April 14, 2006
Results
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Despite registering six victories in the 11 track events, the Navy men's track and field team could not overcome Army's six first-place marks among the eight field events as the Black Knights handed the Midshipmen a 105-97 loss in the Star Meet on Friday afternoon at West Point. The setback was the first for Navy during the outdoor season, as the Mids dropped to 8-1 on the year.
Friday's loss was only Navy's second in its last nine Star Meets, both of which have come up at West Point.
Navy posted the top-two times in two of its six track event victories on Friday. Sophomore Reggie Campbell (Sanford, Fla.) crossed the finish line first in the 100-meter dash with an 11.25-second clocking, followed by freshman Shun White's (Memphis, Tenn.) 11.32-second effort.
Senior Ty Rose (Germantown, Tenn.) registered a career-best time of 14:38.90 in the 5,000-meter run to pace the field. Following Rose across the finish line in second place with a 14:46.31 showing was freshman Andrew Grant (Statham, Ga.).
For the fourth time in as many tries this season, junior Michael Niemi (Duluth, Minn.) won the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Niemi finished with a season-best time of 9:16.02, completing .41 second ahead of Army's second-place finisher Timothy Simmons.
Senior Marcus Scarborough (Columbia, S.C.) won the 110-meter hurdles for the second time this season, posting a 15.11-second clocking to beat Army's Gregory Booker to the finish line by .24 second.
Both of Navy's relay teams registered wins with season-best times to qualify for the IC4A Championship. The 4x100-meter relay teamed up for a 42.33-second effort, while the 4x400-meter relay unit combined for a time of 3:15.85.
Sophomore Dante Marshall (Hermitage, Pa.) posted one of Navy's two first-place performances in field events on Friday. Marshall out-distanced the competition with a 47'9-3/4" (14.57 meters) effort in the triple jump. The sophomore also broke his personal record in the long jump, soaring 23'3/4" (7.03 meters) to place second overall.
Navy's other first-place effort in a field event came from the arm of sophomore Darryl Hunter (Des Moines, Iowa). Hunter uncorked a throw of 53'1" (16.18 meters), the longest of the season, to claim first in the shot put. The sophomore also corralled second-place points in the discus throw with a distance of 152'1" (46.36 meters).
In addition to the first-place performances, the Midshipmen also benefited from two IC4A qualifying marks on Friday afternoon. Senior Serge Bermudez (Houston, Texas) finished second in the hammer throw with a career-best mark of 177'4" (54.05 meters). Sophomore Craig Meekins (Baldwin, N.Y.) placed third in the 800-meter run with a career-best time of 1:52.26, only .34 second off the first-place time from Army's Christopher Haag.
The Midshipmen next head to Baton Rouge, La., for the LSU Alumni Gold on Saturday, April 22.
