross Country Team became Maine State Champions.
The Maine State Meet was held at Colby College, which is one of the hardest eight-kilometer courses, since roughly a quarter of the course is uphill. The Polar Bears ran the race perfectly, making sure not to overtire themselves on the hill so they could pass runners on the way to the finish line. Nate Krah '08, who reached the top of the hill in 13th place, ended up finishing fifth overall.
It was anybody's race. In a race earlier this season, Bowdoin narrowly defeated Colby. The runners used the adversity to their advantage, maintaining a positive state of mind throughout the race. Captain Ben Martens '06 directed the team to run the race with a "happy and excited" outlook.
As Archie Abrams '09 put it, "the race was awesome."
Bowdoin won with a score of 24. Five of the top ten spots were Bowdoin runners, with captain Andrew Combs '06 taking second place and John Hall '08 in third place.
Owen McKenna '07 and Krah followed them to the finish, taking fourth and fifth place, respectively. Martens finished in tenth place. Tyler Lonsdale '08 took 11th place in his second race of the season. First year Jay McCormick had a breakout performance, taking 29th overall.
The team has a very demanding week of practice coming up before beginning to taper workouts in preparation for the NESCAC meet at Wesleyan.
Men's XC takes first at invitational
October 14, 2005
By Scot McFarlane
Contributor
After taking first place out of six teams at the University of Maine-Farmington Invitational two weeks ago, the Bowdoin Men's Cross Country Team once again claimed the top spot at the Westfield State Invitational, returning home with an apple pie as a prize.
With the return of two varsity runners, Tyler Lonsdale '08 and Quentin Reeve '07, the UMF Invitational demonstrated the team's depth.
Lonsdale was injured during last year's season, but he gave a stunning comeback performance, taking second overall in the race with Reeve behind him in fifth. Senior co-captain Ben Martens captured first place for the team.
The Westfield State race was marked by strong sophomore performances. Sophomores John Hall, Lonsdale, and Nate Krah won second through fourth place overall. The team's success has depended upon its endurance and ability to stick together during a race.
Senior co-captain Andrew Combs also raced in Massachusetts last weekend at the New England Collegiate Cross Country Championships, held at Franklin Park in Boston. Competing against many Division I runners, Combs took 85th place.
The team is preparing to challenge rivals Colby and Bates at the Maine State Meet at the steep and slippery Colby course this Saturday. The Polar Bears narrowly defeated Colby in a victory too close for comfort.
Men's cross country beats Colby in close race
September 30, 2005
By Scot McFarlane
Contributor
The Bowdoin Men's Cross Country Team narrowly defeated rival Colby in Saturday's race.
The final score of 28 - 27 showed that cross country is a team sport and the performance of every runner counts.
Most of the team held back at the beginning of the race to let the Colby guys blow off their steam, except for senior Andrew Combs, a co-captain, who maintained the lead throughout the entire race.
The fast pace of the Bowdoin course made it difficult for the Polar Bears to catch the Colby runners.
Junior Owen McKenna and Nate Krah '08 secured fourth and fifth places, respectively. The third Bowdoin finish came from senior co-captain Ben Martens in the day's most exciting race. Martens ran in ninth place for most of the race and trailed by 20 seconds the seventh and eighth place runners from Colby at the three mile mark, with two miles left. Martens kicked past the two Colby runners to capture a crucial seventh place finish.
Sophomore Steve Bartus, in the second college 8k race of his career, took 13th place for the Polar Bears.
The team was down several runners because of injuries.
This weekend the Polar Bears will challenge the University of Maine at Farmington in their third meet of the season.
Cross country outpaces competition
September 16, 2005
By Scot McFarlane
Contributor
Bowdoin Men's Cross Country kicked their season off with a bang at the University of New England in Biddeford.
It was a very successful race, with the Polar Bears taking first place with a score of 17, with 15 being the top score. After having not attended the meet for a few years, the team chose to participate this year in part because of senior co-captain Ben Martens' nostalgia for what was his first 8k college race.
This race was a great preview of what to expect this fall, including the team's goal to become one of the top three teams in the NESCAC. Last week's results are especially were especially heartening for the team, since three varsity runners co-captain Andrew Combs '06, Quentin Reeve '07, and first year Archie Abrams, did not compete in the race.
The course itself was morechallenging than Bowdoin's home course; among several obstacles was a hairpin turn that sent many runners flying into a pine tree. The team showed great cohesiveness, staying in two packs for much of the race before each runner went out on his own.
As seventh place finish sophomore John Hall said, "we followed the plan pretty well."
Running in the first pack were eventual race champion Owen McKenna '07 and sophomores Nate Krah and Tim Katlik, who took second and third respectively. Rounding out the first pack of Bowdoin runners was Martens with a 4th place finish.
