September 12, 2009
YAKIMA -- The top runners were taking the day off from competition, But the Seattle Pacific Falcons showed there’s plenty of talent in the pack for both the men’s and women’s cross country teams.
Seniors Kate Harline and Lisa Anderberg finished second and third overall in the women’s race, and junior Jordan Lance set SPU’s pace in the men’s race as the Falcons finished second in both events on Saturday at the Central Washington Invitational.
Harline (Orem, Utah) completed her 4-kilometer race in 16 minutes, 15 seconds, and Anderberg (Mukilteo, Wash./Kamiak HS) was right behind in 16:23 as SPU finished the day with 45 points in the meet at Apple Ridge Run. Defending champion Western Washington won with 31 points.
Lance (Mill Creek, Wash./Jackson HS) was at the front for the Falcons in the 6K men’s race, crossing the finish line in 20:53 as Seattle Pacific checked in with 48 points. Western Washington, also the defending men’s champion, won easily with 19.
Coach Erika Dalgcon rested front-running seniors Jessica Pixler (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake HS), Jane Larson (Fall City, Wash./Cedar Park Christian HS) and Chad Meis (Renton, Wash./Seattle Christian HS) in preparation for next week’s Sundodger Invitational.
The men, led by Lance, had all five of their scorers bunched within 33 seconds.
“I was really pleased with the relatively tight pack,” Daligcon said. “That was encouraging to see because they’re only going to improve. They gained a lot of confidence today. For them to finish second is great. We said Western Washington is going to be your competition, so let’s go after those guys.“
The women had three in the overall top seven. Joining Harline and Anderberg was sophomore Mary Williams (Lake Jackson, Texas), who finished in 16:44.
“Kate and Lisa really went after it, and Mary was tough in there,” Daligcon said. “With Jessica and Jane out of the mix, they all did their job and got in there and raced, and it was really fun to watch.”
The Sundodger Invitational, which attracts almost every program in the Northwest and some from up and down the West Coast, begins at 9 a.m. next Saturday, Sept. 19, at Lincoln Park in West Seattle.
NCAA Men's Cross Country
Central Washington Invitational
Saturday, September 12, 2009
6K at Apple Ridge Run/Yakima, Wash.
Team scores -- 1, Western Washington 19; 2, Seattle Pacific 48; 3, Central Washington 57; 4, Alaska Fairbanks 108; 5, Skagit Valley CC 145.
Top 10 -- 1, Bennett Grimes (WWU) 19:49; 2, Blake Medhaug (WWU) 20:09; 3, Manuel Santos (CWU) 20:28; 4, Graham Armstrong (Unattached) 20:43; 5, Nick Abraham (WWU) 20:47; 6, Yonas Berhe (WWU) 20:48; 7, Tanner Boyd (Unattached) 20:50; 8, Dylan Peterson (Unattached) 20:51; 9, Jordan Lance (SPU) 20:55; 10, Kyle Johnson (WWU) 21:07.
Other Seattle Pacific places/times -- 12, Will Harrison 21:08; 13, Andrew Van Ness 21:10; 14, Nate Sleight 21:19; 17, Caleb Parker 21:26; 21, AJ Baker 21:49; 29, Andrew Hamilton 22:34; 33, Daniel Hamilton 23:10.
NCAA Women's Cross Country
Central Washington Invitational
Saturday, September 12, 2009
4K at Apple Ridge Run/Yakima, Wash.
Team scores -- 1, Western Washington 31; 2, Seattle Pacific 45; 3, Alaska Fairbanks 65; 4, Central Washington 76.
Top 10 -- 1, Sarah Porter (WWU) 15:13; 2, Kate Harline (SPU) 16:15; 3, Lisa Anderberg (SPU) 16:23; 4, Emily Wallen (WWU) 16:32; 5, Heather Edic (UAF) 16:35; 6, Kristi Fairbanks (WWU) 16:36; 7, Mary Williams (SPU) 16:45; 8, Jana Benedix (UAF) 16:54; 9, Kendra Hedges (WWU) 16:59; 10, Stephanie Cooke (CWU) 17:04.
Seattle Pacific times -- 13, Kelsey Brown 17:22; 21, Krysta Carrick 18:03; 34, Kayla Wilkins 19:1.8; 37, Margaret Hanscom 19:36.