NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College track and field teams made their season debut on Friday, competing at the Ramapo College Season Opener hosted at The Armory. The Valiants had 11 different student-athletes compete at the meet that saw representatives from 22 different institutions.

Carter Somme (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Arlington), coming off his rookie of the year cross country campaign in the fall, led the way for the men's team with a pair of strong performances. The senior placed seventh out of the field of 23 in the men's 3000 meter with a final time of 9:32.92. Somme also earned a 26^th-place finish in the men's 1 mile, earning a time of 4:46.51 in the field of 43.

The Valiants competed in seven other events on the men's side. Jordan Laevsky (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) and Jared Thomas (New Rochelle. N.Y./Salesian) competed in the 60-meter dash. The senior Laevsky placed 21^st with a time of 8.36, while the junior Thomas posted an 8.53 split, placing 23^rd. Thomas also ran in the 200-meter dash, placing 50^th with a time of 28.64.

Justin Gonzalez (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) represented the Vals in a pair of jumping events, with the junior placing in the top-20 for both. Gonzalez posted a 5.61 distance in the long jump, placing 19^th, before earning an 11^th place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 11.66 meters. Jimmy Ascencio (Bronx, N.Y./Salesian) ran then men's 600 meter, earning a final time of 1:43.28 to place 23^rd, while Anthony Crocco (Trumbull, Conn./St. Joseph) earned a 37^th place finish in the men's 800 with a time of 2:36.71. Gonzalez, Thomas, Crocco and Ascenscio also made up the foursome for the Valiants in the men's 4X400 relay, placing 12^th with a 4:05.63 finish.

On the women's side, five Valiants competed in five different events. Brianna Vargas (Bronx, N.Y./Maria Regina) had a pair of top-30 finishes in her two events. The junior placed 25^th in the 1-mile run with a 6:32.80 time, as well as placing 27^th with a time of 3:01.59 in the 800-meter. Alex Balduzzi (Newton Center, Mass./Eagle Hill School) was 31^st in the 1-mile, finishing in 8:27.55, and 32^nd in the 800 with a time of 3:52.08. Angelyne Silverio (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) also ran in the 800, finishing between her teammates with a time of 3:05.84, placing 29^th.

Fiona Yostpile (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon Senior) and Jennifer Schmidt each competed in a pair of dash events. Yostpile posted a time of 10.33 in the 60-meter dash, placing fourth of out five competitors. The sophomore also ran in the 200-meter dash, placing 43^rd with a time of 35.24. Schmidt finished two places ahead of her with a time of 31.88. The freshman Schmidt was the Valiants' lone rep in the 400-meter dash, placing 26^th with a time of 1:12.93.

Up Next
The Valiants are back in action next week, competing at the Great Dane Classic at the Ocean Breeze Track on Friday, January 28.

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