Before the race, co-captain Combs' advice to the team to was "stay relaxed." The team did just that, keeping its cool and focusing on the race. Bowdoin will face off against Colby on Saturday, September 24.
Women’s cross country finishes ninth at N.E. Championships
November 18, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The women's cross country team concluded its season with a ninth place finish, just four points behind eighth place NESCAC rival Connecticut College, in the New England Division III Championships.
Running an additional kilometer, the Polar Bears capped off an impressive season with many personal bests in Saturday's unseasonably warm race in Springfield, Massachusetts.
"The atmosphere at practice in the week leading up to this race was great. It felt as though everyone was preparing to give everything they had on Saturday for the good of the team," said junior co-captain Jamie Knight.
Kristen Brownell '07 led Bowdoin's rush to finish, taking 43rd place overall in 23:17. Courtney Eustace '08 followed for 56th place in 23:39, another personal best. Laura Onderko'08 captured 63rd place for Polar Bears. First year Courtney Martin, normally Bowdoin's top runner, bravely ran through her bronchitis to take 64th place, only two seconds behind Onderko. Junior Alex Knapp rounded out the Bowdoin top five with a 75th place finish in 23:56.
This season has catapulted Knapp into a pivotal position on team. "Alex Knapp gave the team a big lift this season. She started out running in the number eight position, but she developed into a very competitive number five runner in the October and November championships," Coach Slovenski said.
Knight, running sixth for Bowdoin, played a crucial role in Bowdoin's success at the meet. Knight secured Bowdoin's one point victory over Smith by passing the team's sixth-place runner for 111th.
Amy Ahearn '08 finished 127th for the Polar Bears with a time of 25:01.
"I think this weekend was a testament to how strong this team truly is. Some of the women ran their best races, and others pushed through illness and pain without a single complaint. My teammates never cease to amaze me, and I feel so lucky to have another season to run with these women," Knight said.
With only one runner graduating, the women's country cross team can look forward to even more success.
Women's XC finishes eighth
November 4, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Women's Cross Country Team braved a sudden cold snap at the NESCAC Championships, taking eighth place out of 11 at Saturday's meet held at Wesleyan.
"Despite the cold weather and a long trip down to Connecticut, I think we ran a tough race. We weren't in top form on Saturday. We had sickness, asthma attacks and injuries to deal with, but we persevered and saw some great performances even with all that," junior co-captain Jamie Knight said.
Senior co-captain Jill Schweitzer echoed this sentiment. "Despite some serious setbacks, like bronchitis and asthma between our top two runners, the team pulled through and we had some great races on Saturday," Schweitzer said.
Junior Kristen Brownell led the Polar Bears to the finish, capturing 33rd overall with a personal best time of 19:26.
"Kristen Brownell showed a lot of poise and came through for us in a clutch situation. She has made outstanding improvement this season. She has become a very intelligent and determined racer. She does her best in the biggest races," coach Peter Slovenski said.
Brownell was closely followed by Courtney Martin '09, who raced through illness, crossing the line just seven seconds later in 38th place.
Sophomore Courtney Eustace overcame a mid-race asthma attack to finish 55th with a time of 19:53. Laura Onderko '08 trailed Eustace by one second for a 56th place finish.
Alex Knapp '07, running fifth for Bowdoin, sprinted to the finish in 20:03 for 64th, finishing just 37 seconds after Brownell. Amy Ahearn '08 and Jamie Knight '07 rounded out Bowdoin's top seven, taking 72nd and 83rd, respectively.
Leading Bowdoin's final charge to the finish was sophomore Sarah Podmaniczky in 95th, followed by first-year Lindsey Schickner for 102nd place.
Two runners later, Schweitzer crossed the finish line for the final race of her college career with a season best time of 21:12.
"The team has this coming weekend off, and I think the extra rest will make up for illness and fatigue that showed itself at NESCACs" Schweitzer said, adding "I have a lot of faith in our top seven to move up in Division IIIs. They'll be ready to peak and I look forward to watching a great race."
Women’s XC second
October 21, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The Polar Bears did not let the tough weather conditions faze them as they slipped and slid on a rain-soaked course at the Maine State Meet at Colby. Bowdoin captured second, losing to Colby, but outran Bates.
"Saturday was a tough day to race, but we came out strong and had a good day nonetheless. Our top seven improved against Colby, and we beat Bates comfortably," senior co-captain Jill Schweitzer said.
Leading the Polar Bears to the finish was first year Courtney Martin, who took eighth overall with a time of 20:05, followed by Kristen Brownell '07 in ninth. The Polar Bears continued their strong finish with sophomores Courtney Eustace and Laura Onderko capturing tenth and 11th, respectively. Rounding out Bowdoin's top five was junior Alex Knapp, who placed 15th.
