April 10, 1999

Going into Saturday's meet at Bowdoin against Colby and Southern Maine, MIT was concerned about the outcome particularly with three key athletes missing. All three happened to be in the 110 HH, 400IH, and High Jump, and one of them was a solid favorite in the Long Jump. By estimations, MIT was giving up 25 points, which if all went to one team would be a 50 point difference.

Abandoning the notion of having a meet where individuals could focus on going all out in their primary event, the team set to work on how they could return to Cambridge still undefeated. Using a familiar strategy, Tech loaded up the distance events, doubling the 1500 and Steeplchase runners in the 800 or 5000. This gave MIT 37 out of possible 44 points in the 800, 1500, 3000SC, and 5000 Meter races, which sealed the outcome in MIT's favor. Leading the way were double victors, Sean Montgomery in the 800 and 1500, and Mark Strauss in the 3000SC and 5000.

The jumps did not start off well, but finished on a high note. Without Sastry, Alperin, or Kothari, Tech got blanked in the Long Jump. However, MIT won the remaining jumping events and also got second in both the High Jump and Pole Vault. The key moment in the jumps was Leif Seed's success in the High Jump. Leif has jumped only a few times in his four years at MIT as he is primarily a middle distance runner. On this occasion, since so many high jumpers were missing, Leif volunteered to demonstrate his verticle leaping ability. After missing once at 5'6", Leif made 5'8 and 5'10 on first attempts to claim second before he had to go over and run the 1500.

In the throws, Nikos Michalakis, threw a personal best for the third meet in succession with a nationally automatic qualifying throw of 195-10 in the Javelin. Nikos is currently ranked 6th in NCAA Division III. Tech's only other scorer in the throws was Jason Dailey with a PR of 148-2 in the Hammer, which was good enough for 4th.

The big event of the day, and one everyone was anticipating, was the 1600 Relay. Colby had defeated MIT while in San Diego with a fast time of 3:22.18 to MIT's 3:24.52. In that race, MIT had a terrible handoff on the anchor leg that caused Sean Montgomery to come to a complete stop. On their spring break at the Florida Relays, Bowdoin had run 3:21. Arguably, these were the three top relay teams in New England, squaring off at the end of a quadrangular meet in very windy conditions that made the high 40 degree temperatures seem much colder.

The leadoff was less than ideal for MIT, who had already clinched the meet regardless of the outcome of the relay, as Todd Rosenfield brought the baton home in 52.0. Leif Seed, in his 4th event of the day was 15 meters from the lead at the handoff, but made up the entire distance and then some as he gave Tech the lead with an outstanding 49.9 leg. Neal Karchem took it out hard but got passed by Colby on the final turn. Not giving up, Neal fought back to give Sean Montgomery a 2 meter lead at the handoff with his 50.3 leg. Making up for San Diego, Neal and Sean's handoff was good enough to open up a 5 meter lead. Sean turned it up a notch, fought the wind down the backstretch, and brought it home in 49.6 to edge a fast closing Bowdoin 3:22.02 to 3:22.13 and 3:22.73 for Colby.

The final score was MIT 81, Colby 66, Bowdoin 49, and Southern Maine 11. Next week, MIT is home in a dual meet vs. Tufts.