Appalachian Men 1st/Appalachian Women 3rd
BOONE, N.C.- On a very rainy day, with not-ideal weather conditions, Appalachian hosted the Covered Bridge Open at the State Farm fields on the Don Kennedy trails. Despite the weather, the Mountaineer men took home a first place finish, while the women
came in third.
The men's race was very competitive and down to the wire as Appalachian narrowly defeated the Tar Heels of North Carolina for
a first place spot, 32 to 33. Leading the way for the Apps' was senior Mark Maddox (Asheville, N.C./Carolina Day) who finished first in the meet. Behind Maddox was was sophomore Josh Houser (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) coming in sixth, junior Ryan
O'Keefe(Prospect Harbor, Maine/Sumner Memorial) finishing seventh and sophomore Phil Mitchell (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury/Iona) placing eighth. Other Mountaineers in the men's top 20 were Brian Deal, Blair Teal, Alec Meyer, Asmeron Desta and Sam Mordecai.
As for the women, who placed third overall, they were carried by senior Jennifer Povick (Charleston, W.Va./Sissomville). Povick finished third overall with a time of 18:48. After Povick came junior Hannah Parks (Kernersville, N.C./Glenn) who finished ninth, with teammates Kayla Robertson (Dobson, N.C./Surry Central) and Ashley Norris (Boone, N.C./Watauga) placing 12th and 15th respectively.
Appalachian will take a one week hiatus before returning to action on September 28. The Mountaineers will have their first away meet of the season, competing at the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa. The meet is scheduled to start at noon.
Davidson Women 1st/Davidson Men 4th
ROCK HILL, S.C. ? The Davidson women's cross country team placed three individuals in the top-10 to earn a first place finish as a team in the Gold Division, while senior captain Sam Morris (Seattle, Wash.) scored an eighth place finish to pace the men's team to a fourth place showing on Saturday afternoon at the Winthrop Asics Invitational at Winthrop Lake Course. The women's team scored 24 points, while the men recorded 113 points.
Junior Caroline Sanker (Rocky River, Ohio) registered a team-best and invitational-best time of 17:12 in the 5K race on the women's side to lead the Wildcat women's team. She topped her finish (3rd) and time (18:28) from last year at the invitational.
Finishing just eight seconds off Sanker's time was senior Brenna Burns (Weaverville, N.C.), who crossed the finish line second overall out of 70 runners with a season-best and career-best time of 17:20. Fellow senior Megal Atias (Maccabim-Reut, Israel) was just outside the top-10 with her time of 19:05 for an 11th place finish overall.
The freshmen duo of Lauren Childs (Cockeysville, Md.) and Sarah Cline (Charlotte, N.C.) both started their careers off on high notes. Childs was the Wildcats' third runner to earn a top-10 finish when she picked up a sixth-place showing, while Cline closed out just behind Atias with a time of 19:11 for 12th overall.
On the men's side, Morris closed out the 8K race for Davidson with a team-best time of 26:32. He topped his showing from a year ago at the invitational when he finished 16th overall (27:08).
Junior Thad Sieracki (Davis, Calif.), and the freshmen tandem of Charlie Schmitt and Greg Marcil (Columbia, S.C.) each finished in the top-30 for the Wildcat men's squad. Sieracki earned a 23rd place finish, while Schmitt and Marcil, in their first collegiate race, finished 25th and 27th, respectively.
Both squads take a week off before getting back out on the trails when they head to The Citadel Invitational on Sept. 29.
Top Results for Men (8K):
8- Morris, Sam (26:32)
23- Sieracki, Thaddeus (28:18)
25- Schmitt, Charlie (28:35)
27- Marcil, Greg (28:45)
33- Evitt, Blake (29:37)
43- Koch, Jonathan (31:43)
Top Results for Women (5K):
1- Sanker, Caroline (17:12)
2- Burns, Brenna (17:20)
6- Childs, Lauren (18:44)
11- Atias, Megal (19:05)
12- Cline, Sarah (19:11)
16- Lang, Kim (19:17)
20- Conarroe, Heather (19:34)
37- Ruhe, Allison (20:35)
41- Frederick, Sarah (20:48)
52- Clodfelter, Catherine (21:21)
59- Messimer, Emily (22:10)
Wofford Men 5th
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Wofford men's cross country finished fifth out of seven Division I teams at the Winthrop/Asics Invitational presented Saturday in Rock Hill, S.C. Wofford recorded its best ever team average time of 28:47.00.