"Alex Knapp's improvement has been very important to the team. She gives us a lot of speed and talent in the number five position," said Coach Peter Slovenski.
With only 43 seconds separating Bowdoin's first and fifth runners, the women met and surpassed Slovenski's challenge: that the top runners to finish within one minute of one another.
"I was impressed at the intelligence and determination we showed throughout the lineup," Slovenski said, adding, "Colby's course is very hilly and muddy, and our team rose up to have its best race in the worst conditions."
The Polar Bears continued their race to the finish with Lindsay Schickner '09 finishing only five places behind Knapp. Amy Ahearn '08 came in next at 24th place.
Junior co-captain, Jamie Knight led the next pack of Polar Bears to the finish taking 27th, while Elissa Gervais '09 took 34th only ten seconds later. Sarah Podmaniczky '08 followed in 37th place and Caroline Sholl '09 took 41st.
The team's co-captain, Schweitzer, brought Bowdoin's final group to the finish, taking 51st. Birgitta Polson '09 finished 55th and Aisha Woodward '08 in 61st.
"The team did an incredible job for such a difficult course. Halfway through Colby's course, there is a challenging hill that slows many runners down, but everyone on the team pushed through with a great deal of determination," said Knight.
The top 12 runners will continue training for the last few meets of the season.
The team is optimistic about the remainder of the season. "With a weekend off between states and NESCACs, I think we'll get the rest we need to have a smart, fresh race down at Wesleyan [on October 29]. I still hold that we can surprise a lot of NESCAC teams and exceed others' expectations. I'm excited to see what happens," Schwietzer said.
Women's XC races through bad weather
October 14, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The Polar Bears ran through heavy rains and mud at the ninth Annual James Early Invitational in Westfield, Massachusetts. But the bad weather did not stop the team. The women met the extra challenge and won the race.
"We're a better team in bad weather. I hope the weather is bad for the rest of our races," said Coach Peter Slovenski of the team's performance.
Junior co-captain Jamie Knight agreed with Slovenski.
"People who spend their time running around in Maine don't worry about rain or mud. We didn't let the bad weather faze us. On the starting line, our women were focused on what they could do in those conditions, while the rest of the teams were worried about what they couldn't do that day," she said.
Bowdoin first year Courtney Martin led the women to the finish, taking second overall with a personal best of 18:55.
Courtney Eustace '08 followed Martin to the finish to take third place in the meet.
"Eustace had an outstanding race. She did a lot of hard work this summer, and it was great to see her run so well Saturday," said Slovenski.
Rounding out the top ten finishers overall were Bowdoin's third and fourth runners, Kristen Brownell '07 and Laura Onderko '08. Just one second apart, the pair captured ninth and tenth places, respectively.
Continuing Bowdoin's charge to the finish were sophomore Amy Ahearn, who captured 15th with a personal best of 19:48, and junior Alex Knapp. Knapp had a personal best, breaking 20 minutes for the first time, with 19:52 for 18th place. Just 11 seconds later, Lindsey Schnickner '09 finished 23rd.
Sprinting to the finish, sophomore Sarah Podmaniczky grabbed 31st in 20:22. Knight and senior Jill Schweitzer finished the Bowdoin line-up taking 44th in 20:41 and 92nd in 21:57 respectively.
The women continue to train hard, looking ahead to this Saturday's meet, where they will face their NESCAC rivals, Bates and Colby, at the Maine State meet at Colby.
Colby races ahead of women’s cross country
September 30, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
Highly-ranked Colby College outpaced the Bowdoin Women's Cross Country Team on Saturday in Bowdoin's first home meet in almost four years.
The Polar Bears say they are taking last Saturday's loss in stride.
Senior co-captain Jill Schweitzer said, "Colby was top-five in the nation last year. They only lost one runner and they gained one to replace her. We knew they would be tough competition, and they certainly proved themselves on Saturday. Yet I'm not worried about how we did. Many of us had great races, and many of us can now see clear goals for the future."
First-year Courtney Martin finished first for the Polar Bears. Martin stayed with the lead pack of Colby runners throughout the race, taking fifth place overall with a time of 19:15, only five seconds behind the race winner.
"Courtney Martin competed very well with all their top runners, and led the race for part of the last mile. She is poised to have a memorable season," Coach Peter Slovenski said.
After several strong Colby finishes, Bowdoin captured tenth through 13th place. Courtney Eustace '08 finished tenth in 19:42. Fellow sophomore Laura Onderko followed Eustace in 19:57. Just four seconds later Kristen Brownell '07 crossed the finish line for a 13th-place finish.
Amy Ahearn '08 rounded out Bowdoin's top five with a personal best time of 20:03. Alex Knapp '07 and Lindsey Schickner '09 crossed the finish together in 20:20 to take 16 and 17th place.
