CLAREMONT, CA — The meet came down to one race, and the Pomona-Pitzer Men's Track and Field team found a way to win.
Trailing by nearly 40 meters, anchor runner Paul Messana somehow made up the deficit, caught and passed both Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Redlands for a win in the 4x400 meter relay.
The incredible finish secured an 84-79 victory over the Stags, the first dual meet win against the Sixth Street Rival since 1991. The Sagehens went on to win a SCIAC Championship that season.
Christopher Neikirk, Nick Vucovich, and Lucas White Moon ran the first three legs of the race. The Sagehens won with a time of 3:20.32, CMS followed in second (3:20.37), and Redlands placed third (3:20.74).
The Sagehens fell to the Bulldogs 103-58.
Messana had some individual success in the meet as well. The senior won the 1500 meter with a time of 3:56.11, the ninth fastest time in program history. Colin Mulligan finished fourth in the race at 4:01.25.
Pomona-Pitzer took two of the top three spots in the 5000 meter. Andy Reischling won the race at 14.56.75, and Charles Watson placed third 15:22.32.
Neikirk won the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.97. He also finished third in the high jump with a leap of 6-02.75. The sophomore is coming off receiving SCIAC Athlete of the Week honors after tying for first in the high jump, and finishing first among division three competitors in the 100 hurdles last weekend at the Rossi Relays.
The Sagehens put on a show in the 3000 meter steeplechase, sweeping the top three spots. Danny Rosen won the event (9:50.68), Carter Stripp finished second (9:53.35), and Niko Tutland placed third (10:00.00).
Vucovich scored an individual victory for Pomona-Pitzer, winning the 800 meter at 1:56.45. Calvin Aylward also did his part, winning the javelin with a throw of 193-04.
The 4x100 relay team made up of Ethan Hardacre, Neikirk, Abele, and Faraaz Rashidi took second in the event with a time of 43.20.
Rashidi and Ryan Abele finished in the top four of the 100 meter dash. Rashidi took third at 11.17, and Abele finished fourth with a time of 11.27. The pair turned in a top five finish in the 200 meter with Rashidi finishing fourth (22.72) and Abele following in fifth (22.81).
White Moon finished third in the triple jump with a distance of 42-11. The freshman also placed fourth in the 400 meter with a time of 50.99.
Reggie Reed had a good day in the throwing events, finishing third in the shot put (43-00.50) and fourth in the discuss (125-01).
Next Meet: The Sagehens compete next at Occidental's Distance Carnival and Sprint Fest. The meet takes place Friday, March 10 beginning at 10:30 a.m.
