Despite the cold and snowy conditions outside, the Youngstown State men's and women's track and field teams turned up the heat in the WATTS with multiple standout performances at the YSU Collegiate Invitational presented by Southwoods Health on Friday.
Winning events for the men were Blake Sifferlin (pole vault), Dominic Perry (shot put), Mason Stephens (high jump), Daimere Stephens-Stewart (60m dash) and Luke Laubacher (60m hurdles).
Taking first-place laurels for the women were Nia Williams-Matthews (triple jump), Madison Murry (60m dash and 60m hurdles), Mone Knowles (200m), Micah Carey (long jump). There was a four-way tie in the pole vault with Erin Bogard, Ainsley Hamsher, Melana Schumaker and Kaitlyn Eger all finishing first.
Sifferlin's performance highlighted the event. He cleared a personal-best 5.31m on his third and final attempt for a career best mark and set off a big celebration among his teammates. However, he wasn't done as he cleared 5.36m on his last attempt to set a meet and facility record. His time also ranks among the top 10 in the nation. Finishing second in the event was Dorian Chaigneau who had a best mark of 5.31m and Jack Vecellio was fourth at 4.91m.
Perry led a strong YSU effort winning the shot put with a throw of 17.84m. Placing second just behind with an effort of 17.72m was Ryan Henry while Coleson Kertesz was fourth with a toss of 15.40m.
Stephens-Stewart won a hotly-contested race in the 60m dash with a time of 6.80 seconds narrowly beating Tye Hunt who ran a time of 6.84 seconds. Jalen Ghee clocked a fourth-place time of 6.94 seconds in the race.
Laubacher picked up his third 60m hurdles victory of the year taking his race with a time of 7.89 seconds. YSU's Micah Mitchell was fourth clocking an 8.36.
Stephens claimed a win in the high jump with a leap of 2.03m. Connor During placed second with a clearance of 2.00m and Zachary Webb was fifth with a 1.94m.
In the 200m, Stephens-Stewart finished second with a time of 21.82 seconds. YSU's 4x400m relay team placed second with a time of 3:23.90.
In the men's elite mile, Hunter Christopher placed fourth with a time of 4:04.08. In the weight throw, Kertesz was fourth with a heave of 15.20m while Tetrick was fifth with a mark of 14.53m.
Murry had an impressive day on the track winning the 60m dash and the 60m hurdles in a span of about 30 minutes. She won the 60m hurdles first clocking a time of 8.64 seconds in the finals. In the 60m, she led a 1-2-3-4 Penguins performance. Murry won with a time of 7.69 seconds, Cyncere Cunningham was second with a 7.72, Melody Harloff was third at 7.74 and Nia Grose was fourth at 7.81 seconds.
In the 200m, Knowles picked up her first win as Penguin running a time of 25.21 seconds while Harloff was fourth at 25.64 seconds.
Williams-Matthews claimed the win in the triple jump with a leap of 12.36m while Esther Solarin was second at 12.34m and Carey was fifth at 10.95m. Carey won the long jump with an effort of 5.88m while Solarin was second at 5.75m, Daisha Decree came in fourth at 5.48m and Williams-Matthews was fifth at 5.45m.
In the pole vault with Bogard, Hamsher, Schumaker and Eger all shared the win with a mark of 3.80m.
In the shot put, Lauren Sheehan placed second with a throw of 13.43m. Grace Sparks chalked up a fourth-place effort in the weight throw at 14.87m.
The Penguins will compete at two meets in New England and at the Kent State Doug Raymond Invitational.
