Twenty eight teams representing nine colleges from North Eastern United States and Canada competed for the overall championship trophy by completing nineteen events at the 56th Annual Spring Woodmen's Meet held this year at Unity College in Maine. The six person men's and women's teams from FLCC earned their 14th title at the Unity Meet. The FLCC Women finished first with 1,661 out of a possible 1,900 points. The Finger Lakes men earned 1,628 points overall to finish a close 65 points ahead of the six men from Paul Smith's College. The most decisive victory in the contest came with the Finger Lakes finish in the Portage canoe race. Chris Henning, Walworth, Mike Koers for the "A" team, Matt Hass, Daryle Swiernick, for the "B" team and Liza Bobsiene and Laura Eames took first, second, and third place overall ahead of both men's and women's teams. Jason Stekl and Brody Sinack for the "A" team, Charlie Connor and Tom Somerville for the "B" team, placed first and second in the doubles canoe race. Toni Gallo and Katrina Ruppersberger finished a close second in the doubles canoe race. Tracie Schultz and Holly Coyle placed first in the singles race. By virtue of paddle power alone, both Fingerlakes men and women pulled ahead of the pack by the end of the first morning of competition. Liza-J Bobsiene finished her undefeated career in the 40' pole climb in 7.2 seconds, a full two seconds ahead of the second place woman from the University of Maine. Will LaValley topped the same pole in 5.4 seconds for the men's trophy in that event. Chris Henning took a runaway first place in the endurance bow saw event by completing 3 cuts through an 8" x 8" white pine cant in 16 seconds. Tracie Schultz won that event for the women with an even wider margin by completing three cuts in a 7" x 7" white pine cant in 21 seconds. Stekl, Sinack and Adam Lampo quarter split six logs in 66 seconds, more that 20 seconds faster than the second place team from Paul Smith's College. Gallo and Bobsiene took first place in the standing block chop for the women. Schultz, Bobsiene and Gallo won the women's underhand chop a scant four seconds ahead of the three women from Unity College. The women topped the field in log decking with a time of 76 seconds, 34 seconds ahead of second place Syracuse Environmental Science and Forestry. The women's team also placed first in the pulp toss contest. The men's "B" team that also included Todd Spike and Mike Ottley, placed ninth overall with 1261 point. Daniella Baharath, Walter Baxter and Samantha Everest served as alternates for each the three FLCC Teams. The Finger coach, Marty Dodge, competing for the Colby College Alumni team placed first overall for all divisions in the axethrow. The Colby Alumni team won its division with a total of 1,565 points. Steve Varney and Chuck Congdon serve as assistant coaches for the FLCC squad. A video photographer representing ESPN for the Stihl Timbersports series covered the contest. Koers, Henning, Schultz and Bobsiene all show strong promise to enter the ranks of professional Timbersports competitors and will likely appear on national television. FLCC graduates five of the six starters from the women's team. Four of the men on the first team will return in the fall. FLCC will host an invitational meet at the Cumming Nature Center in South Bristol October 13. Colby College in Waterville, Maine will host the 57th Annual Spring Meet in 2003. FLCC intends to host the 59th annual meet in 2005. |
