M. Track overcomes distractions on Main Line

A near-brawl and inclement weather did not prevent the Quakers from faring well at Villanova this weekend. Although the Penn men's track team might have done very well relative to the competition at Saturday's unscored Villanova Invitational, many Quakers were less than thrilled with their individual efforts. "It was not a particularly competitive meet," junior thrower Ben Williams said. The seven-team field featured Division III schools such as Franklin and Marshall and Haverford, a far cry from the likes of Princeton and Navy whom Penn will oppose at the Heptagonal Championships in mid-May. If the Red and Blue want to search for bright spots from Villanova, though, they need not look too far. The sprinters and middle-distance runners found much success on Jumbo Elliott Track, named after the late Wildcats track star and coach -- not the New York Jets offensive lineman. Penn's most gratifying victory, though, occurred in the 4x400-meter relay, in which controversy loomed large. Senior Craig Douglas, who ran the third leg of the race for the Quakers, was in second place when a Temple runner attempted to illegally pass Douglas on the inside. Douglas responded with an elbow to his opponent, who then countered with a shove of the Penn sprinter. Rather than allowing the scuffle to degenerate into an all-out brawl, Douglas simply shoved back, and with both men somewhat unsettled, he dashed to Sam Burley, who ran Penn's last leg, while the frustrated Temple foe was left in the dust. Some Penn athletes, meanwhile, were able to achieve success while avoiding the trauma that Douglas endured. Shawn Fernandes, one of Penn's top sprinters, won his heat in the 100 dash with a time of 11.05, but several other Penn runners emerged with impressive results as well. Freshman Greg English won his heat in the 800; sophomore Laethe Coleman -- enjoying what he is calling a "breakthrough year" -- won both the 200 and 400; and sophomore Tyler Mullins took first in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 16.19. "I was happy about the way that my race went," Mullins said. The Soquel, Calif., native and others were quick to insert a disclaimer, however. They pointed to Penn's lack of opposition rather than dazzling times that won them many events. One exception to Mullins' theory was Penn's Matt Gioffre. The sophomore distance runner won the 5000-meter race with a time of 15:10.09, a personal best by nearly 25 seconds. Penn also enjoyed success on the field at Villanova. Thrower Matt Pagliasotti, quite possibly the Red and Blue's steadiest and most reliable performer, established a new Penn record in the hammer throw. The senior from Paris, Texas, put forth what would have been a memorable effort even if conditions in Philadelphia had been ideal on Saturday. When an intermittent rain, cold and wind are factored in, that performance is all the more laudable. "Considering the weather conditions, we had a number of good performances," junior sprinter Josh Seeherman said. "It was raining on and off, and it was always cold and muddy," Williams said. In fact, the playing surface was at one point rendered so unsafe as to compel Villanova officials to cancel the high jump event, robbing Penn freshman David Arundel of a likely first-place finish. So, in light of the adverse weather and lesser quality competition, the Quakers had tempered enthusiasm regarding their efforts. "I wasn't satisfied, but I wasn't dissatisfied," Williams said. "On the whole, it was an OK meet."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.