PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Coming off of last week's performance at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship in Chicago, the Brown Springtime Invitational offered the Judges one last chance to extend their season. For many, it was their last chance to qualify for postseason meets. At the end of the day, seven athletes met qualifying standards for the Division III New England Region Championship that will be held this coming weekend at Williams College in Williams, MA.
Two unusual faces qualified for DIII New Englands in their collegiate 100 meters debuts. Running a much shorter race than the 400 meters, senior Irie Gourde (Portland, Ore. / York School, Canada) and rookie Churchill Perry (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Westminster Academy) earned third and eighth ,with times of 11.02 and 11.15, respectively. This performance was not as critical as others, perhaps, as Gourde and Perry had already guaranteed their spots at DIII New Englands. Now ranked 18th in the 100 meters, Gourde leads the rankings in the 200 meters and is ranked second in the 400 meters. Perry, now ranked 32nd in the 100 meters, is ranked 50th in the 400 meters, and 13th in the triple jump.
Similarly, sophomore Emily Bryson (Quincy, Mass. / North Quincy) ran under-distance, nabbing second in her 800 meters debut with a time of 2:14.70. This performance not only ranks Bryson ninth in the DIII New England region, but it also qualifies her for the DIII Eastern College Athletic Championship, where she is ranked fourth, as well as the Open New England Championship (NEICAAA), where she is ranked 64th. Bryson has already qualified for the all three of these meets in the 1500 meters, as well as the ECAC/IC4A, the ECAC Championship at the Division I level. She is ranked 58th at this meet in the 3000 meters, as well.
Rookie Willa Moen (Ashland, Ore. / Ashland), also already having qualified for DIII New Englands in the pole vault with her meet-winning mark of 3.25m at the Silfen Invitational, again met the 3.10m (10 feet, 2 inches) qualifying standard. This mark earned her seventh at the meet. Fellow rookie Aaron Corin (Sudbury, Mass. / Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) found himself in a similar situation. Having already qualified in the pole vault with a mark of 4.26m (13' 11.75") last week at UAAs, Corin cleared 4.20m (13' 9.35") to earn fifth. Sophomore Scott Grote (Greenfield, Mass. / Greenfield) faced a similar situation where he improved upon his qualifying marks. In the discus, Grote threw 44.09m (144' 8", a 4-foot season PR), earning third at the meet, ranking him seventh in the DIII New England region. Further, Grote also improved his ranking for ECACs, where he is now 23rd.
Senior captain Mark Franklin (Auburn, N.H. / Pinkerton Academy) examplified what the day was all about. Franklin, in what would have been his final meet as a Judge, qualified for DIII New Englands in the high jump, clearing 1.88m (6' 2") on his second attempt at the height. He is currently in an eleven-way tie for 18th.
Though these seven athletes were the only Judges to meet the qualifying standards Sunday, they are not the only ones to do so this season. As it now stands, nineteen individual Judges have qualified for DIII New Engalnds, many in several events. These individuals, along with relays, will compete this weekend. However, there were several performances that teetered on the edge of qualifying for DIII New Englands that should not be overlooked.
Minutes after Emily Bryson's ferocious 800 meters, rookie Jacob Judd (West Hartford, Conn. / Conard) ran another bold 800 meters, running 2:01.06 for seventh. This 4-second PR came from a gutsy race from Judd, a strong end to his season. Fellow rookie Dillon Garvey (West Springfield, Mass. / West Springfield) also set a new 4-second mile PR with 4:31.92 to earn sixth. The women throwers also had quite the day. Earning seventh in discus, rookie Elizabeth Gentile (Scarborough, Mass. / Scarborough) threw a 5-meter PR with 31.39m (103'), Also earning seventh, junior Jordin Carter (Fort Wayne, Ind. / R. Nelson Snyder) threw 40.30m (132' 3") in the hammer throw, a near 1-meter PR.
Rookie Lorenzo Maddox (Atlanta, Ga.) set new personal bests in the 100 meters and the 200 meters, nearly qualifying for DIII New Englands for both. In the 100 meters, Maddox ran 11.32 seconds, narrowly missing the 11.25 qualifying standard. In the 200 meters, it was even more heartbreaking when Maddox ran a 3-tenth PR to go 23.04 seconds, missing qualifying by merely four-hundredths of a second. Maddox's season is not yet finished, however, as he is the lead-leg of the men's 4x100 meter relay which has qualified for ECACs.
A final shoutout must be made for Coach Jason Sliwoski (Worcester State University '15) who competed unattached in the long jump, leaping 6.39m (20' 11.75") to tie for seventh. He's still got it.
The Judges next compete this Thursday through Saturday at the Division III New England Championship at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass.
By Henry McDonald '19