East Carolina University
Day 1
Johnson Breaks School Record in Season Opener
December 07, 2014 | Track & Field
NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - Senior Henry Johnson bettered his previous personal-best and school-record mark in the pole vault as he helped guide East Carolina track and field to a successful season opener at the Christopher Newport Holiday Open that saw four Pirates earn first-place finishes.
"The first meet of the year is always a big physical and mental test for the team," Head coach Curt Kraft said. "We were excited to get a meet under our belts after about three months of fall training. After assessing today's meet, it was about what I thought it would be. We set a school record and had numerous personal bests. We can build off of this meet for next semester."
Johnson concluded the day with a first-place finish in the pole vault after earning a clearance of 5.21-meters (17' 1") as he set a new East Carolina school record. He paced teammates Joe DeVries, Dylan Spadaccini and Alexander Mobley-Hollie in the event as they finished third, sixth and 14th, respectively. DeVries' mark of 4.55m (14' 11') is a new personal best for the freshman and now ranks him fifth all-time at ECU.
Junior Allen Bordley turned in a solid effort in the field for the Pirates as he won the triple jump after posting a tally of 14.25-meters (46' 9"). He also earned a top-15 finish in the long jump with a mark of 6.40m (21' 00").
In the men's weight throw, senior Thomas Lehman set a new personal record of 15.97-meters (52' 4.75") for a third-place showing. His mark ranks him eighth in the ECU school record book. Behind Lehman, Jalen Peterkin came in seventh with a mark of 14.48-meters (47' 6.25").
On the track, the Pirates set the tone in the 600-meter run as sophomore John Crossley placed second with a personal-best time of 1:21.48 and now ranks sixth in the ECU record book. Following Crossley were Dakota Schaub (1:22.07), Pol Solanellas (1:22.36), Jalen Ware (1:22.75), Desmond Dowling (1:24.36), Rodney Johnson (1:24.44), Kyle Miles (1:24.60), Dylan Traywick (1:24.78) and Fred Campbell (1:27.03). Schaub and Solanellas' times are good for seventh and ninth, respectively, in the ECU annals.
For the Pirate women, freshman Galissia Cause won the shot put with a personal-best mark of 14.50-meters (47' 7") to place fourth in the ECU record book. Kourtney Edwards-Campbell followed with a personal-record of her own as she tallied a mark of 13.85-meters (45' 5.25") to place second in the event and tie for eighth in the school record book.
Rounding out the first-place finishers for East Carolina was senior Kaylee Redon who won the weight throw with a heave of 17.27-meters (56' 8"). Chloe Early placed second in the event with a mark of 17.14m (56' 3").
Junior Lauren Lubarski recorded a personal-record mark of her own in the high jump after registering a clearance of 1.57-meters (5' 1.75") to finished seventh in the event. With her new PR, Lubarski made her way into the ECU school record book as she is now tied for 10th.
Freshman Jada Cunningham recorded a personal-best and found her name added to the school record book in her collegiate debut with a mark of 11.33-meters (37' 2.25") in the triple jump for a third-place finish. She is now ninth in the ECU annals.
Just as the Pirate men turned in positive efforts in the 600-meter run, the women did as well. Janieyah Collins placed ninth with a time of 1:39.91, while Aminah Ghaffar (1:40.99) and Amanda Tomlin (1:41.30) recorded personal record times and moved into ninth and tenth, respectively, in the ECU school record book.
East Carolina finished the day with 13 new additions to the school record book and a number of personal best performances in its first meet of the year.
After a hiatus for finals and winter break, the Pirates continue the 2015 indoor season at the Carolina Cup in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Friday, January 16.
Players Mentioned
