The Plattsburgh State track and field team ran out to a strong start in its first meet of the season last Saturday. The Cardinal men finished fourth out of seven teams at the Saints Holiday Relays in Canton, while the women snagged second out of eight.
“Everybody in the throws area did well, as well as the whole team,” junior Brianna Coon said. “It was a really great start to the season.”
PSUC’s women had 11 SUNYAC qualifying marks in the meet, as well as a new school record in the weight throw of 50 feet, two inches from Coon.
“It meant a lot to me, because I know [the coaches] have been expecting a lot from me,” Coon said. “Being able to do it and know that my hard work has paid off means a lot.”
Junior Elisabeth Plympton continued her strong performance from last season by earning AARTFC and SUNYAC qualifying marks in the 60-meter and won the 300-meter, good enough to earn her SUNYAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week.
The combined score earning a second place finish was a point of pride for the women.
“Everybody was pretty hyped,” Coon said. “It was maybe five or four points we lost by to get second, so it was pretty awesome considering it was our first meet.”
Three athletes on the men’s side reached SUNYAC qualifying markers, with junior Kade Lampman and sophomores John O’Connor and Michael Ferris all qualifying.
Lampman and O’Connor both qualified in the shot put and weight throw, while Ferris qualified in the weight throw.
“We got some great performances, especially from the freshmen,” senior Brian Fabian said. “This is probably one of the best first meets we’ve had as a team.”
For his part, Fabian won the 500-meter, won the sprints relay along with sophomore Brenden Jung, freshman Michael Meddings and freshman Tyler Martin and took second in the 4×400 relay along with Jung, Meddings and junior Alex Hepburn.
The men also took third in the 4×200 relay, running top three results in all three relays.
Up next, the Cards will return to St. Lawrence for the SLU Dual Duel in Newell for the second meet of the season and final before their winter break.
“We definitely have work to do, but I feel very confident in myself as well as the team, that we’re going to do very well this week,” Fabian said.
For head coach Nicholas Jones, the focus will be taking advantage of this last chance of the semester to grab a few more conference-qualifying marks.
“We’re looking to get some SUNYAC marks because there were a couple events this past weekend that we didn’t run that are SUNYAC events,” Jones said.
The upcoming challenge will be keeping up training over the roughly month-long winter break.
“For some on the team, they won’t have access to a track or any facilities,” Fabian said. “As long as they can get something done, it shouldn’t be a problem, but that’s the hardest part: getting out there and working alone.”
It will be hard work, but necessary.
“We’re just hoping that people get work done over break, because it will be important for their success second semester,” Jones said.
Email Ben Watson at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
