Bucknell University
Patriot League Championships
Heitzman, Joseph Claim Bison Track & Field's First Titles at Patriot League Championships
5/6/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
May 6, 2011
EASTON, Pa. - Ted Heitzman (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) set a Patriot League record in the javelin, and he and Leonard Joseph (Whitesboro, N.Y./Clinton) were the first to claim individual titles for Bucknell men's track and field as the Bison moved into second place overall on the first day of the Patriot League Championships at the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex. The wins for Heitzman and Joseph, who was the top finisher in the hammer, were the first of their careers, but Andrew Powell (Charlton, Mass./St. John's) put himself in prime position for his second straight gold medal as he leads in the decathlon after five events.
Heitzman became the second Bison in as many years to win the Patriot League javelin title. The junior finished runner-up to teammate Steven Pierce a year ago, but 2011 gave him gold with a Patriot League-record throw of 232 feet, 4 inches on Friday. The victory came convincingly as Heitzman bested second-place Chase Bradford of Holy Cross (189-9) by more than 40 feet.
Joseph's win in the hammer came by early 10 feet as he took the gold medal with a throw of 187-10. Now a sophomore, it was Joseph's second year scoring in the event as he placed fourth in 2010.
Heitzman's and Joseph's performances gave Bucknell 20 of its 43.5 points so far. The team's total puts its second in the standings behind Army, which is first with 45 points. The Bison, which won the team title a year ago, defeated the Black Knights by a mere three points at last year's championship meet. Bucknell clinched the title in the final event, the 4x400 relay.
Also contributing to Bucknell's early point total on Friday was a trio of pole vaulters in Drew Fitzgerald (Ballston, Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), Nathaniel Witter (Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan) and Daniel Markwalter (Vienna, Va./Thomas Jefferson S&T). Despite clearing the same height as first-place Justin Harris of Army, Fitzgerald took second. The height of 15-9 tied the Bison senior's career best, which is fourth in program history. Witter was fourth at the meet, while Markwalter tied for fifth, both having cleared 14-9.
Fitzgerald added some more points to the Orange and Blue's total in the long jump. He was fourth with a mark of 22-10.
Although much of the action on the track was the preliminary heats, Bucknell did earn a strong finish in the 4x800 relay. Evan Novakowski (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury), Christopher Boyd (Gaithersburg, Md./Thomas S. Wootton), John Picardo (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton Central) and Jordan Donaldson (Saxton, Pa./Tussey Mountain) were third with a time of 7 minutes 32.76 seconds. The time was good for fourth in program history and is the fastest by a Bison quartet since 1998.
Justin Hicks (Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill School) is looking to become a double-winner in the sprints. After the prelims, the sophomore is the top-seeded runner in both the 100 and 200 meters. Both times also moved him into the record books - seventh in the 100 (10.67) and eighth in the 200 (21.67). Isaih Bell (Stone Mountain, Ga./Clarkston) will join Hicks in the finals of both events as well, while Marlon Woods (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) advanced in the 100 meters.
Three more Bison will go on to the final in the 110-meter hurdles. Robert Arent (New Providence, N.J./New Providence), who was third in the event last year, was third coming out of the prelims this season. He led Dan Mularz (Englishtown, N.J./Freehold Township) and Jason Brown (Plainview, Mass./Bishop Feehan) with a time of 14.72 seconds.
Powell will look for his second straight Patriot League decathlon title when competition resumes tomorrow. The junior is currently in first place with 3,557 points, just ahead of Lehigh's Kyle Forrest, who is second with 3,505 points. Getting Powell to his title were strong performances in the field events. He was the field's top finisher in the high jump (6-6) and long jump (22-8 ½), and the third-place athlete in the shot put (34-5 ½).
Action at Lafayette gets underway again on Saturday, starting at 10:15 a.m.
Decathlon Results (Through five events)
1. Andrew Powell (Bucknell) - 3,557 points
2. Kyle Forrest (Lehigh) - 3,505
3. Alexander Maurer (Lehigh) - 3,476
4. David Linder (Army) - 3,440
5. Ryan Paquin (Lehigh) - 3,389
6. Christopher Fowler (Navy) - 3,331
7. Rand Montermini (Navy) - 3,191
8. Michael Bliss (Army) - 3,011
9. Michael Millard (Holy Cross) - 2,855
10. Nick Carboni (Lafayette) - 2,305
Team Standings (Six events scored)
1. Army - 45
2. Bucknell - 43.5
3. Navy - 29.5
4. Lehigh - 21
5. American - 19
6. Lafayette - 11
7. Holy Cross - 9
8. Colgate - 8
