STATEN ISLAND, NY – Totaling 147 points, Holy Family won its third consecutive ECC Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Sunday evening. The Tigers, who were picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll, defeated ECC preseason favorite and meet runner-up Roberts Wesleyan (133) by 14 points. HFU's Javon Bowen (long jump) and Nishorn Pierre (triple jump) as well as St. Thomas Aquinas' Emmanuel Mena Jimenez (weight throw) took down meet records.
RESULTS
Holy Family tied for a meet-high five event winners on its way to the title. Javon Bowen won gold in both the 60m dash (6.89) and the long jump, posting a meet-record and NCAA Provisional Mark of 7.33m, while Nishorn Pierre won gold in both the high jump (2.03m) and triple jump, recording a meet-record and NCAA Provisional Mark of 15.16m. The Distance Medley Relay of Mike McGerry, Tyler Wesley, Jonathan Hackshaw, and Thelonius Lucien took home HFU's fifth win in 10:47.67. The Tigers added five silver and four bronze medals for a meet-high 14 in all. Of additional note, Odane Smith turned in a pair of medal-worthy performances, long jumping for 7.21m (NCAA Provisional Mark) and triple jumping for 14.53m (NCAA Provisional Mark), as Holy Family claimed six medals from the jumps.
The runner-up Redhawks earned 13 total medals and tied Holy Family with five gold from Owen White, who dominated the mile (4:25.84) and 3000m (8:51.91), Jackson Doran in the 800m (1:57.44), Zachary Hall in the 5000m (15:54.00), and Austin Melvin in the pole vault (4.71m). RWU also saw a pair of freshman Redhawks earn multiple pieces of hardware, as Trevor Keitkamp (mile, 3000m) and Thomas McConnelee (shot put, weight throw) took home silvers across the board.
Claiming eight total medals, six of which were bronze, Felician came in third with 73 points. Amair Buffaloe won the 200m (22.25) for the Golden Falcons, Shane Connell placed second in the high jump, and Jake DeJulia earned a pair third-place finishes (200m and 400m).
A phenomenal storyline saw Staten Island, predicted to finish ninth in the ECC Preseason Poll, finish fourth with 64 points, an improvement of 45 points from last year's conference meet. The Dolphins turned in a trio of gold-medal performances. Steven Elcock (400m, 50.12) and Ibrahima Diallo (500m, 1:06.41) won their individual events before kicking off a 4x400m relay for the ages, as Elcock, Diallo, and Josmy Cerda set the stage for Karran Riley to race down Holy Family's anchor (3:22.30) for the win. Riley (400m) and Vincent Ohenen (60m, 200m) added second-place finishes.
St .Thomas Aquinas rounded out the top five with 39 points as ECC Preseason Co-Athlete of the Year Mena Jimenez bested his own ECC meet record to win the weight throw (21.12m, NCAA Provisional Mark) and Jayden Bennermon added a silver medal in the triple jump (14.86m, NCAA Provisional Mark).
TEAM RESULTS
1. Holy Family - 147 points
2. Roberts Wesleyan - 133 points
3. Felician - 73 points
4. Staten Island - 64 points
5. St. Thomas Aquinas - 39 points
6. Georgian Court - 36 points
7. Molloy - 26 points
8. Daemen - 24 points
9. Queens - 16 points
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
60m dash: Javon Bowen, Holy Family (6.89)
200m dash: Amair Buffaloe, Felician (22.25)
400m dash: Steven Elcock, Staten Island (50.12)
500m dash: Ibrahima Diallo, Staten Island (1:06.41)
800m run: Jackson Doran, Roberts Wesleyan (1:57.44)
1000m run: Ryan Pettrow, Georgian Court (2:39.05)
Mile run: Owen White, Roberts Wesleyan (4:25.84)
