It was almost perfect irony: Ebony Jack steamrolling around the final bend almost a full 10 yards in the lead, chugging away with the baton getting ready to pass to teammate Wittly Jourdan.
The only problem was that Jack kept on steamrolling through the pass zone, and through Jourdan.
“I couldn’t believe it,” coach Sherman Hart said. “In all my time coaching, that was the first time it has ever happened. They both fell down, and we still didn’t finish last in our heat, that’s how far in front they were.”
At the very place Hart hoped to “put on a show,” the largest and most attended relay event in the world, Hart’s women did exactly that.
All was not folly for the Huskies, though. The 4×800 meter relay team broke the previous Northeastern record while finishing ninth at the prestigious event.
The team of Ahndraea Allen, Amy Hicks, Joanne Merlain, and Kate Jones zipped across the finish line in 9:00.74 minutes, with the previous low set at 9:19.81.
“I think after Ebony and Wittly fell, I got a little scared and pulled people back,” Hart said. “I don’t want to chance having some key athletes out for this weekend (America East Conference championship). But the 4×800 meter relay team was incredible for us.”
Freshman Zara Northover placed eighth in the championship division shot put with a distance of 48-8.25 feet, while high jumpers Nicole Parker (first in the Eastern competition at 5-9.25 feet), and Janel Kozlowski (second at 5-8) both turned in strong performances for the Huskies.
The important thing for the track team, though, is that both Jack and Jourdan escaped unharmed, and ready to roll at next weekend’s meet.
After an unprecedented indoor track season in which the women’s team won the America East title, the New England championship, and posted a first-ever second place finish in the ECAC meet, Hart knows the other conference teams will be doing everything they can to dethrone NU.
“I think it’s going to be a battle,” he said. “After the indoor season we just had, it would make some team’s season if they were to beat us. We’re clearly the team to beat.”
Although Hart likes where the teams mentality is, he still feels they can be hungrier.
“We’ve got to kick it up a notch,” he said. “We’ve got to take everything personal now. The women have started coming to me to see where I think they’re at, and have been keeping in mind that they need to turn it up a little.
“I think we lost a bit of our edge in outdoors, only because we had such a good indoor season,” he added. “But I’m starting to see some changes. We’ve been a lot tougher in practice and I think mentally we’re in a good place.”
Among the runners Husky hopes are pinned on are freshman Jordine Kimbrel, sophomore Ahndraea Allen and senior Ebony Jack. Each of the speedsters will run in four events.
For Jack and Merlain, the meet in Orono will be their final outdoor romp in the AE.
“It’s been a great ride with them,” Hart said. “They’ve performed on and off the track exceptionally well for four years and have molded this team. The freshmen and younger runners all look up to them. Like Meaghan Shaw says, ‘When Joanne is out there cheering for you, you better do well.'”
Another key athlete for NU could be Jourdan. Although she doesn’t set records, or have flashy times in any of her events, Hart sees her as the type of runner any championship team would need.
“Last year she was one of the primary reasons we won the AE,” said Hart. “She’s a really good championship runner. She might not turn any heads during the year, but when it comes time for the championship meets we really need her to perform.”
Saturday’s AE championship in Orono starts at noon.
