LIAM GALLIGAN
SPORTS WRITER
On Feb. 17, the Lady Barons and Barons track teams made the trip to Kent State University to compete in the Kent State Tune-Up Meet, their final meet on the indoor schedule.
Both teams once again showed their improvement and mixed it up with top Division I and II teams. They also came away with personal bests.
On the men’s side, the distance team had a big day all over the track. The day started with the men’s 5000 meter run, with junior Nick Long being the lone Baron runner in the race. Looking to keep up his outstanding indoor season, Long, seeded fourth in the first heat, went out conservatively but charged home late picking off multiple runners to finish second in his heat. His time of 16:13.22 was a new personal record and allowed him to finish 14th overall out of 32 runners.
Next up was the men’s one-mile run. In heat one of four, Long returned and was joined by senior James Sarlo. Long challenged the leaders right from the start and used a ferocious kick to win his heat in a new season’s best of 4:39.95 and 34th overall. Sarlo was not far behind, finishing 14th in his heat with a time of 5:33.24.
In heat two, sophomore Patrick Tansill was the lone Baron. He stayed with the pace throughout the race and finished hard to grab fourth in his heat (26th overall) in a new personal record of 4:35.14.
In heat four, outstanding freshman Liam Galligan was another lone Baron in a heat of the men’s mile. Galligan charged to the lead, setting an early pace. He settled back with the pack and then unleashed a quick finishing kick at the end to finish first in his heat and overall. He ran a time of 4:19.38, about a half a second faster than his race at Youngstown State.
Next on the list for the Baron men’s distance team were the 800 meter and 3000 meter runs. The Barons fielded three men, all in section one of four of the 800 meter. They were lead by sophomore John Bolster who finished fourth in the heat (36th overall) in a great time of 2:04.98. Freshman Austen Duggan was right behind him in fifth in the heat (37th overall) in 2:05.62. Sarlo returned in the 800 running a time of 2:36 for 47th overall.
In the 3000 meter run, the Barons were lead by the outstanding freshman duo of Mark Borek and Athansius Sirilla. Borek and Sirilla both ran in heat one , and both were in contention for the win throughout the race. It was Borek, unhappy with the pace towards the end, who sprinted home for the win in his heat in a time of 9:12.34, 18th overall and a new personal record. Sirilla faded to ninth in heat one and 27th overall, but still claimed a new personal record of 9:32.35. Other Baron men in the 3000 meter run where sophomore William Chester (42nd, 10:58.92) and freshman Matt Murphy (44th, 11:51.43).
On the men’s sprint side, the Barons had a great showing in the longer sprint events. In the 400 meter dash, sophomore Jim Craig led the way with a blazing time of 52.92, a new season’s best for him and 40th overall. He was followed closely behind by senior Carlo Fabian (49th, 55.67) and freshman Sergie Daez (52nd, 58.42).
In the men’s 200 meter dash, Craig (48th, 24:09), Fabian (50th. 24:12) and Daez (58th, 25.75) also again competed and threw down very quick times.
The Barons also fielded two 4×400 meter relay teams. The B team, composed of Long, Tansill, Sirilla and Borek, competed in heat one, finishing in 3:51.97. The A team competed in heat two and finished in 3:41.17. The A relay was competed by Bolster, Craig, Duggan and Fabian.
The Lady Barons only fielded three runners in the day’s competition, but they ran very competitively and improved on their season times. In the 400 meter dash, the Lady Barons were led by freshmen Sofia Cantu, Beth Flanagan and Gina Mannino. Cantu and Mannino competed in heat one, finishing in 1:11.53 for 31st and 1:16.08 for 33rd respectively. Flanagan competed in heat two and finished in 33rd overall in a time of 1:12.66. In the 200 meter dash, all three women returned and ran close to their season’s bests. With all competing in heat one, Mannino finished in 31.78, Cantu in 31.74 and Flanagan in 33.11. Those times would allow the ladies to finish in 55th, 56th and 57th overall.
The conclusion of this meet wraps up the indoor portion of the season for the Baron track teams. They will continue training until their outdoor season opener on March 24 at Carnegie Mellon University.