Freshman Stuart McDaniel paced Wofford runners in the men's 8k race coming in 15th place by recording a time of 27:21. In the Terriers' second meet of the year, this is McDaniel's second time leading Wofford's runners.
To round out the top three Terrier runners, sophomore Bryan Brooks came in 19th place with a recorded time of 28:04 and freshman Josh Riley followed with a time of 29:18 marking him 31st among the runners.
"Bryan Brooks and Josh Riley were the ones who got it done for the team today," said head coach Andrea Stehman.
Wofford will take a three week break before competing next. Half the team will travel Friday Oct. 5 to Boling Springs, N.C., to run in the Gardner-Webb Duels, while the other half will see action at the Walt Disney World Cross Country Classic in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday Oct.6.
Wofford Women 5th
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Wofford women's cross country finished fifth out of seven Division I teams at the Winthrop/Asics Invitational Saturday in Rock Hill, S.C.
Junior Justina Oliva led Wofford runners in the 5k race by recording a career best time of 20:06 putting her in 29th place.
Among the top other three Terrier runners, freshman Pearce Tapp came in 35th place with a time of 20:25. Junior Katie Isbell, third among Wofford runners, came in 40th place recording a career best time of 20:45.
Also recording career best times for the Terriers was sophomores Jessie Sahms in 44th place with a time of 20:58 and Kari Harris came in 51st place with a time of 21:18.
"Justina and Katie made things happen today running one and three for the Terriers," said head coach Andrea Stehman.
UNCG Men 3rd/Women 4th
ROCK HILL, SC ? With nine runners placing in the Top 25, the UNC Greensboro men’s cross country team finished in third place and the women’s team recorded a fourth place finish at the Winthrop Asics Invitational on Saturday.
The men were led for the second consecutive meet by freshman Andrew Clyne who finished in ninth place with a time of 26:48 over the 8K course while Sherrika Jordan led the way for the women with a 14th place finish with a time of 19:16 over the 5K trek.
The men placed seven runners in the Top 25 led by Clyne. Anthony Savoia placed 12th with a time of 27:04, Ryan Rodd finished in 14th with a time of 27:08, Xavier Rutz was 16th with a time of 27:23 and T.J. Wyatt finished 18th with a time of 28:03. Sophomore Lincoln Bennett took 21st place with a time of 28:08 and Justin Ruppe ran a 28:19 for a 24th place finish.
East Tennessee State, led by Kenneth Rotich who claimed the individual title with a time of 25:13, took the team title.
On the women’s side UNCG was led by Jordan and freshman Michelle Chewens who finished in 18th place with a time of 19:21. Carly Magin recorded a 20:08 over the 5000 meter course for a 31st place finish.
Davidson’s Carolina Sanker and Brenna Burns finished in first and second place with times of 17:12 and 17:20, respectively, leading Davidson to the team title.
The Spartans return to action Sept. 29 when they head to Williamsburg, VA for the Colonial Inter-Regional.
College of Charleston Men 4th/Women 2nd
The College of Charleston women’s cross country team finished second, while the men’s team finished fourth at the Ram Invitational held this morning at Van Cortland Park in New York, NY.
The Cougar women’s team was led by Becky Stewart, who placed first overall with a time of 19:10. She paced the team to first place behind Columbia. Amy Laughlin finished sixth with a 19:31 and in 10th was Katie Hedley with a 19:41. Karen Corson placed 14th for the Cougars with a 19:55 and rounding out the Cougar top five as Wells Trompetere with a 21st-place 20:12. Erin Stoddard and Cara Browning also competed for the Cougars, turning in times of 20:32 and 20:40, respectively.
