For Immediate Release - 2/27/09 - #217
LC Men's Track Rolls to 12th Consecutive ODAC Title Friday Night
LYNCHBURG, VA - The No. 23 Lynchburg College men's track and field team dominated the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship meet Friday night, notching the second most points in meet history and recording its 12th straight conference indoor title.
LC posted 220.50 points for the championship meet, which was second all-time to the Hornets' 247.50 points back in 2005. Senior Brandon Edwards (Warrenton, VA/Fauquier) was named the men's Athlete of the Meet, while Dr. Jack Toms earned Conference Coach of the Year for the 12th straight time.
The meet win was also the Hornets 22nd in the last 23 years. Edwards was a force all day for the Hornets, as he collected four gold medals in the evening. He won the triple jump with a leap of 47.4 feet, also taking the 55-meter dash in 6.42 seconds. His time in the 55 marked a new school record, besting Jason Smith's time of 6.43.
Edwards nationally qualified in both the 55 meters and triple jump events, while adding wins in the 200 meter dash (22.62) and teaming with Sam Steinke (The Woodlands, TX/The American School of Dubai), Reid Taylor (Midlothian, VA/James River) and Earl Graves (Richmond, VA/Hermitage) to win the 4x400 meter relay in 3:27.09.
Junior Ricky Flynn (Gaithersburg, VA/Damascus) continued his reign as the league's top distance runner, as he won both the 5,000 meter and mile events. Flynn posted a 4:23.61 in the mile, while clocking a 15:09 in the 5,000, besting the second place finisher by 25 seconds.
Lynchburg also fared well in the pole vault, as the Hornets took the top four spots. Freshmen Thomas Clark (Alexandria, VA/T.C. Williams) and James Bell (Huddleston, VA/Staunton River) each cleared 4.47 meters going 1-2, while Nathan Curtis (Chesapeake, VA/Hickory) and Casey Rudd (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake) finished third and fourth clearing 4.10 and 3.65 meters, respectively.
Dan Reid (Hamilton, MA/Hamilton-Wenholm) took home the weight throw top honor with a throw of 52 feet, while John Michael Pavia (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) placed third in both the weight toss and shot put.
Chris Word (Lynchburg, VA/E.C. Glass) won the 400 meter dash for LC, running a 50.27, while Steinke and Graves were right behind with times of 50.34 and 50.44, respectively. Graves also finished third in the long jump, leaping 21.8 feet, and fourth in the triple jump with a distance of 42.9 feet.
Rich Apgar (Somers, NY/Somers) finished second in the mile with a time of 4:25.04, while younger brother Todd Apgar (Somers, NY/Somers) took fourth with a 4:28.92. Bell also finished second in the 55 hurdles with an 8.01, while newcomer Kevonte Warner (Scottsville, VA/Buckingham Co.) earned third with an 8.03. Ryan Van Alstine (Midland Park, NJ/Midland Park) finished fourth in the grueling 5,000 meters, posting a time of 15:46.73.
Lynchburg will now start its last chance meets, starting with Sunday's event at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
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