Outdoor Track & Field Looks To Continue To Make Strides Under Lohse's Leadership This Spring
The Massachusetts Maritime outdoor track & field program has made great strides over the past four seasons in producing a pair of conference champions and shattering school records in nearly every event, and the Buccaneers look to continue that trend this spring under the guidance of veteran Head Coach Cathy Lohse.
Lohse, who has been part of the Massachusetts Maritime program since its inception, welcomes back 22 letterwinners for the 2013 campaign and has tabbed seniors Evan Balderelli (Brimfield, Mass./Tantasqua Regional), Chris Flynn (Orange, Conn./Amity Regional), Michael Rourke (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) and Laurence Tagger (Bourne, Mass./Bourne) as captains for this year’s Buccaneer squad. Lohse says this quartet “brings valuable experience and leadership to our team, both in competition and in the classroom. Their work ethic is something that their teammates continue to emulate and helps makes our program stronger by the day.”
Here’s a look at how things are shaping up for the 2013 edition of Buccaneer Outdoor Track & Field:
SPRINTS/DISTANCE. Balderelli and Tagger lead a talented group of sprinters and distance runners in the Buccaneer fold, which also includes juniors Liz Leonardi (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich), Kelci Sullivan (Hanson, Mass./Whitman-Hanson), Steven Migridichian (Shrewsbury, Mass./Bancroft School) and Ted Mello (Acushnet, Mass./Old Colony Regional). Sophomores Brenton Andrews (Hubbardston, Mass./Quabbin Regional), Mark Baker (Charlestown, R.I./Chariho Regional), Tyler Brady (Woburn, Mass./Woburn), Godfred Mbengam (Randolph, Mass./Randolph) and Steven O’Neil (North Attleboro, Mass./Tri-County) lend additional experience for Massachusetts Maritime, while freshmen Hamed Babrak (Quincy, Mass./Quincy), Anthony DeTommaso (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth), Anthony Downs (West Roxbury, Mass./Catholic Memorial), Garrett Loughry (Edgewater, Fla./Spruce Creek), Peter Schultz (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) and Judson Yerkes (West Barnstable, Mass./Blue Ridge School) will look to contribute during their inaugural collegiate campaigns this spring.
THROWS. Sophomore Zachary Poh (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) enjoyed a solid freshman season for Massachusetts Maritime, as he competed at both the New England and ECAC Championships in the discus, while Flynn, Rourke and fellow seniors Tom Turner (Westmoreland, N.H./Woodinville) and Eric Shea (Milton, Mass./Xaverian) also provide depth and experience among the Buccaneers’ throws contingent. Junior Robert Gratzer (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke), along with sophomores Danielle Soar (Templeton, Mass./Narragansett Regional), Cody Carneiro (Wrentham, Mass./King Philip) and Tim Lawler (Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport), shined in several throwing events last season for Lohse’s crew, which will also look for contributions from junior Steven Ellershaw (Chester, Mass./Gateway Regional) as well as freshmen Siobhan O’Malley (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield), Chris Bisio (Atlanta, Ga./St. Francis) and Bryce MacAndrew (Warwick, R.I./The Prout School).
JUMPS/HURDLES. Sophomore E.J. Bennett (East Wareham, Mass./Wareham) captured Division III All-New England accolades in the high jump and will lead the Buccaneer jumpers this spring, while Balderelli and sophomore Sam Hill (Hopkinton, N.H./Hopkinton) will pace Massachusetts Maritime’s hurdlers after recording solid performances a year ago. Freshman Brendan Smith (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) will also look to make an impact in the hurdles as a rookie this season.
SCHEDULE. Lohse will guide her squad in regular season competitions at Bridgewater State, Tufts, UMass Dartmouth and Connecticut College before the Buccaneers head back to Bridgewater for the MASCAC/New England Alliance Championships on April 27th. Massachusetts Maritime will also look to compete at the Division III and All-New England Championships leading up to the NCAA Division III National Championships in late May.