Men second, women third at MAC meet

Marc Johnson, Otis Jordon and Adrian Ghioroaie exit their blocks for the start of the men’s 60-meter dash. Johnson and Jordon placed third and fourth respectively.

Credit: Joshua Echt

Good things come in threes.

The Kent State triple jump squad swept the top three spots en route to a second-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday.

The triple threat of senior Adrian Ghioroaie, junior Phil Rickaby and junior Pawel Dutkiewicz, who went 1-2-3 in the triple jump competition. Ghioroaie won the competition with a jump of 49-5.50 while Rickaby scored a 48-6.25 and Dutkiewicz jumped to a 46-9 mark.

Ghioroaie said his motivation for doing well at the MAC meet was based on the lively team atmosphere.

“Getting points for my team was the most important thing for me,” he said.

The men’s team finished with 177.5 points in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Host Central Michigan won the meet with 214 points.

The women took third place at the meet scoring 88.5 points. Akron won the meet with 97 points, holding off second-place Eastern Michigan, with 95.5 points.

Despite not winning the meet, coach Wendel McRaven said he was pleased with the team’s performances.

“I’m proud of how we performed, win or lose,” he said. “We came together as a team.”

Junior Brent Shelby won his first MAC indoor title in the shot put with a throw of 59-1.25, which provisionally qualified him to the NCAA meet in two weeks.

Junior Mike Inge won the 800 with sophomore teammates Ray Armstrong and Ryan Schroeder placing second and fourth, respectively. Inge’s victory is his second MAC Indoor title and fourth overall.

In the women’s competition, two individual victories by seniors Breann Smith and Colleen Ramharak capped the women’s efforts.

Smith won the shot put with a personal-best 51-7.25, claiming her first MAC title and improving her NCAA provisional mark.

“Everyone on the team put forth a great effort, and there was a positive effort from both sides,” said Smith, noting contributions from runners to throwers to jumpers.

Ramharak, who tied her personal-best jump of 42-11.75 in the triple-jump, claimed her second MAC triple-jump title and third overall.

Senior Jeanna Fascione finished second in the mile.

McRaven said the team’s consistency and family-like atmosphere helped them to a solid finish. While McRaven said he sees other teams cheering only while they are leading, the Flashes were cheering each other on throughout the meet.

“Win or lose, our team cheers for each other and has great sportsmanship,” he said.

Contact track and field reporter Josh Echt at [email protected].