The men’s team finished fourth in its first 8k run of the season. Leading the effort was Brad Meyer, who placed fifth overall with a 26:54 time. Luke Nelson finished 16th with a 27:44 time while Tim Faugl was 29th with a 28:31. Trevor Sprague was 31st with his 28:36 while J.C. Koziel rounded out the effort with a 28:54 time for 33rd. Josh Shinoff also competed, finishing with a 33:46.
“Both teams did an excellent job today,” said Head Coach Amy Schuckert. “I am very proud of the way they ran, especially the men who were competing in their first 8k. It was a good learning experience and will help us prepare for the rest of the season.”
The Cougars will run at The Citadel Invitational on Satruday, Sept 29th at James Island County Park.
Chattanooga
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Michael Mentz and David Moore placed in the top 10 in the men’s 5K race at the Western Kentucky Paul Turner Old Timers Classic while Shelly Taylor was ninth in the women’s race.
Mentz, a senior from Bloemfontein, South Africa, placed fifth in a time of 25:29.86, just 33 seconds off the top place finisher, Jacob Korir of Eastern Kentucky while Moore, redshirt freshman, was 15 seconds behind in eighth place. Senior Jeff Taylor and freshman Chris Berry were 13th and 14th respectively. Freshman Stuart Chandler was 24th for the Mocs at 26:39.23.
In the women’s five-mile race, Taylor, a sophomore from Cohutta, Ga., ran a personal best 17:58.25 and junior Katie Williams was 20th at 18:36.99. Senior Nettie Halcomb and freshman Tara Gietma finished together at 23rd and 24th while freshman Jordan Radke was 26th at 19:01.19
Western Carolina men 4th/Women 4th
Cullowhee, N.C. - Both the men's and women's cross country teams both brought home fourth place finishes in the Catamount Classic Cross-Country Open Saturday morning at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
The women placed all five runners in the top 25 in the first race of the day, with Kerrie Savery bringing home top team honors with a ninth place finish and a time of 15:19. Lindsay Groce and Jordan Gaddy came in 19th and 20th places, respectively, barely a second apart from each other.
On the men's side, sophomore Stephen Hammond topped the Western finishers, coming in ninth place overall in a time of 15:50 over the 5K course. Following him in 16th place was Josh Walker, trailed immediately by Jesse Ramierez in 17th and Stephon Roach in 19th, to give the Catamounts four runners in the top 20 for the meet.
Duke University placed all five of its runners in the top 10, including a 1-2-3-4 finish, to take the women's title with 16 points. Duke runner Katelyn Bastert traversed the 4K course in 14:37 to take home the individual top honors, followed by teammate Patricia Loughlin, who's runner-up time was 14:46. The Blue Devils were followed by Southern Conference members Furman (73 points), and Elon (74 points). Finishing behind Western was Spartanburg Methodist College and Brevard College.
The ACC topped the field on the men's side as well, with the Clemson Tigers winning the overall team title with 25 points. The Tigers had the first, third, fourth, sixth, and 11th place finishers in the field. Elon topped Furman to take home second place, followed by WCU, Spartanburg Methodist, and Brevard. Freshman Chad Holt of Clemson narrowly beat out teammate Patrick Morgan to win the individual title in a time of 15:28. Following Morgan, Clemson runners Will Noble and Tyler Morey rounded out the top four sweep by the Tigers.
Elon Men 2nd/Women 3rd
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? The Phoenix cross country teams saw impressive performances at the 2007 Catamount Classic, with each team picking up two individual top-ten finishes. The men’s squad placed 2nd overall (49 points) and the women came in third with 74 points.
For the Phoenix women, sophomore Caitlin Beeler was the team’s top runner, finishing seventh overall, and Anna Mae Flynn placed tenth.
Juniors Rick Myers and Eric Lewandowski placed in the top ten for the Elon men’s team, finishing seventh and tenth, respectively.
Elon’s cross country squads will next travel to Lehigh, Penn., Sept. 28 to compete in the Paul Short Invitational.