THE "HAS BEENS" TAKE MIT VARSITY TO SCHOOL IN WINNING 71-59

January 7, 2006

For the first time since 1998, the alumni team ran away with the victory over the varsity team.  Led by Rick Rajter (18 points), Ravi Sastry (12 points), Ben Schmeckpeper (10 points) and the ageless Bill Singhose (9 points), the alumni schooled the varsity athletes in how to compete and come away victorious.

With the attrition of many of last year's varsity athletes and the addition of Schmeckpeper and Zach Traina to the alumni forces, the varsity were considered underdogs going into the annual competition.  The meet began with the pentathlon early in the morning.  Each team had one entry, Rajter representing the "Has Beens" and Thad Wozniak competing for the varsity.  Rajter was able to better Wozniak in four of the five events (55HH, long jump, shot put, high jump and 1000) holding back in the 1000 to save energy for the rest of the meet later in the day.

The field events kicked off the main part of the meet, specifically the 35lb. weight throw and  the long jump.  Uzoma Orji did his part by throwing a season best and his second best throw ever at 62-6.  Bill Singhose, a decathlete and pole vaulter during his varsity days, scored 3 points with a second place throw of 40-3.  In the long jump, Wozniak had the early lead but Sastry, Rajter and Craig Mielcarz all passed him to sweep the event for the alumni.

The shot put and triple jump followed the weight throw and long jump. Freshman, James Oleinik threw 44-7 to add the second place points to Orji's first place throw of 56-11 1/4 to help the varsity's cause.  The triple jump results were similar to the long jump as Rajter and Singhose took first and second to pick up eight more points and cancel out the shot put results.

In the two vertical jump events, the pole vault and the high jump, the alumni pulled further ahead.  Singhose, who had placed second in the triple jump by a half inch, managed another second place in the pole vault by beating out Omari Stephens on misses at 13-6.  Nate Ball earned the victory for the varsity at 15-0.  In the high jump, Mielcarz, Rajter and Sastry swept the varsity with a 1-2-3 finish.  Overall, after the pentathlon and the field events, the "Has Beens" were leading 38-21.

The mile was the first running event and Ben Schmeckpeper wasted no time taking the lead.  After a conservative first half at 2:13, freshman, Jake Ruzevick made an attempt to pass Schmeckpeper.  However the attempt was much too casual and was easily thwarted by Schmeckpeper.  Now alert for the pass, Schmeckpeper ran just fast enough to keep the pace honest yet saving enough to counter any pass attempt from Ruzevick.  After two more failed attempts, Ruzevick made his final attempt with 150 to go.  Schmeckpeper held him out in lane two around the final turn and that was enough to earn the victory 4:25.51 to 4:25.95.

In the high hurdles, Al Tervalon '67, joined the "old timers" but pulled his calf at the start.  However, Sastry and Rajter took care of business, holding off a fast closing Stephens to earn first and second, scoring eight more points for the alumni.

In the 400, Matt Lehman and Yuval Mazor showed Alex Rothberg the intensity that was necessary to take the break.  Their 10 meter lead after the first 200 was never threatened as they ran 51.96 and 52.24 respectively.

Zach Traina came ready to run and set a personal best of 6.61 in the 55 meter dash, but David Blau also came ready to run.  Blau was able to walk down his former teammate with a PR of 6.60 to claim a victory for the varsity.  Stephen Oney claimed third with a time of 6.92 to give the varsity their first running event.

On a role now, the varsity swept the 800 with a 1-2-3 finish by freshmen, Dan Rodgers, Ruzevick and Matt Bieniosek.  The pace started very pedestrian with a 32 second first 200.  The pace picked up a little from there, giving Rodgers a final time of 2:03.10.  Bieniosek was threatened at the finish by Chris Fidkowski but managed to hold him off at the line.

The 200 was a duplicate of the 55.  Traina got out with his patented fast first 100, but Blau held his own.  Coming around the final turn, Blau pulled even and then ahead as he ran a meet record 22.97 to Traina's 22.99.

The alumni clinched the victory with points earned in the 200 by Traina and supported by a third place from Lehman.  Nevertheless, Schmeckpeper was not taking any chances with the scorekeepers, as he took to the line in the 5000.  Again Schmeckpeper took the lead at the start, coming through the first 800 in 2:24.  Only Eric Khatchadourian made the attempt to go with him and that was short lived as Schmeckpeper went on to win in 15:12.40.  Khatchadourian held on to run 15:53.85 for second place.  The battle for third between Craig Wildman and Trevor Rundell was a great one that went back and forth for nearly the entire race.  Wildman surged after the 800 mark and pushed the pace whenever Rundell came up on him. Once Rundell took the lead Wildman did not go away, hanging on until the final 800 meters.  Rundell ran a fine time of 15:59.41.  Terry McNatt '87, running 16:18.22, using the age-graded tables, would move up to second place.

The final event was the 4x200 relay.  The alumni have only won this race once in the past 24 years and that was when a varsity runner pulled up lame.  This year would be no different as Blau opened up an insurmountable lead on the first leg.  Rodgers, Rothberg and Bieniosek finished the relay with a comfortable two second victory to bring the final score to 71-59.

Other alumni competing were Akin Aina (55, 800 relay), Francisco Cruz (WT, SP), Josh Feldman (5000), George Hanson (800), Mark Jeunnette (800), Steve Lefkowitz (PV), Jeff Lukas (800) and Ned Rich (WT, SP).  This was a great turnout, particularly considering some traveled such great distances.  Singhose came from Japan, Jeunnette from Germany and Mazor from Seattle.  With Ball, Blau and Orji graduating this year it may be a while before the varsity wins again.

MIT travels to the Coast Guard Academy to face the Bears and the Bobcats from Bates next Saturday.  The Engineers will have a challenge winning meets this year with the holes in their lineup.  The pressure will be on the freshmen to get the job done and maintain the winning tradition for MIT.

 

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