Top Finishes Lead Path to Success at Panther Invite

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Men's Track and Field team returned to action for their final meet before next week's MASCAC Championship hosted by Westfield State at Smith College. With numerous qualifying marks already recorded, the team went into today's meet looking to grab some top marks, and new qualifications. As a team the Lancers would record 35 points on the day in a battle with top DII and DIII programs. 

Dominating the competition in the 60m saw the Lancers claim the top two spots as junior Brodie Jacques (Rehoboth, MA) and sophomore Seth Boudreau (Douglas, MA) would come one and two in the event within milli-seconds of each other. Jacques would cross in a time of 7.12, while Boudreau was a hair's breadth away at 7.16 seconds. The duo would team up again in the long jump where Jacques would snag third with a mark of 6.39m as Boudreau would land in 16th after recording a 5.38m. Joining the duo in the pit was first year Nolan Clarke (Mansfield, MA), who recorded a 14th place finish with a 5.45m leap and junior Giovanni Casiano (Oxford, MA) who measured a 4.99m for 18th. The Lancers found additional success in the sand as first year Jax Christman (Lancaster, MA) would find his feet land at 11.83m for a 5th place finish in the triple jump.

The Lancers continued to have success in the field events on the day with top 10 finishes in both the shot put and the weight throw. Senior Jack Houlihan (Rutland, MA) would claim fourth with his massive throw of 13.35m in the weight throw and junior Max O'Connor (Dedham, MA) would snag 10th with his 11.47m mark. First year Garrett Papierski (Webster, MA) would claim seventh in the shot with a recorded 12.35m where O'Connor would fall just ahead of first year Daniel Butler (Tynsgboro, MA) with a 14th place finish on a 10.31m, while Butler would snag 15th with a 10.31m as well, but on a later toss. That order would pop up again in the weight throw, with Butler claiming 12 with an 11.33m throw.

On the track the Lancers would claim some additional top 10 finishes with first year Jacksen Bolduc (Auburn, MA) and senior Matt Talbot (Belchertown, MA) grabbing ninth in their races. Bolduc would race in the 1,000m in a time of 2:58.42 as Talbot would triple the distance, crossing in a time of 9:47.87. Sophomore Alex Matsuyasu (Newton, MA) would also go the distance, grabbing 19th in the 5,000m in a time of 18:07.09.

On the speed side of the track sophomore Alan Gomez (Clinton, MA) would race it out in the 400m and 200m. Gomez would record a 33rd place crossing on 26.23 seconds, just under two seconds ahead of fellow teammate senior Anthony Paolucci (Billerica, MA) who clocked a 27.91 for 35th. Gomez was back in action for the 400m with a 23rd place finish after crossing in 60.66, while junior Brian O'Leary (Marlborough, MA) would claim 20th with a 59.03. Doubling the 400m distance would be sophomore Andrew Stokes (Wilmington, MA) who would come home in 19th after crossing in a time of 2:28.83 in the 800m. 

The Lancers Track and Field team return to action next Saturday in the MASCAC Championship at Smith College.