FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S TRACK CAPTURES 2008 NJCAA REGION III TITLE

On Saturday afternoon at Alfred State College in Alfred, NY; the SUNY Cobleskill men’s outdoor track & field team won the NJCAA Region III Division III Championship, for the first time since 1970. To put this into perspective, one must realize that in 1970: Richard M. Nixon was president, the United States was still involved in the Vietnam War, gas cost 36 cents per gallon and Cobleskill Head Coach Brad Fichthorn was nearly five years away from being born.

The Fighting Tigers won in dominant fashion posting a team score of 195.5 points to easily outdistance the seven-team field. Cobleskill also claimed the 2008 Mountain Valley Conference Championship as this year the conference scored its league championship within the regional meet. In total the Orange & Black: won nine Region III event championships, captured 10 Mountain Valley Conference event championships, had 23 All-NJCAA Region III Team honorees, produced 19 All-Mountain Valley Conference Team honorees, had 23 NJCAA Division III Qualifying Standard meeting performances and established new program records in five events.

“With the nationals starting next Thursday, I hope that we didn’t peak too early,” joked Coach Fichthorn. “Seriously the only thing I told that guys we wanted to do this weekend was sweep the relays, but we got on a roll early and things just started to happen from there. This was an impressive effort by everyone and we’re extremely proud of what our team has accomplished. Now we’ve got to build on this momentum next week at the National Championships.”

The Fighting Tiger sprint corps led the Cobleskill to victory as senior David Suarez, Hauppauge, NY, Hauppauge High School, won both the 100 Meters, in 10.99 seconds, and the 200 Meters, in 22.07 seconds, establishing new program records in each event while lowering his national seed time in both races. Senior Carlton Wildman, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, also was a winner in program record setting fashion taking the 400 Meters with a time of 49.48 seconds to go with a third place finish in the 200 Meters with a time of 22.32 seconds. For their winning efforts both sprinters earned All-Region III and All-Mountain Valley Conference Team honors.

Also earning a spot on the All-Region III Team individually was freshman Leon Thompson, Manhattan, NY, Fredrick Douglas Academy, who placed second in the 200 Meters in a national qualifying time of 22.17 seconds to go with a fourth place finish in the 100 Meters meeting the national standard in the event with a time of 11.25 seconds. Freshman Joseph Appah, Manhattan, NY, Walton High School, earned All-Regional acclaim in the 400 Meters placing second to Wildman with a time of 50.17 seconds. Freshman Brad Boice, Cambridge, NY, Cambridge High School, also met the national qualifying mark in the 400 Meters finishing third with a time of 50.18 seconds to go with a sixth place finish in the 200 Meters at 23.16 seconds.

In the Hurdles, Cobleskill swept the top three spots in the 400 Meter event as: freshman Aldin Gomez, Westbury, NY, Westbury High School, won the race to earn All-Regional and All-Conference honors with a national qualifying time of 57.59 seconds, freshman Jon Figueroa, North Branch, NY, Sullivan West High School, placed second with a time of 58.92 seconds to earn All-Regional honors and senior Chris Torres, Middletown, NY, Minisink Valley High School, placed third meeting the national qualifying mark in 59.24 seconds. Jon Figueroa earlier had placed fifth in the 110 Meter Hurdles in a time of 16.51 seconds to meet the national standard.

At the middle distance and distance events freshman Emille Barnett, Huntington, NY, John Glenn High School, took All-Regional and All-Conference honors in the 800 Meters winning the race with a time of 1:57.67 to meet the national qualifying mark. Freshman Nick O’Neil, Ballston Spa, NY, Ballston Spa High School, lowered his national seed time in the 1500 Meters to 4:14.85 to place fourth overall while freshman Joe Singer, Onteora, NY, Onteora High School, also lowered his national seed time at 800 Meters to 2:02.21. Freshman Kevin Wippel, Pine Bush, NY, Pine Bush High School, was also a scorer for Cobleskill in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase placing third lowering his national seed time to 10:33.11.

In the field events: senior jumper Kevin Amilcar, White Plains, NY, White Plains High School, took the Long Jump with a national qualifying mark of 6.84 meters to earn All-Regional and All-Conference honors then came back to place fifth in the High Jump with an effort of 1.68 meters. Aldin Gomez also was also an All-Region III Team honoree in the Triple Jump by placing second with a leap of 13.48 meters to go with a fourth place finish in the Long Jump with a mark of 6.48 meters meeting the national qualifying marks in each event.

Senior thrower Joe Valentin, Swan Lake, NY, Liberty High School, took All-Region III and All-Mountain Valley Conference honors in the Hammer Throw meeting the national mark by placing second with a toss of 42.31 meters. Valentin also placed third in the Discus with an effort of 36.65 meters and fifth in the Shot Put with a put of 11.29 meters. Also scoring in the throws for Cobleskill was freshman Heath Bressette, Baldwinsville, NY, Baldwinsville High School, who finished fourth in the Hammer Throw, at 33. 40 meters, and sixth in the Javelin, at 37.41 meters, and senior Carney Harper, Cooperstown, NY, Cooperstown High School, who place fifth in the Discus with a toss of 34.27 meters.

Cobleskill swept the relays in superior fashion as the 4 X 100 Meter Relay of Brad Boice, Leon Thompson, Carlton Wildman and David Saurez took All-Regional and All-Conference honors by lowering their national qualifying time, program record setting time, of 42.18 seconds, a feat duplicated by the 4 X 800 Meter Relay of senior Eric Graber, Troy, NY, Lansingburgh High School, Joe Singer, Joseph Appah and Emille Barnett who won in a program record setting time of 7:59.50. The Fighting Tiger 4 X 400 Meter Relay of Carlton Wildman, Emille Barnett, Joseph Appah and Brad Boice also captured their event earning All-Regional and All-Conference honors with a time of 3:25.10.

The Orange & Black will return to action on Thursday May 8th when they travel to Delhi, NY, for the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships to hosted by SUNY Delhi from Thursday May 8th thru Saturday May 10th at the college’s track & field facility.

2008 NJCAA REGION III DIVISION III TEAM RESULTS:

1. SUNY Cobleskill                                        195. 5
2. Alfred State College                                      160
3. SUNY Delhi                                                 147
4. Erie Community College                                   64
5. Mohawk Valley Community College                40
6. Finger Lakes Community College                    36
7. Herkimer Community College               33. 5