Fitchburg State Hosts Eric Loeschner Memorial

Falcon men finish third overall with 100 points; women place fourth with 83 points

FITCHBURG, Mass. (April 21, 2012) – The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s track and field teams hosted the 2012 Eric Loeschner Memorial meet this afternoon, with the Falcon men finishing third overall and the women’s squad placing fourth.

On the men’s side, the Fitchburg State distance team led the way with senior Chris Kibler (Bath, Maine/Morse), classmate Steven Ward (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) junior Michael Grasela (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) and junior Will Lary (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) collecting top three honors. Kibler netted a top finish in the 3000m steeple chase with a DIII time of 9:47.75, while Grasela added a third place effort and time of 10:37.51. Kibler also fared well in the 800m run with a time of 2:02.88 (9th), while Lary placed first with a time of 1:58.99.

Ward ran the longest leg of the day for the Falcons, notching a third place effort in the 10,000m run with a time of 45:31.51, while freshman Brandon Davis (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) and James Quinlan (N. Andover, Mass./N. Andover) finished fifth (2:01.47) and eighth (2:02.66) respectively in the 800m.

In the field, freshmen Mark Wesgan (Lunenburg, Mass./Lunenburg) and Maximin Rocheleau (Winchendon, Mass./Murdock) were strong in the jump events, earning a trio of top-six honors. Wesgan placed fourth in the long-jump with a 5.47m effort and fifth in the triple jump (12.17m), while Rocheleau added a sixth place effort in the long-jump with a distance of 5.38m.

Sophomore Zachary Desrochers (Dracut, Mass./Greater Lowell Tech) also collected a top honor for the Falcons, qualifying for the All-New England’s in the hammer throw (53.25m) and the DIII’s in the discus (42.78m), while Michael Lima (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) finished seventh in the shot-put with a throw of 12.05m. Senior Paul Taddeo (Bellingham, Mass./Bellingham) also threw well with a ninth place showing in the shot (11.75m), while sophomore Jimmy DiNucio (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) finished fifth in the javelin with a throw of 50.40m.

Sophomore Joseph Hollenbeck (Ashby, Mass./North Middlesex) and senior Peter Rowe (Taunton, Mass./Coyle Cassidy) put forth a strong effort in the hurdles for the Falcons. Hollenbeck posted time of 17.02 and 57.73 in the 110m and 400m hurdles while Rowe added marks of 17.55 and 1:05.88 in both events.

Sophomore Patrick Conaty (Southington, Conn./Southington) and junior Josh Kaddy (Westminster, Mass./Oakmont) owned the pole vault for the Falcons, finishing fourth (3.85m) and sixth (2.80m) respectively. The Fitchburg State 4x400 relay team rounded out the day with a second place finish and time of 3:41.65.

On the women’s side, seniors Madeline Merchant (Gardner, Mass./Monty Tech) and Katrina Marrone (Springfield, Mass./West Springfield) stole the show, totaling four, top-seven finishes on the afternoon. Merchant performed well in the field, placing second in the triple jump (10.91m - DIII) and seventh in the long jump (4.94m), while Marrone ran strong on the track with a third place effort in the 5000m (20:53.86) and fourth in the 400m (1:01.09 - DIII). The duo also joined the Falcons first place, ECAC qualifying, 4x100m relay team (Robert, McClure, Marrone, Merchant), posting a time of 50.85.

Junior Emily Lane (Clinton, Conn./The Morgan School) also enjoyed a successful day, placing second in the high-jump (1.62m - ECAC), third in the 400m hurdles (1:07.29 - DIII) and fourth in the pole vault (2.75m).

On the track, junior Chenice Branquinho (E. Freetown, Mass./Old Colony Regional) ran strong, finishing second in the 10,000m run with a time of 46:15.44, while sophomore Samantha Wilkinson (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) and freshman Arthina Robert (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Voc Tech) placed sixth and seventh in the 100m (13.11) and 400m (1:02.88) respectively.

In the field, freshman Rebecca McClure (Lyndeborough, N.H./Wilton-Lyndeborough) turned in a Falcon top finish, placing third overall in the pole vault with a height of 2.75m, while sophomore Brittany Chace (Foster, R.I./Ponagansett) placed fourth in the javelin (36.97m). Junior Megan Gonzalez (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) was also strong in the field with a pair of sixth place finishes in the shot-put (9.75m) and discus (31.49m).

The Fitchburg State men’s and women’s track and field teams will be back in action next weekend as it competes at the MASCAC/Alliance Championships hosted by Westfield State University.