Cross Country Makes Strong Showing At Offseason Invites
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (April 16, 2010)- The C.W. Post cross country team continued its off season training, competing in four different invites over the past two weeks.
The Pioneers competed first Monmouth Invite on March 27, as graduate student
Vince Giambanco (Muttontown, N.Y.) took fifth place in the 1500 m with a time of 4:04.69. Freshman
Christian Altamura (Seaford, N.Y.) followed short after, crossing the line with at the 4:12.51 mark, taking 33
rd place. Freshman
Matt O'Keefe (East Rockaway, N.Y.) was the final Pioneer to cross the line in the event, placing 73
rd.
Freshman
Ray Coyle (Woodhaven, N.Y.) along with
Thomas Speicher (Levittown, N.Y.) and
Thomas Brouillard (Syosset, N.Y.) competed in the 5000m event. Coyle set a new personal best with a time of 15:52, while Speicher and Brouillard crossed the line with times of 16:28 and 16:57, respectively.
On the women's side,
Kristen Sweeney (Kennebunkport, Maine) finished the 1500m with a time of 5:05.79, taking 24
th place. Freshman
Caitlin Smith (Levittown, N.Y.) completed the event at the 5:17.74 mark, while
Irekpitan Ehiyoka (West Hempstead, N.Y.) followed shortly after at 5:43.34. Sweeney and Smith finished out the day setting new personal best records in the 5000m at 19:22 and 19:57, respectively.
Erin Lusenskas (East Atlantic Beach, N.Y.) rounded out the trio with a time of 20:38.
On Friday, April 2, Giambanco was the lone competitor for C.W. Post at the Princeton Invite, setting a new personal best record of 15:39 in the 5000m event.
The next day, on April 3, O'Keefe made his college debut in the 5000m event, setting a personal best of 16:12 and taking a fourth place finish. Altamura ran the 3000m Steeple Chase, placing first with a time of 10:04. He also competed in the 800m, completing the race with a time of 2:03.
For the women, Sweeney placed third overall in the 1500m, crossing the line at 5:05.39, while Ehiyoka followed next at 5:38. Smith competed in the 5000m, taking ninth place overall.
The Pioneers rounded out their two week stint at the Rider Invite on April 10, as Altumara started the day with his second consecutive 3000m Steeple Chase win with a time of 9:40, missing the junior National Qualifying mark by a mere two seconds.
David Johnson (Flushing, N.Y.) made his off season debut in the 800m, finishing with a time of 2:05. Giambanco took a second place finish in the 5000m, followed by O'Keefe who ran a personal best of 16:02.
Sweeney remained a consistent competitor for the Pioneers, running 5:05.77 in the 1500m event.