Bobcats save best for last at PBC meet

“I am very happy with both the men’s and women’s performances,” Head Coach Joe Samprone said. “With third and fourth place I have no complaints. We ran our best race all season.”

Freshman Rob Manning was the top finisher for the Bobcats, running a 28:48 and placing twelfth overall. Manning was just two spots away from qualifying for All-Peach Belt Conference status.

“I felt really good and was very happy with how the team did,” Manning said. “It was a slow course today with slow times. With it being so muddy, it was expected though.”

Sophomore Erik Ottoson was the second Bobcat to cross the line in nineteenth place with a time of 29:32. Ottoson was followed by freshman Colin Conroy, running a 29:37 and coming in twenty-first place. Sophomore Tim Cary took twenty-third with a time of 29:46 and rookie Travis Knight took twenty-fifth with a time of 29:51. Overall, the men’s team finished with 100 points for the third-place result.

For the women, junior Bonnie Ueltzen was the first Lady Bobcat to pass the finish line, with a time of 21:37 and placing twentieth overall.

“It turned out to be a great day,” Ueltzen said. “I was anxious about the course conditions, but it also added an exciting element to the race.”

Junior Heather Raines and sophomore Dani Destiche ran in a pair, taking twenty-third and twenty-fourth place and running a 21:58.0 and 21:58.9 respectively. Finishing in twenty-seventh place was freshman Victoria Dobson with a 22:19. Freshman Karissa Ekstrom rounded out the top five for the Bobcats, finishing thirty-second with a 22:29. The team totaled 126 points for the fourth-place finish.

Columbus State University’s men’s team won their third consecutive Peach Belt Conference Championship with a team score of 26. Clayton State University was second with a score of 42.

For the fourth straight year, Columbus State also clinched the women’s championship with 33 points. Augusta State University came in second with 54 points and North Georgia College and State University was third with 110 points.

“We pretty much expected what happened today,” Samprone said. “The two dominant teams in women’s are Augusta State and Columbus. We have been battling with North Georgia for the third spot and it is just based on how you come out. You can’t play defense in cross country.”

The severe weather that hit Milledgeville on Friday provided for a muddy and challenging course that caused the runners to re-think their game plan.

“With the course being so muddy today, I worried more about placement than beating the clock,” Ueltzen said. “I had to run smart and just try to beat the person in front of me.”

This year was the first that GCSU has officially hosted a cross country race and was the first time that the Peach Belt Conference Championships were held here. GCSU plans to host a race every year, and the PBC Championships will rotate locations year to year.

“I enjoy having races here at Georgia College,” Manning said. “The best part is that you know the course and have the advantage of training on it all season.”

The team’s next race is the NCAA Division II Southeast Championships at Wingate University in North Carolina on Nov. 8.

“I am looking forward to the region race,” Samprone said. “I want to continue the tradition of being in the top ten of the region. This year’s team is as good as any team we’ve had. Last year they were good and next year they are going to be even better.”