In Its Twilight, SSC Track Finds Success

Salem State's final regular season meet was an emotional day, considering that the athletic department earlier this year, citing budget concerns and a lack of facilities, decided to cut the program entirely.

 "Yeah, we're a throwing team now," the slender Dennis Floyd, head coach of the Vikings since 2002, bemusedly commented on the current transfiguration of his women's squad.  Floyd, a distance runner, ran at Salem State himself as an undergrad. His women's throwing teams are currently showing some promise and will be among the hardest hit by the decision to disband.
 

Captain Liz Brenton set a new school record in the hammer throw, lobbing the 20-pound weight-and-handle contraption 31.87 meters. Brenton, a junior education major, said, "It just really sucks I won't be able to compete my senior year." Senior Kerry Stokes has already qualified for the New England Championship in the javelin, with sophomore Heather Bousque following suit in the shot put.

Also placing were Taylor Krajewski, placing second in the 1500-meter, and third in the 5000 meter. Krajewski, also a junior, has also qualified for New England's in the 10,000 meter, racing her way past the pole with a time of 41:38.

Supporting Krajewski in her 1500-meter race was sophomore Jen Fuller who, in addition to a third place finish, also came in second during the 800-meter, a grueling half-mile sprint she completed in 2:38.

Stokes pulled double duty, competing in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:06.99 seconds, followed by sophomore newcomer Alysia Decker clocking in at 1:10.89 seconds. Decker also ran the 200-meter dash on Saturday, with a time of 31.29.

The men's team also had its successes at the meet, with freshman Pabel Perez adding to the team's tally on three occasions. Perez won the triple jump in a hotly contested heat, launching 12.38 meters to edge out close competition from Division II athletes from MIT. Afterwards, the newcomer from Chelsea, Mass. sprinted both the 400-meter and the

200-meter, with times of 53.12, and 24.03 respectively. Sophomore Jehu Cimea made a third place finish in the 200-meter with a scorching 23.04.

The Salem State Vikings competed in its final meet on Saturday, April 24. UMass-Dartmouth hosted the season's last invitational meet. It will be the athletes' last chances to compete in blue and orange, and their last chance to qualify for the New England Championship.