Gator Men Compete at BW

Feb 11, 2006

Results (PDF)

BEREA, Ohio – The Allegheny College men’s track and field team competed at the Baldwin-Wallace Mid-February Invitational. Leading the way for the Gators was Conrad Rapp (Medway, Mass./Worchester Academy), Sean Laird (Monroeville/Gateway), Joe McMahon (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) and Frank Tupta (University Heights, Ohio/Hawken), who each picked up a first place finish on the day.

The Gators swept the top three spots in the pole vault, with Rapp leading a trio of Gators in the event by clearing 13-11.25. Peter Sotherland (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Central) and Erich Wittmer (Sewickley/Sewickley Academy) took second and third, as each cleared 13-5.25, both just three quarters of an inch from their season best.

The Gator shot putters were not to be outdone, as they also swept the top three spots, with Tupta, Kitt Tuttle (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) and Pat Confer (Bradford) tossing to distances of 46-0.75, 45-7.25 and 44-4, respectively. Tuttle’s toss was a season best, as the trio has already easily qualified to the conference meet.

Laird took the top spot in the long jump, leaping to a distance of 21-11, six inches ahead of second place. McMahon, the defending NCAC Field Events Athlete of the Week, took first in the triple jump with a leap of 42-5.25.

Marcus Solomon (Rockwell, Texas/Dallas Christian) took second in the 200-meter dash, running a season-best time of 23.94, missing the NCAC qualifying time by just .16 of a second.

Ryan Place (Meshoppen/Elk Lake) easily qualified for the conference meet in the mile run, missing the NCAA provisional qualifying mark by just five second, running a time of 4:21.90, eight seconds better than his previous season best in the second place finish. Garret Piispanen (Fruita, Colo./Fruita Monument) ran a season-best time in the 800-meter run, crossing the finish line in a time of 2:02.28, placing third overall.

Dave Griffin (Pittsburgh/Montour) and Matt Yurky (Homer City/Homer Center) placed second and third in the 55-meter hurdles, running times of 8.33 and 8.37, respectively, in the finals of the event. Griffin’s time was just .01 off of his season best, while Yurky qualified to the conference meet, setting a season best with his time.

Tuttle and Devin Cruea (Geneva, Ohio) placed second and third in the weight throw, with heaves of 45-10.75 and 45-9, respectively, with Cruea’s signifying a season-best.

The next meet for the Blue and Gold is on Saturday, February 18 when the team travels to Kent, Ohio to compete in the Division I Kent State Invitational.

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