By Adam Riglian
Head coach Sherman Hart eased the men’s and women’s track teams back into the season after winter break Saturday, as both teams triumphed over Harvard with scores of 77.5-66.5 and 87-40, respectively.
Senior captain Christian Tirella led the men’s team with victories in multiple events. Tirella took first place in the 200-meter (23.09), 400-meter (50.25) and helped the 4 x 400-meter relay team to a victory (3:44.13).
“Christian worked out with me all through break,” Hart said. “He’s taking on his role of captain on and off the track.”
Freshmen Jordan Thull and Adrian Li reached new heights against the Crimson in the pole vault and high jump, respectively. Thull vaulted 16 feet 5 inches and Li jumped a career-best 6 feet 9 inches. Both performances were good for event wins.
The men took four of the six scoring spots in the shot put and weight throw, with sophomore Nate Hunter taking the shot and junior Bamidele Faboyede winning the weight throw.
Hart chose to leave several of his best women’s athletes, including sophomore Brittany Moriarty and junior Tramaine Shaw, behind to rest minor injuries.
Apparently they were not needed in this meet. The Huskies took 12 of the 15 events, won both relays and won the top two spots in four events.
Seniors Shanae Henry and Zara Northover won two events each. Henry took the 60-meter (7.62) and 200-meter (25.58), while Northover prevailed in the shot put and weight throw.
Freshman Celeste Holder took first in the long jump and second in the 200-meter. Freshman Cosandria Walker won the triple jump, finished second behind Holder in the long jump and second behind Henry in the 60-meter, for a combined 11 points.
Hart said he was pleased with both his teams’ performances, but he would not tackle the indoor season as vigorously as he did last year.
“I learned a lot from being in the CAA last year,” Hart said. “None of their teams attacked the indoor season that hard. We are going to run indoors and be competitive, but we are focused on being healthy and ready for outdoors.”
Hart, whose last recruiting class is already producing results on the track, has been busy attracting young athletes to Northeastern’s track program.
Distance runners Seri Gordon, Courtney Mortimer and Annie Scully signed letters of intent in December. Gordon and Mortimer are middle-distance runners, while Scully is a two-miler.
