By Keon Edington / The Jambar
The Penguins blazed a trail through the icy weather as the Youngstown State University track and field team hosted the YSU Collegiate Invitation on Jan. 16 at the Watson and Tressel Training Site.
Afterwards, the ’Guins traveled Jan. 17 to University Park, Pennsylvania, to compete in the The Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lion Challenge before racing over to Kent on Jan. 23 to compete in the Kent State University Jud Logan Memorial Invitational.
As the YSU Collegiate Invitational went underway, the Penguins earned 12 victories overall between the men and women.
Junior Lukas Long took home the top spot in the men’s pole vault with a mark of 5.00 meters, and senior Brandon Hutchinson claimed first place in the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.25 meters.
Senior Emmanuel Asabere placed third in the men’s long jump, while sophomore Aaron Beredinelli rounded out the top five.
To conclude the field events, freshman Brayden Green placed first in the men’s triple jump with a leap of 14.65 meters. His jump now ranks within the top five in school history and, after the success, was named the Horizon League Track and Field Runner of the Week.
Moving to the track, sophomore Joseph Owusu-Ansah took home first place in both the 60-meter dash, with a time 6.76 seconds, and the 200-meter dash with a time 21.26 seconds.
After the meet, Owusu-Ansah was named the Horizon League Track and Field Indoor Athlete of the Week, leading the Horizon League in both of his events as well as having the 34th best time in the 200 meter in the NCAA.
Junior Trenton Shutters earned first place in the 800-meter race with a time of 1:51.41.
For the women’s side, freshman Ava Reeves earned her first collegiate victory with a time of 25.22 in the 200-meter dash. She also placed first in the 60-meter with a time of 7.65.
YSU swept the first three positions in the 60-meter dash. Reeves, freshman Anais Martinez and junior Elle Persall all finished consecutively.
Some notable standouts included freshman Maggie Hopple, who placed first in the one mile with a time of 5:03.13, and senior Kaitlyn Eger, who won the pole vault to sweep both the men’s and women’s side.
YSU sent select throwers to Penn State for the Nittany Lion Challenge. Junior Jaylynn Smith placed highest for the ‘Guins at fifth place in the weight throw. After Smith scored 17.50 meters in the throw, senior Grace Sparks came in 10th with a throw of 16.1 meters.
For the men’s weight throw, sophomore Dominic Brown posted a 17.50-meter throw to earn sixth place, while junior Ryan Tetrick followed in seventh place with a throw of 17.28 meters.
To round out the challenges and invitationals, the Penguins scored five wins at KSU, led by Owusu-Ansah, who tacked on another 200-meter win with a time of 21.62 seconds. Junior Caedeon Trotter and senior Jake Mcentrye finished third and fifth with times of 22.12 and 22.32 seconds, respectively.
Junior Jaylynn King threw a personal-best 18.06 to place first in the women’s weight throw.
Graduate student Teziah Howard placed first in the men’s 400-meter dash with a time of 49.10 seconds. Freshman Shamir Rose followed with a second place finish and crossed the line at 49.76. Sophomore Noah Crozier took home first in the high jump with a 2.05-meter jump.
The Penguins also vaulted their way into the top-four spots for the women’s pole vault. Senior Melana Schumaker placed first with a height of 3.85 meters. Edger followed in second with 3.75 meters, while senior Gabbi Selman came in third with 3.60 meters and freshman Marissa Ratliffe rounded out the sweep in fourth with 3.60 meters.
The track and field team will return home Jan. 30-31 to the WATTS for the YSU Mid Major Invitational.