By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's indoor track team earned a pair of first-ever championships last Sunday in Gorham, Maine.
The Bears ended Westfield State University's six-year reign to win their initial Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference crown with 195 points.
On the same day, BSU became the first MASCAC school in 10 years to win the New England Alliance championship. The alliance consists of four MASCAC and six Little East Conference schools.
"It's awesome,'' said Bears coach T.J. Smith, a standout runner at East Bridgewater High and Stonehill College. "To see the program develop and the difference in the team now from three or four years ago is huge. Every year, it gets better and better.
"Actually, one of the kids told me that we have 24 indoor track records, and 20 of them are held by kids on the team right now. The kids worked hard for each other. It was great.''
The meet was originally scheduled for Saturday, but was postponed due to the snowstorm. It wasn't until 9 p.m. on Saturday when Smith found out the meet was going to be held on Sunday, but he had trouble informing the team due to power outages on campus.
"The kids on campus didn't have electricity, so it was hard to tell them they had to be ready to go for the bus at 9 a.m.,'' said Smith. "Honestly, I think the captains and all the coaches had our team ready to go. I think some other teams, they were kind of surprised they were there.
"Our leadership, with the assistant coaches and the captains, as soon as we got off the bus, we were ready to go.''
Smith, now in his sixth season, had a deep team that picked up points in a number of events to claim the MASCAC and New England Alliance titles.
"We're just a good all-around team,'' he said. "We have a couple of standouts, but more than anything, we fill the events pretty well.''
The Bears won six individuals win events with senior Stephen Wahome prevailing in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter races to earn MASCAC track athlete of the week while Brian Espinosa was first in the 200 meters and the long jump. He was selected the conference's field athlete of the week.
Andy Sukeforth, of Middleboro, took the mile and the 1,000 meters event.
"He ran unbelievably well,'' said Smith. "He was sick, too. Saturday night, he sent me a text letting me know he wasn't sure if he was going to make it or not. He powered through. He's a tough kid.''
Michael McPherson broke his own MASCAC record to win the shot put (52-2) in an event where he is among the national leaders. Joshua Danner-Hicks was first with a conference-record 46-2 in the triple jump and Josh Goehring won the 600 meters.
Sukeforth, Wahome, Goehring and Dallas O'Brien combined to win the 4x800 relay race.
"I think everyone on our team thought we were capable of doing it,'' said Smith. "I don't think a lot of other schools felt we were. We were picked last in the coaches poll before the season. This has always been the goal.''
Smith credits his coaching staff with helping to get the program to the top of the conference. The assistants include Bridgewater-Raynham graduate Amy Delgado, who ran in national relay races for UMass-Lowell during her career; Kevin Coyle, a national champion long jumper at Springfield; Mike Salem, who is also the BSU women's coach; and Kevin White.