Photo By Nick Williams, Assistant News Editor
By Matt Guear
In what has become commonplace over the past few years, both the men’s and women’s Susquehanna track and field teams won the indoor Landmark Conference championship on Feb. 24 at Garrett Sports Complex.
Both teams have won their respective indoor conference championship in consecutive seasons since 2021.
The men’s team ran away with the meet, putting up 187.5 points to Catholic’s 129.5. Moravian came in third with 107.
The women’s side was closer. Susquehanna posted 155 points, Catholic followed with 147, and Moravian came in third with 101. Nevertheless, both teams secured their third straight championship.
Head coach Ethan Senecal, who has been at Susquehanna since 2018, has instilled a culture that’s all about family. With that, winning has followed.
“When I got hired here, my philosophy was built on family,” said Senecal. “I want the team to be one; a whole.”
While he has brought some of his own ideas to the team, he’s always looking to his captains for more inspiration.
“A captain to me isn’t just your best athlete. I want a captain that leads by example”, said Senecal. “A captain is my bridge to the team and my line of defense.”
One of those captains, senior sprinter Chloe Yoder, secured first place in the 60-meter hurdles, as well as fourth in the 60-meter dash. Her first-place time of 8.83 seconds set a new meet record.
“I’m grateful to have another record,” Yoder said. “It’s just the mindset of giving it all I can.”
Yoder also competed in the long jump, an event she typically doesn’t do, but did so to secure more points for the team.
“It really helped having Remi (Acord), Hannah (Alderfer), and Julia (Acevedo) there,” Yoder said. “It really calmed me down.”
Acord won both the long and triple jump events and took home the honors of Landmark Conference Field Athlete of the Year, an honor that she also won for the 2023 outdoor season.
The River Hawks also swept the women’s long jump with Acord coming in first, Alderfer in second, and Yoder in third.
“The support of my teammates and coaches really helps me improve and train my hardest,” Acord said.
Acord has been battling an ankle injury this year, which has affected her ability to perform to the standard she sets for herself. However, things change when the Landmark Championship is on the line.
“I have a pattern of performing my best at Champs,” Acord said. “That’s because it’s for my team and not myself.”
Acord wasn’t the only one who showed out once the lights got the brightest. First-year jumper Charles Montross won the men’s long jump with a new personal best of 6.95 meters.
“PR’ing at cChamps was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in track,” said Montross, who was also named Landmark rookie of the year. “I have been so close to getting a new PR for so long and I hadn’t been able to get that extra inch or two, so to shatter my PR was really cool.”
In total, Susquehanna won 12 of 34 events. The team consisting of Lukas VanDine, Ian Anderson, Asa Alderman, and Josh Kimotho won the Distance Medley Relay.
Carter Smink captured first in the men’s 60-meter hurdles and Sarah Bower won the women’s pole vault. Margaret Boyer took home the gold in the women’s weight throw and Alexa Rine won the 60-meter dash.
Elliott Davis placed first in two events. He won the 400-meter race and was also a part of the 400-meter relay team along with Brandon Zimmerman, Mason Winslow, and Rowan Smith. Their time of 3:26.14 set a new meet record despite Smith filling in for the injured Benjamin Bulger.
“Me and Brandon are known for the four-by-four so our chemistry there is usually perfect,” said Davis. “Mason is a new addition to the four-by-four and he’s a great addition and we love having him. Rowan is also a great addition; he works really hard and we’re happy to have him.”
Cole Goodwin came in first in the men’s shot put with a throw of 14.42 meters.
“The feeling of placing first is indescribable,” said Goodwin. “For all the countless hours of hard work throughout the season to come together and result in first place is an amazing feeling.”
Cole attributes his success to the team chemistry and leadership of fellow thrower, Tyler Hauk.
“I feel like Tyler Hauk has always done a good job of leading by example,” said Goodwin. “He not only works hard at practice, but he is dedicated to helping all the throwers.”
Now, with the Landmark Championship in the rear view, the team is looking towards AARTFC meet in Nazareth, Pennsylvania on March 1-2.
