Williams was able to brave the soggy weather best as the Ephs won both team titles with scores of 180 on the women's side and 150 on the men's. The 2005 edition of this storied rivalry marked the Ephwomen's 20th-straight Little Three crown.
The Amherst women finished with 112 points, beating out the team from Wesleyan by over 50 points, but the Cardinals also bested the men, who finished with 89.5 points, 37 out of second place.
Women's Track
Ginger Polich '06 took home first place in the 800-meter run followed by teammates Shauneen Garrahan '07 and co-captain Carter Hamill '05 in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Polich's victory is especially notable as she ran through injury.
The Jeffs' streak of victories in the 1500-meter run ended when Hamill took second behind her perennial competitor, Caroline Cretti of Williams.
Jeff depth was on display in the 5000-meter run, as junior Margaret Davis and first-years Heather Wilson and Laura Mortimer finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively. "All of the Amherst runners in the 5000 worked well together," said Davis. "We finished in a pack for a solid three, four, five finish."
Other notable performances included a second-place finish by Alison Rodriguez '05 in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Hannah Campbell '07, Julia Rucker '06, co-captain Lee-Jay Henry '05 and Keyonte Sutherland '07 teamed up for a second-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay, and Rucker, Sutherland, Henry and Garrahan combined for a victory in the 4x400-meter relay.
On the field, Krissy Morin '06 soared to victory in the high jump, while Maria Millard '08E took second. Morin also took first in the javelin and fourth in the discus. Henry claimed third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.
"Despite the nasty conditions, everyone put forth a very strong effort," said Davis.
Men's Track
Tomas Morrissey '08 recorded a victory in the 5000, while Cooper Knowlton '07 followed behind him for a fifth-place finish. Co-captain Jack Morgan '05 and Sam Hayman '07 took second and third, respectively, in the 400-meter dash. "Morgan gave a strong performance," said Davis. Mike Page '05 placed third in the 1500. Co-captain Tim Porter '06 placed third in the 400-meter hurdles despite a lengthy absence from competition due to injury, followed by Page and Robert Boley '07 in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Boley placed third in his debut in the steeplechase, turning in a strong finish.
Sophomore Jon Ettinger and first-year Rom Cabeza teamed up with Hayman and Morgan for a second-place finish in the 4x400. The Jeffs took another second-place finish in the 4x100 with the team of Ettinger, Hayman, Geoff Stricsek '07 and Jay Wagstaff '05.
On the field, Boley tied for second in the men's high jump, and Wagstaff and Ettinger leaped to third and fourth place, respectively, in the triple jump. LJ Spinnato '06 placed second in the hammer throw.
Both the men and women will compete next at the NESCAC Championship meet Saturday at Colby College. Though the Jeffs' road will only get tougher, the team is optimistic.
"[We're looking] forward to the upcoming championship meets," said Morrissey. "The competition will be thicker but [we] will all be peaking."
Before NESCACs, however, some members of the team will compete in the Penn Relays at the University of Pennsylvania tomorrow evening.
While many Amherst sports teams wrap up their regular seasons and prepare for a "home stretch," members of the track and field teams face a championship season that could go for another month; the NCAA Championships take place May 26-28. However, the Jeffs are determined to send representatives from both the men's and women's sides once again.