SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Jordan Birden (Baltimore, Md./Cristo Rey Jesuit) hit the Centennial Conference (CC)-qualifying standard in all four events in which he competed to lead McDaniel at the Susquehanna Invitational in men's indoor track and field action on Saturday.
Birden finished ninth in two of those events for the Green Terror at the non-scoring meet. He placed ninth in the triple jump with a jump of 13.33 meters, which ranks sixth all-time in program history. He also cleared 1.82 meters in the high jump to finish tied for ninth. Birden added a 13th-place showing in the long jump with a leap of 6.35 meters, which fifth all-time. He rounded out his day with a 23rd-place finish in the 60 hurdles, ranking fifth on the all-time list with his time of 9.62 seconds.
Kyle Dunn (Crofton, Md./South River) added three qualifying marks in his three events. In the field events, he placed 16th with a toss of 13.41 meters in the shot put. On the track, he finished 36th in the 60 hurdles with a time of 10.98 seconds and 43rd in the 60 with a time of 7.63.
The distance medley relay finished second on the day. The quartet of Peter Merkel (Ellicott City, Md./Homeschool), Alex Panagakos (Hampstead, Md./North Carroll), Chris Jones (Centreville, Va./Centreville) and Jim Heilman (Lutherville, Md./Baltimore Lutheran) posted a time of 10:46.75, which ranks fifth all-time.
Panagakos and Merkel also posted CC-qualifying times in individual events. Panagakos was 12th in the 400 with a time of 52.65 seconds while Merkel finished 15th in the 800 with a time of 2:01.43 to move up to seventh on the program's all-time list.
The Green Terror returns to action at the Centennial Conference Championship hosted by Haverford on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28 and Mar. 1.
McDaniel Results: Shot Put: 16. Kyle Dunn 13.41m (44-0)*; Long Jump: 13. Jordan Birden 6.35m (20-10)*; Triple Jump: 9. Birden 13.33m (43-9)*; High Jump: 9T. Birden 1.82m (5-11 ½)*; 60 Hurdles Prelims: 23. Birden 9.62*, 36. Dunn 10.98*; Distance Medley Relay: 2. Peter Merkel, Alex Panagakos, Chris Jones, Jim Heilman 10:46.75; 60 Prelims: 43. Dunn 7.63*, 46. Loi Nguyen 7.65, 49. Aaron Ferguson 7.70; Mile: 41. John Alexander 4:51.33; 400: 12. Panagakos 52.65*; 800: 15. Merkel 2:01.43*; 200: 50. Ferguson 25.43, 53. Nguyen 25.57; 5,000: 28. Calvin Ball 17:04.91.
* Centennial Conference qualifying standard
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