Simmons-Harvey Invitational Full Results

27th Annual Don Wright Team Challenge Full Results

The Detroit men's track and field team made headlines in two countries today as a small group of Titans ran with an Olympian at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational in Ann Arbor, while a second squad placed second at the 27th Annual Don Wright Team Challenge in London, Ontario.

At the meet held at Michigan, junior Earnest Cleary (Detroit, MI/Ferndale) had one of the best performances of the weekend, taking third in the 60-meters in 6.89, just .20 seconds behind the winner and 2008 Guyana Olympic team member Adam Harris. He would also take 17th in the 200m in 24.31. 

Sophomore Vushaun Landrum (Windsor, ON/Sandwich Secondary) also turned in two good runs in those events, taking eighth in the 200m with a time of 23.29, while sharing ninth in the 60m in 7.11.

Senior Alex Gould (Comstock Park, MI/Comstock Park) put himself into the school's top 10 list in the 800m after finishing third in the event with a career best 1:54.61. The run was the fourth best time in the 800 indoors and, overall, the sixth best run in Titan annals. 

“Earnest consistent at a high level is a great sign for the remainder of the season,” said head coach Guy Murray. “A great 800m opener for Alex. He has worked very hard and is really in position for a great season."

Junior Pat Liederbach (Petoskey, MI/Petoskey) placed seventh in the 3000k. His time of 8:29.73 is the second-best mark in school history behind his 8:22.0 last season. 

At Don Wright, the Titans were able to post several more top five finishes with three victories. 

“The Don Wright meet is a fun change of events and a bit of an international experience for us,” said Murray. “We did a nice job to finish second and picked up a couple good wins.” 

The first win on the day came from junior Alex Harris (Huntington Woods, MI/Shrine) as he won the 3000m in 8:52.43, just ahead of teammate junior Ryan Ayala's (Coopersville, MI/Coopersville) 8:52.94. 

The 4x200-meter relay team of senior Deonte Osayande (Detroit, MI/Wingate), sophomore Joe LaRocca (Eastpointe, MI/De LaSalle Collegiate) and freshmen Vincent Lefler (Midland, MI/Midland) and Taylor Hennrick (Traverse City, MI/St. Francis) took the title in their race 1:34.34, while freshman Anthony Donald (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne) placed first in the open 300m with a run of 38.14. 

Rookie Jeffrey Senecal (North Baltimore, OH/North Baltimore) was runner-up in the high jump, clearing 1.80m and was sixth in the long jump with a mark of 5.84m. 

LaRocca and freshman Joe Raffin (Valparaiso, IN/Chesterton) took second and third, respectively, in the 300m with runs of 37.17 and 37.58, while Osayande placed third in the 60m with a run of 7.10. 

Sophomore Aviram Campbell (Yale, MI/Yale) (8.66) and Lefler (8.75) were neck and neck in the 60-meter hurdles as Campbell just edged out his teammate for third place. 

Ja'Quan Patterson (Ypsilanti, MI/Ypsilanti) was third in the long jump as the freshman had a mark of 6.30m, while junior Kevin Smalley (Gladwin, MI/Gladwin) earned fifth in the 1500m with a time of 4:12.99.

The Titans return to action next Friday as Detroit travels to Allendale to compete in the Grand Valley State Open.