Teams brace for annual Manhattan showdown

By Antonio M. Flores

The storm that is Manhattan comes every year. Neither the men’s nor the women’s track & field squads have ever made it out alive. They look to change that this time around.

Both teams have used nearly two months’ worth of relays to prepare themselves for the upcoming MAAC championship this Friday, which is expected to be a culmination between giants Rider and Manhattan, the latter of which seemingly has a chokehold on the entire conference.

According to maacsports.com, Manhattan’s men’s team has won 10 consecutive indoor championships, with Rider finishing in second place every year aside from 2000 (when they finished third). Manhattan’s women’s team is equally as strong; they, too, have won the title 10 years in a row. Rider’s women’s team has finished in second place every time.

“I think Manhattan is a very good team, but I also know that we are a great team and that we will do everything possible to defeat the Jaspers,” said senior David Payne, who finished a solid fourth place with a time of 21.64 in the 200-meter event at the Boston Terrier Invitational on Jan. 27. “My performance [at the Boston Terrier Invitational] is a reflection of the progress I have made so far this season, which gives me confidence that I’m going to reach many of my personal goals and records.”

Payne also competed in the 60-meter dash event at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational where he placed 25th in the preliminaries with a time of 6.94. He and junior John Smith – who, at the same meet, placed 18th in the 5,000-meter event with a time of 15:40.55 – are expected to be the commanders-in-chief for the men’s team at the championships.

Sophomore A.J. Parillo will also be vital. At the Boston Terrier Invitational, Parillo set a new personal record at the 400-meter event with a time of 48.86.

“Naturally I can’t complain about my performance,” said Parillo. “I’ll take a [personal record] whenever I can get one, but, I don’t like to settle and the bar has already been reset.”

Sophomore Tricia Crotty, a two-sport athlete who also plays on the field hockey squad, is likely to be crucial to the women’s success. At the New Balance Collegiate, Crotty teamed up with senior Katie Chin; sophomore Tabatha Haskins; and freshman Karlise Cureton to place 20th in the 4x400 relay event. Though commendable, Crotty maintains that they could have done better.

“Our time in the 4x400 relay was not a best for the season and we hope to come out with a better time in the MAAC championships,” she said. “The team will be ready for a strong competition because our training is set up so that we hit our peak performance during championship week, which will give the team a greater chance against Manhattan.”

The indisputable main weapon for the women will be senior Jazmine Fenlator, who was named MAAC Performer of the Week for her accomplishments at the New Balance Invitational. At that meet, Fenlator placed seventh in the weight throw (57’00.25”) and eighth in the shot put (a school-record toss of 48’6.25”) even though her competition included a pair of All-Americans.

Such records will need to roll on for both teams if Rider is to sidestep another season of saying “Wait until next year.”

“We train year-round for this,” said Payne. “I can confidently say that when it’s our time to perform, we will.”

Rider’s final tune for the event came this past weekend, at the Lafayette/Rider Winter Games. There was no team scoring at the event.

The event was held at the 168th Street Armory, where this Friday’s event will also be held.