BALL AND ORJI LEAD THE WAY AT IC4A CHAMPIONSHIP
MIT Places 20th With Record 14 Points
March 5-6, 2005
As expected, as the championships get bigger, the star power on MIT's indoor team shines brighter and brighter. On the first day of competition at the Boston University indoor track, the Tech men scored nine points, putting them in seventh place as three different Engineers earned points. On day two, the Engineers added five more points to record the highest number of points for MIT at this meet in modern history.
Leading things off for MIT was Nate Ball in the pole vault. As usual the starting height at the IC4A was very high, and also as usual, seven of the 17 vaulters went out at the first height of 15-5. Ball cleared this on his first attempt. At 15-9, Ball had a more difficult time, but still managed to clear on his third attempt. At this point there were only eight vaulters remaining. The bar was moved to 16-1 and again Ball made the height on his first attempt. Two others made the height on first attempt, two passed the height and another vaulter made it on his second attempt to bring the field to six. At 16-5 only two vaulters succeeded and Ball was not one of them. However, he earned third place based on misses, earning six points for MIT.
In the weight throw, both Uzoma Orji and Dave Saylor made the field. On Orji's opening throw, he threw one well over 61' but it was called a foul. Although it looked like a clean throw to most, a foul may have occurred after the release. Orji's second throw was a sector foul so now he had to come through. On his third attempt, Orji took a safety throw, leaving at least two feet to spare in the circle. The mark was 59-8 1/4, good enough to get him into the finals in fifth place. Saylor, throwing in the second flight, threw 57-5 in the trials and then had to wait to see if this would get him into the finals. The throw held up for eighth place going into the finals. In the finals, Orji could not find the speed and position to get him a better throw. Two throwers passed him in the finals, relegating him to seventh place. Saylor had a great series and tied his personal record with a throw of 57-7 3/4 to earn eighth place and one point for the Engineers.
Zach Traina took to the track in the 200 as MIT's only runner. Traina had been sick the latter half of the week and was still a little under the weather at race time. Nevertheless, Traina had a solid performance, running 22.11, missing finals by only two places.
On day two, Orji was the only MIT athlete competing. He was seeded pretty far down in the shot but put together his best series by far this year to enter the finals in fourth place with a throw of 55-11. In the finals he started off with 56-3 1/4 to move into third place. In the final round he was passed by the thrower behind him. Orji responded with a 57-5 1/2 effort but it was not enough to move back into third. This mark was over two feet better than what he had done so far this season.
Ben Schmeckpeper, who had qualified in both the 3000 and 5000, did not run due to the fact that the 5000 was held on Sunday, a day after the deadline for NCAA championship marks. He therefore ran at a last chance qualifier on Friday night at Yale but was unable to improve on his mark.
Also qualifying but not participating was the MIT distance medley relay team. The relay was pretty far away from being able to score or qualify for the NCAA championships so Coach Halston Taylor decided it was in their best interest to use the time to prepare for the outdoor season.
On Wednesday, MIT heads to Bloomington, Illinois to compete in the NCAA Division III Championship. Ball and Orji are definites to get in and look to be ready to score big for MIT. Saylor and Schmeckpeper are on the bubble, but are ready to produce if given the opportunity.