3000m run: Owen White, Roberts Wesleyan (8:51.91)
5000m run: Zachary Hall, Roberts Wesleyan (15:54.00)
60m hurdles: Adam Kamagate, Daemen (8.39)
4x400m relay: Staten Island - Steven Elcock, Ibrahima Diallo, Josmy Cerda, Karran Riley (3:22.30)
Distance Medley: Holy Family - Mike McGerry, Tyler Wesley, Jonathan Hackshaw, Thelonius Lucien (10:47.67)
High Jump: Nishorn Pierre, Holy Family (2.03m/6' 7 3/4")
Pole Vault: Austin Melvin, Roberts Wesleyan (4.71m/15' 5 1/2")
Long Jump: Javon Bowen, Holy Family (7.33m/24' 3/4"), MEET RECORD
Triple Jump: Nishorn Pierre, Holy Family (15.16m/49' 9"), MEET RECORD
Shot Put: Robbie Babson, Georgian Court (16.03m/52' 7 1/4")
Weight Throw: Emmanuel Mena Jimenez, St. Thomas Aquinas (21.12m/69' 3 1/2"), MEET RECORD
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
60m dash: Javon Bowen, Holy Family and Vincent Ohenen, Staten Island
200m dash: Amair Buffaloe, Felician and Vincent Ohenen, Staten Island
400m dash: Steven Elcock, Staten Island and Karran Riley, Staten Island
500m dash: Ibrahima Diallo, Staten Island and Alexson Songer, Holy Family
800m run: Jackson Doran, Roberts Wesleyan and Luke Jarski, Molloy
1000m run: Ryan Pettrow, Georgian Court and Thelonius Lucien, Holy Family
Mile run: Owen White, Roberts Wesleyan and Trevor Heitkamp, Roberts Wesleyan
3000m run: Owen White, Roberts Wesleyan and Trevor Heitkamp, Roberts Wesleyan
5000m run: Zachary Hall, Roberts Wesleyan and John Ray, Queens
60m hurdles: Adam Kamagate, Daemen and Raqeeb Somoye, Holy Family
4x400m relay: Staten Island - Steven Elcock, Ibrahima Diallo, Josmy Cerda, Karran Riley
Distance Medley: Holy Family - Mike McGerry, Tyler Wesley, Jonathan Hackshaw, Thelonius Lucien
High Jump: Nishorn Pierre, Holy Family and Shane Connell, Felician
Pole Vault: Austin Melvin, Roberts Wesleyan and Jack Sauder, Roberts Wesleyan
Long Jump: Javon Bowen, Holy Family and Odane Smith, Holy Family
Triple Jump: Nishorn Pierre, Holy Family and Jayden Bennermon, St. Thomas Aquinas
Shot Put: Robbie Babson, Georgian Court and Thomas McConnelee, Roberts Wesleyan
Weight Throw: Emmanuel Mena Jimenez, St. Thomas Aquinas and Thomas McConnelee, Roberts Wesleyan
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
60m dash: Dayln Kinard-Johnson, Felician and Amair Buffaloe, Felician
200m dash: Jake DeJulia, Felician and Kadeem Patterson, Queens
400m dash: Jake DeJulia, Felician and Raqeeb Somoye, Holy Family
500m dash: Amir Elkholy, Felician and Jonathan Hackshaw, Holy Family
800m run: LaMarc Rex, Holy Family and Wayne Stephenson, Staten Island
1000m run: Landon Schreib, Roberts Wesleyan and Boston Dues, Roberts Wesleyan
Mile run: CJ Johnson, Daemen and Aiden Watson, Molloy
3000m run: Ethan Keating, Daemen and Zachary Hall, Roberts Wesleyan
5000m run: Daniel Chinchilla, Felician and Landon Schreib, Roberts Wesleyan
60m hurdles: Joseph Smith, Holy Family and Mohammad Gaga, Holy Family
4x400m relay: Holy Family - Kimani Smith, LaMarc Rex, Romar Scott, Alexson Songor
Distance Medley: Roberts Wesleyan - Juvenal Diaz-Cortes, Patrick Martin, Micah Barber, Jakob Zibbel
High Jump: Isaiah Davenport, Holy Family and Jayden Bennermon, St. Thomas Aquinas
Pole Vault: Braden Shaw, Roberts Wesleyan and Corden Zimmerman, Roberts Wesleyan
Long Jump: Devin Jones, Felician and Desi Stroud, Holy Family
Triple Jump: Odane Smith, Holy Family and Javon Bowen, Holy Family
Shot Put: Adam Lenn, St. Thomas Aquinas and Emmanuel Mena Jimenez, St. Thomas Aquinas
Weight Throw: Mark Linton, Georgian Court and Gavin Kopf, St. Thomas Aquinas