Distance runner Zander Kessler highlighted competition at Middlebury's New England Small College Invite on Sunday, claiming the crown in the 5,000 meters. The Panthers served as the host of the event at the TRACK at New Balance, with all 11 NESCAC institutions in attendance. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• In a field of 24 runners, Kessler stopped the clock in 14:28.44 to win the 5,000m. 
• The distance medley relay quartet comprised of Owen Johnson, Lachlan Bishop, Max Cluss and Zach Utz earned runner-up laurels with a clocking of 10:23.62.
• A trio of Panthers earned third-place honors. Cluss crossed the finish line in third in the 800m (1:54.62), Dave Filias was third with a toss of 16.11m/52'10" in the weight throw, and Walker Coleman was the third-place finisher in the long jump (6.47m/21'2.75"). 
• The 4x400m relay (Johnny LaFortune, Peter Hansen, Xander Swann, and Daryl Edwards) finished in fourth place with a clocking of 3:26.47. 
• In the 60m dash, Marco Motroni and Aidan Castanon snagged spots in the finals, with Motroni finishing fourth (7.05) and Castanon right behind in fifth (7.07).
• Jefferson Hill qualified for the finals in the 60m hurdles, dropping almost a tenth of a second from the prelims to place fifth overall (8.65). 
• Sixth-place efforts came from Caleb Fineske in the long jump (12.76m/41'10.5"), Sam McGarrahan in the high jump (1.80m/5'10.75") and Ziggy Goddard in the 3,000m (8:30.51).  

NOTES

• Filias' lob was a personal-best mark by over a meter.
• Hansen set a personal record in the 400m, clocking in at 50.56 to place ninth of 46 sprinters.
• In the pole vault, Henry Ericson had a personal-best height of 4.00m/13'1.5" to finish in 10th.
• Rounding out the personal-best marks of the day was Samuel Maxwell in the weight throw, finishing ninth with a toss of 13.65m/44'9". 

 The Panthers head to Plattsburgh State on Wednesday, February 8 for a mid-week meet.