Connolly placed first in the 200-meter dash and qualified for the New England Championships in two months. (PHOTO BY SportsPix)

Four post New England qualifying marks, Connolly & Taxter win events

DORCHESTER, Mass. (December 9, 2017) – The Stonehill College men's track & field program posted a pair of first place finishes and qualified four individuals for the New England Championships in February as it wrapped up the first semester schedule at the Husky Invitational, hosted by Northeastern University, at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center today.

Juniors Lucas Taxter (Readville, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers) and Joe Connolly (Wilmington, Massachusetts/Austin Prep) both turned in first place finishes to lead Stonehill on the afternoon Taxter took first place in the one mile run in a New England Championships qualifying and personal-best time of 4:16.20, while classmate Matthew Shaw (Goffstown, New Hampshire/Goffstown) finished third in a personal-best 4:24.57. Connolly placed first in the 200-meter dash in a New England Championships qualifying time of 22.47-seconds, while sophomore Justin Ireland (Norton, Massachusetts/Norton) finished sixth in 22.88-seconds.

Junior Stephen Vercollone (Pembroke, Massachusetts/Pembroke) qualified for the New England Championships in the 800-meter run, posting a season-best time of 1:54.60 for a second place finish to lead a group of four Skyhawks in the event. Sophomore Jeremy Breen (Watertown, Massachusetts/Watertown) placed fourth in a personal-best 1:56.56, edging out junior David Lockhart (Stoughton, Massachusetts/Stoughton) who finished fifth in 1:56.69.

Balestra placed third in the weight throw and qualified for New Englands. (PHOTO BY SportsPix)

Senior Stefan Balestra (Lincoln, Rhode Island/Lincoln) led Stonehill's field athletes by qualifying for the New England Championships with a third place throw of 52-feet, 2.50-inches in the weight throw.

Senior Jimmy Murphy (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) placed second in the 5000-meter run in 15:20.59, just 0.28-seconds behind the winner, Jeff Reddy from Franklin Pierce University (15:20.31), to lead a pack of three Skyhawks that claimed three of the five spots in the event. Classmate Kenny Vinacco (Scituate, Rhode Island/Scituate) finished fourth in a personal-best 15:45.24.

Senior Jordan Sullivan (Sound Beach, New York/Miller Place) took third in the high jump by clearing 6-feet, 2-inches. Classmate Jonathan Naval (Stratford, Connecticut/Bunnell) placed third in the triple jump, clearing 42-feet, 8.25-inches.

Stonehill is now off until after the New Year following a break for exams and the holidays, when it competes at the Beantown Challenge, hosted by Harvard University, at Gordon Indoor Track, on Saturday, January 13, at 11 a.m.

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