The next group to finish was led by first year Elissa Gervais with a 19th-place finish. Sarah Podmanizky '08 trailed Gervais for 20th place. Jamie Knight '07 ran a personal best of 20:38 to take 21st.
Jessica Sokolow '09 was Bowdoin's next runner to go through the finish chute to take 26th place. Caroline Sholl '09, who took 28th place.
The team remains positive, despite the loss.
"It was good experience for our team to see what a top five NCAA championship team looks like in a dual-meet race," Slovenski said.
Schweitzer agreed. "We will face Colby at least three more times this season, and now we know which runners to look out for and catch as we progress through the season. Our team is strong, and I'm looking forward to see how we develop," she said.
Women's cross country races ahead
September 16, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
The sun shown brightly on the women's cross country team this past Saturday for the first meet of the season, the University of New England Invitational.
The women demonstrated the team's strength, winning the meet with 16 points. The Polar Bears finished comfortably ahead of second-place University of New England and third-place Endicott.
Bowdoin took the first six places in the 5k race. Sophomore Courtney Eustace won the race. She led almost from the start with a finish of 20:23 minutes and was followed by junior Kristen Brownell, who took second with a time of 20:35 minutes.
Amy Ahearn '08 finished one second behind Brownell. Fellow sophomore Laura Onderko sprinted to the finish to take fourth, with promising first-year runner, Lindsay Schickner close behind finishing fifth for the Polar Bears and sixth overall.
Leading Bowdoin's next group to the finish were juniors Alex Knapp and Jamie Knight, who took ninth and tenth, respectively. Continuing Bowdoin's charge to the finish was Sarah Podmaniczky '08, who is still recovering from injury.
First-year Elissa Gervais finished only two seconds behind Podmaniczky with a 12th place finish. Fellow first-year Jessica Sokolow followed Gervais, sprinting to a 15th place finish. Brigitta Polson '08 took 19th with her fastest season-opening time.
Co-captain senior Jill Schweitzer finished five seconds behind Polson to take 20th. Four seconds later Aisha Woodward '08 finished, taking 21st.
Before the race, Coach Peter Slovenski advised his runners to go out conservatively in the first mile. He divided them into different pace groups so the women would have teammates to run with throughout the race. The tactic served the women well; they finished in close packs with the first five runners within 24 seconds of one another.
The Polar Bears will face rival Colby at home on Saturday, September 24.
Women's cross country running strong
September 9, 2005
By Laura Onderko
Staff Writer
After training on their own through the three summer months, the Bowdoin women's cross country team came together at the start of September to begin training for the upcoming season.
The women and their head coach, Peter Slovenski, are looking forward to an exciting season as they hope to improve upon their eighth place finish at the NESCAC Championships last year, as well as their 12th place finish at New Englands.
Improvement seems likely for the ladies as all five of the first-year runners from last year have returned to the team. After gaining a year of experience on the college running scene, Courtney Eustace '08, Amy Ahearn '08, Aisha Woodward '08, Sarah Podmaniczky '08, and Laura Onderko '08 all look forward to a even stronger sophomore year.
The team also looks to their first-year runners with high expectations as the eleven new runners add not only talent, but depth to the formerly small team.
The women will look to their captains, senior Jill Schweitzer and junior Jamie Knight, to lead the promising young team to a successful season.
As Schwietzer '06 comments, "This season is exciting because so much is up in the air. We have about 13 freshmen on the team, and six out of ten upperclassmen are sophomores. The top seven slots are all up for grabs, enthusiasm seems high, and the amount of talent and preparation on the team is definitely in good standing."
Schwietzer also maintains that the team has great potential this season. "I'm looking forward to seeing what will develop at our first meet on Saturday and throughout the rest of the season; I think we have a great shot at going far and surprising the NESCAC league this season," she said.
With Schweitzer as the only senior on the team and three strong juniors, Knight, Alex Knapp, and Kristen Brownell. The young team has tremendous potential to perform well this year and upcoming years.
Knight attests to the depth and talent of the team, saying, "Jill and I are looking forward to this season a lot, the team is much bigger than it was last season, and along with the talent our new runners bring, we are also gaining a great group of people who are hard workers and a good source of support for the team."
Practices have been going well. So far, the team remains healthy, with key runners Eustace and Podmanizcky, both in the top seven last year, coming back from injuries in outdoor track last spring.
The women are focused on utilizing their practice time early in the season in order to perform well in the upcoming months when the more important championship meets will take place. Slovenski has high hopes for the young team saying, "I've been impressed by the work ethic of the team this month. Everyone is training hard, and I think it will pay off with good results in November."
The Polar Bears will compete in their first race this Saturday at the University of New England in Bidderford, Maine.