Marauder track team outkicks competition

The Marauders track team has once again continued to perform exceptionally well at their fourth meet of the season at York University.

The meet served as preparation for some of the athletes that will be heading to the Valentine Invitational this coming weekend in Boston.

Some of these athletes include Chelsea Mackinnon and Maddy McDonald, who both raced the 1000 m event.

Mackinnon came second place overall in the event, running to a time of 2:58, while teammate Kaitlyn Pansegrau finished fifth overall with a time of 3:01.

Head coach Paula Schnurr is thoroughly impressed with Mackinnon’s performance following her injury issues over the past couple of years.

“Her strength has improved since cross country and with some more speed workouts and racing she hopes to get back to where she was two years ago. She is hoping to run 2:55 in Boston,” said Schnurr.

In Boston, Mackinnon will be sure to run to a great time, as she will be head-to-head against some great competition.

“She will take advantage of some girls setting a good pace and will just hang on for the ride,” added Schnurr.

As for Pansegrau, her goal is to break three minutes in the event at the Team Challenge Meet in Windsor.

McDonald is new to the 1000 m, and used this race as a workout before her 3000 m race in Boston next weekend-- which will be her main event and focus for the season. In her first 1000 m race ever, she finished eighth overall with a time of 3:04.

In the men’s 600 m event, Brandon Huzevka lit up the track again, running to a new personal best time of 1:21.

Huzevka has managed to run to a personal best time at the last couple of meets that he has competed in, and Coach Schnurr could not be more pleased with his progress thus far.

“It’s very exciting for Brandon. He continues to get more comfortable with the strategies that go along with racing the 600 m. He didn’t have a clean race so I know he can run even faster once he runs ‘the perfect race,’” said Schnurr.

Unfortunately for Huzevka, there is not a 600 m event at the Boston Valentine Invitational. Schnurr says he will either take the weekend off, or he will join some of his other teammates and run at the team challenge meet in Windsor.

Not too far behind Huzevka was Greg Hitchon, and second-year Jeff Mah, who both had a photo-finish race, running to a time of 1:24.

Hitchon, a fourth-year student, is very impressive in what he has been able to accomplish this year.

He was a high school track runner, but decided not to take up the sport in university until his fourth year. He showed up at try-outs in September, and managed to not only make the roster, but be one of the fastest people on the team.

In the men’s 1000 m, Luke Charbonneau finished with a time of 2:35, and in the men’s 1500 m, Gabe Ghiglione finished with a personal best time of 4:04.

Now the best on the Marauders track team will gear up to head out to Boston, where they will be up against some of the fiercest competition in both Canada and the United States.

Among some of the athletes that will be looking to have great races include Chelsea Mackinnon in the 1000 m, Jeff Tweedle and Eric Barry in the 1000 m, Maddy McDonald in the 3000 m, and Blair Morgan and Jordan Bierema in the 3000 m.

The rest of the team will be competing at the Team Challenge meet in Windsor.