Miami University
MAC Championships
Miami Men Lurk in Fifth at MAC Championships
5/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
May 11, 2012
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Five RedHawks scored Friday on day two of the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Central Michigan at Lyle Bennett Track, while eight spots were punched in Saturday's track finals as the Miami University men's track & field team remained in fifth place.
The RedHawks, who sat in fifth after Thursday with 18 points, now have 39 points. Akron continues to lead with 94 points while the host Chippewas are second with 58 points. Kent State and Eastern Michigan are tied for third with 43 points while Buffalo is behind Miami with 35 points.
In the decathlon, Miami grabbed two of the top six spots for 11 points as senior Jordan Goffena (Sidney, Ohio) was the runner-up with 7,215 points while freshman Sam Chester (Medina, Ohio) placed sixth with a personal-best 6,663 points, which ranks him 10th in school history. After winning the 400m dash and placing second in two other events on Thursday, Goffena was first in the 110m hurdles in 14.41 Friday and also placed second in the 1500m run (4:46.15) and took third in the javelin with a personal-best throw of 50.03m/164-2. Chester was second in the 110m hurdles in 14.71 and posted a personal best in the pole vault (3.90m/12-9.5).
Senior Adam Ruiz (Mascoutah, Ill.) placed fourth in the shot put to earn five points for the `Hawks with a personal-best heave of 16.96m/55-7.75 while he already ranked eighth in school history.
In the long jump, Miami picked up five points as juniors Reggie Mitchell (Cincinnati, Ohio) and John Cantwell (Holland, Pa.) placed sixth and seventh, respectively. Mitchell posted a personal-best leap of 7.13m/23-4.75 while Cantwell jumped 7.02m/23-0.5.
Sophomore Kevin Brown (Lewis Center, Ohio) clocked the top qualifying time in the 800m run prelims, crossing in 1:51.78 to secure a spot in Saturday's final.
Three RedHawks qualified for Saturday's 110m hurdles final as freshman JaShawn Combs (Dayton, Ohio) crossed fourth in prelims in 14.56 while Chester was sixth in 14.64 and Goffena qualified seventh in 14.71. In the 400m hurdles prelims, freshman Skyler Coburn (La Porte, Ind.) finished sixth in 53.76 to move on the finals.
A pair of `Hawks advanced to Saturday's 400m dash final as sophomore Jahquil Hargrove (Norristown, Pa.) was second in the prelims in 48.10 while classmate Robert Balzano (Poland, Ohio) nabbed the eighth and final spot in 49.19. Hargrove also clinched a spot in the 200m dash final as he placed fourth in prelims in a personal-best 21.35, which ranks him eighth in school history.
The MAC Championships conclude Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. with the triple jump while the first track event, the 4x100m relay, occurs at 1:10 p.m. followed by all the track finals and the 4x400m relay at 4:45 p.m.
--MURedHawks.com--
Players Mentioned
