The Rocket

Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Steve Reed Rock runners (from left, wearing black shorts) Jeff Weiss, Pat Reagan and Brian Pratt lead the pack in the 10,000-meter distance run in the PSAC-West Challenge. Weiss and Reagan earned a provisional berth in the NCAA Division II national championships. [Click to enlarge]

Mother Nature can affect just about everyone in western Pennsylvania this time of year.

Whether it's the anticipation of summer when the sun is out all day or the last few remaining days of a long, cold winter, the weather often plays a starring role, especially in the arena of athletics.

Saturday was no different, as the elements were an obstacle all day for the teams competing at the SRU Invitational at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

"It was so cold and windy up there," Rock Head Coach John Papa said. "It was tough on a lot of the athletes."

Jeren Debardelaben had a great weekend for the SRU track and field team but the weather acted as a spoiler to a tremendous personal effort.

Debardelaben, a freshman from Pittsburgh, won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the invitational with times of 10.63 and 22.34 seconds, respectively.

"(Debardelaben) ran a national qualifying time in the 100-meters but it was negated because the wind was too high," Papa said.

Papa went on to explain that a qualifying time can't be counted if the wind reading is higher than a 4.0 (4 meters per second).

"The tailwind greatly enhances sprinting," he said.

The wind last Saturday at Thompson Stadium was a 4.4.

Despite the minor setback, Debardelaben's times were impressive and a probable foreshadowing of things to come, Papa said.

"The next time he runs, I'm sure he is going to get that national qualifying time," Papa said.

As a freshman, Debardelaben is still getting used to outrunning his competition on a consistent basis at the collegiate level.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools