Penguins’ throwers start strong in Ashland

Staff Report

The Youngstown State track and field team was split for the second consecutive weekend. But only severe weather put a premature end to one meet on Friday.

YSU had athletes complete in the Ashland Alumin Invitational and the Duke Invitational. However, the Duke meet was canceled after only completing four events.

The YSU men’s and women’s throwers were in action in Ashland.

In the women’s hammer throw invite, Poland graduate Nicolette Kreatsoulas earned a sixth-place finish after throwing the hammer 55.90 meters on her third attempt. Reshanna Simon finished fourth in the second section of the women’s hammer throw, tossing the hammer 46.89. Kaitlyn Merwin (43.32) and Sammy Dyson (40.47) also competed in the hammer throw for the Penguins.

On the men’s side, Austintown Fitch graduate Joe Pfeffer recorded the furthest throw for the Penguins at 53.59m while Canfield graduate Andrew Hallof threw the hammer 47.33m.

Pfeffer finished sixth in the third flight while Hallof came in 10 in the first.

After two plus hour of competition at the Duke Invitational, Day 1 was cancelled due to severe weather in the area.

Prior to the weather cancelation, Kira Neef finished tied for second in the women’s high jump after clearing a the bar at 1.64 on her second attempt.

In the men’s 5000, James Nedrich ran a season-best time of 15:28.70 while Tyler Polman finished with a time of 15:41.46. For the women, Western Reserve graduate Ashleigh Rowley finished with the 15th fastest time at 18:24.41 while former Poland Bulldog Maggie Sebest clocked a time of 18:30.21.

The Penguins begin Day 2 of competition from the Duke Invitational at 8 a.m. with the men’s hammer throw and men’s 3000 steeplechase. The throwers kick off their Saturday at Ashland at 10 a.m. with the Bryan Vicker’s men’s shot put.