May 1, 2009
Results
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Junior Mark Van Orden successfully defended his hammer throw title and freshman Chris Ricks earned second-team all-league laurels in the javelin highlighting a solid first-day effort from Navy's throwers on Friday at the 2009 Patriot League Outdoor Championships.
After six scored events, the Midshipmen stand in second place with 36 points (29 of which were generated by six scoring Navy throwers), just two points back of academy rival and league favorite Army's 38 point total. Bucknell is right on Navy's heels in third with 34 points, followed by Lafayette in fourth with 26 points and both Lehigh and Holy Cross, who sit in a fifth-place tie with 16 points apiece. American and Colgate round out the eight-team field with 14 and 6 points, respectively.
Van Orden, who entered the weekend ranked 35th nationally in the hammer, continued his season-long prowess in throwing circle by delivering a winning toss of 200-3 (61.03m).
The throw narrowly missed hitting his PR of 200-5 (61.08m) and stands as his second-best career mark. With the victory, Van Orden has now won the hammer throw title in each of the last two springs.
It is his second individual crown this year (he won the weight throw at this past winter's indoor league meet) and the third of his career. Moreover, it was the sixth-time this season that he has comfortably surpassed both the IC4A and NCAA Regional-qualifying standards on the spring.
Senior team captain Chris Bordino and junior Tyrell Arment both also scored points in the hammer for the Mids. Bordino uncorked a 178-6 (54.41m) toss to place in fifth while Arment's season-best 175-5 (53.47m) performance was good for a sixth-place finish.
The Midshipmen also showcased their point-scoring depth in the javelin, where first-year standout Chris Ricks led a trio of Navy scorers with a second-place PR effort of 201-3 (61.34m).
Sophomore Devan Clark earned third-place points after notching a season-best mark of 200-5 (61.08m), while junior Tim Gruber took fifth with his second-best toss of the season, hitting 199-5 (60.78m).
Navy also produced scoring efforts in both the 4x800-meter relay and pole vault competitions. In the 4x800m, the Midshipmen quartet of freshmen Dominic Della Pelle and Matthew Evers, sophomore David Ash and senior Andrew Grant teamed up to produced a season-best, IC4A clocking of 7:36.75.
Meanwhile in the pole vault, freshman Paul Neidhardt continued a solid first-year campaign, earning sixth-place points with a career-best clearance of 14-3.25 (4.35m).
In the 110-meter hurdles, junior Matt Hanley managed to advance to Saturday's final, finishing third in his heat and fifth overall with a time of 15.08.
Saturday's action resumes at 9:00 am with continuation of the men's decathlon.
Men's Team ScoresPl. School Pts.1. Army 382. Navy 363. Bucknell 344. Lafayette 265. Lehigh 16 Holy Cross 167. American 148. Colgate 6
Saturday's Schedule of EventsMulti-Events*9:00 am - 110m Hurdles (Dec)9:45 - Discus (Dec)11:15* - Pole Vault (Dec)2:30* - Javelin (Dec)4:00* - 1500m (Dec)
Field Events11:30 - High Jump11:30 - Shot Put2:00 - Triple Jump3:30 - Discus
Track Events10:45 - 3,000m Steeplechase11:45 - 4x100 Relay12:05 - 1,500m Run12:35 - 110m Hurdles (f)1:00 - 400m Dash (f)1:30 - 100m Dash (f)1:50 - 800m Run2:35 - 400m Hurdles3:10 - 200m Dash (f)3:25 - 5000m Run4:45 - 4x400 Relay5:15 - Awards Ceremony
## GO NAVY! ##
