PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — After being snowed out on Friday, April 6, at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, the University of Maine at Presque Isle track and field contingent made the short trip to Fitchburg State University on Saturday, April 7, for the Jim Sheehan Memorial Invitational.
Cool conditions changed over to warm and dry weather, allowing UMPI competitors to finish all scheduled events and set seven new school marks.
Chenoa Jackson dropped her season and school bests in both the 1,500 and 800 meters events. She beat her previous mark in the 1,500 by three seconds with a time of 6:32.14 in the 1,500 and bested her record in the 800 by more than eight seconds with a time of 3:16.43.
Jennie Sanborn ran her 100/200 double and Casey Lovely made her debut in the javelin and discus events. Her distance in the discus was 52 feet and 10 inches.
On the men’s side, the team score was strong enough to place the Owls in eighth out of the 16 collegiate and club teams competing. The 4×400-meter relay team of Matthew Payan, Paul Kaplan, Jahvion Lockridge and Travis Simpson placed third and scored six points, helping to move the Owls ahead of Norwich University in the final standings. Their time was 3:57.72, which established a new school record.
Running event school bests were established by Chris Udobi in the 100 (11.86 seconds) and Andrew Hunt in both the 800 (2:22.21) and the 1500 (5:02.19). Andy Tapia broke the school mark in the shot put, hitting a distance of 28 feet, 4 inches.
Other competitors and their events were as follows: Udobi (4×100 and 200), Lockridge (100, 200 and long jump), Payan (100, 200, and long jump), Simpson (200 and 400, Kaplan (100, triple jump and discus), Tapia (discus), Allen Stanback (100 and shot), Adan Mohamed (800 and 1,500), Kyle Davis (800 and 1500), Sam Carpenter (shot) and Mike Guerrette (100 and 200).
The team’s 30.5 team points were scored by Kaplan (8.75), Udobi (7.25), Payan (6), Lockridge (5.75) and Simpson (2.75).
The Owls next head to Southern New Hampshire University in Hooksett, N.H., for the Penmen Relays, with a 10 a.m. start on Saturday, April 14.
