Lock Haven Edges Red Raider Track and Field for PSAC Outdoor Championship

May 5, 2007

Championship Web Site

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - By virtue of its win in 0.06 seconds over Shippensburg in the 1,600-meter relay, the Lock Haven men's track and field team captured its first PSAC championship since 1999 and fourth overall, edging the host Red Raiders by just one point Saturday afternoon at Seth Grove Stadium.

With both teams tied for first-place with 133 points going into the 1,600-meter relay, Lock Haven and Shippensburg knew that whoever had a better finish in the championship's final event would capture the team title.

Lock Haven‚s Chris Edelman leaned forward at the finish line to edge out Shippensburg's Joe Wagner, giving Lock Haven third-place and six points and a final team total of 139 points compared to five for the Red Raiders and a team total of 138.

Slippery Rock, who entered the 4x400-meter relay in third with 131 points, placed sixth in the event to finish third with a final team total of 134 points.

Lock Haven's winning 1,600-meter relay margin of 0.06 seconds was all that stood between Shippensburg and its sixth consecutive outdoor championship. Over the last six years since 2002, the Red Raiders have finished no worse than second-place.

In the men‚s javelin, senior Nate Reider (York/Dallastown) successfully defended his conference championship with a throw of 211' 1" as he was the only competitor to surpass 200-feet. In 2006, Reider won with a mark of 211' 7".

Meanwhile, senior Bernie Richards (York Haven/Northeastern York) and sophomore Jamal James (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) each won their first career outdoor championships with Richards winning the 400-meter hurdles and James capturing the title in the 100-meter dash.

Richards took first in 52.84 seconds, becoming the first to go under 53 seconds and ahead of Slippery Rock's Nate Shadeck who was second in 53.49 seconds. Sophomore Mike Murphy (Reamstown/Cocalico) finished fifth in 55.16 seconds.

In the 100, James edged out Cheyney's Cyrus Wesley by 0.02 seconds with a time of 10.76 seconds. Entering the championship, the two were seeded just 0.03 seconds apart with Wesley first at 10.80 seconds. Sophomore James Wilson (Ephrata/Ephrata) placed fourth in the 100 with a time of 10.89 seconds.

Entering the 200-meter dash, James was the top-seed, but a strained hamstring limited his explosiveness as he placed fourth in 22.15 seconds. Wesley won the event in 21.67 seconds.

In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, senior Allen Hanslovan (Morrisdale/West Branch) placed second behind two-time champion Chris Robson of Lock Haven who finished the event in 9:03.28, over 15 seconds faster than Hanslovan who was competing in the event for the first time of the conference championships.

Hanslovan was one of two Red Raiders to finish in the top-four as senior Steve Lobianco (Dover/Northeastern York) placed fourth after finishing eighth in 2006.

In the triple jump, junior Maurice Barbour (Chambersburg/Chambersburg) placed third with a leap of 47' 3/4". He finished fifth a year ago.

Sophomore Shaun Minnich (Churchville/Council Rock South) and senior David Green (Waynesboro/South Western) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, to round out Shippensburg‚s Saturday place winners.

Selections for the 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be available on Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m. on ncaasports.com with the event taking place May 24-26 at the Irwin Belk Complex in Charlotte, North Carolina and hosted by Johnson C. Smith University.

- Red Raider Track and Field -