Distance runners given shot at contending
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Men's track & field
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- A group of five men's distance runners are well positioned heading into the SUNYAC track and field championship meet starting Friday at the College at Oneonta.
Fredonia State head coach Liz Aldrich said the quintet of junior Tom Williams (Queensbury), sophomore twins Nick and Josh Guarino (Bergen/Byron-Bergen), and fellow sophomores David "Mac" McMahill (Hemlock/Livonia) and Eddie Novara (Angola/Lake Shore) are capable of contending in their respective events.
In addition to being ranked second in the 1,500 meters, Nick Guarino is ranked fourth and McMahill fifth in the 800 meters. Josh Guarino is No. 3 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, an event in which he finished second at last year's championships.
"Both Guarinos," Aldrich said, "are tough competitors and when it comes to gutting it out, they have the upper hand."
The Blue Devils will have three men in the 5K -- Josh Guarino, Novara, and Williams. Novara finished second at the distance at the indoor championships and should be near the front of the pack, with he and Williams both capable of breaking 15 minutes. Williams is also entered in the 10K on Friday night.
In other running events, Aldrich has high hopes for freshman Carl Caughell (Niagara Falls/Niagara-Wheatfield) in the 110-meter high hurdles; he's ranked fifth going in and was fourth in the 55-meter hurdles indoors. Also ranked fourth is the 4-by-100 relay team of senior Aaron Borowczyk (Fredonia/Forestville), junior Mike Kelley (Geneseo), freshman Tyler Riberdy (Waterford/Shenendehowa), and junior Greg Jackson (Sherman). A newly formed 4-by-400 quintet of Nick Guarino, McMahill, Riberdy, and Borowczyk will also compete at SUNYACs.
Kelley offers the Blue Devils their best chance in the field events. He won the triple jump at the indoor meet and is ranked first outdoors this spring. He's also capable of a top-three finish in the long jump, in which he is seeded fourth. Riberdy, a sixth-place finisher in the triple jump at the indoor meet, will also jump this weekend, while sophomore pole vaulter Greg Craft (Cheektowaga/JFK) and been on the improve and will look to move up from his pre-meet No. 7 ranking.
The meet starts at 2 p.m. Friday and last throughout the day. The Saturday session will begin at 10 a.m. Live results and a webcast of running events will be available via the College at Oneonta website.