Cross Country runs strong

Men’s team wins for first time since 2006, women take second at Young Harris

The GCSU men’s cross-country team delivered their best performance of the year at Oct. 16’s 8K YHC Invitational hosted by Young Harris College, taking first place. This is the first win for the cross-country team in four years since winning the 2006 Oglethorpe Invitational championship.

The men’s team was led by junior Daniel Horseman finishing in first place with a personal best time of 27:52. The win was Horseman’s first on the collegiate level, though he placed first “a handful of times” in high school. His mom, dad, sister and girlfriend were all there to see him beat his own personal record for the fourth time in a row by six seconds.

“Coach came up to me and told me I’d run well enough [in previous races] to make the conference team,” Horseman

Manning

said about why he felt he ran so well at the invitational. “He really took some pressure off me. I decided to go out with the leaders and pretty soon I was by myself.”

Horseman was out in front, by himself, the majority of the race making it harder for him to stay focused the whole race.

“This was the most mentally challenging race I’ve ever ran. It was tough to stay focused,” Horseman said.

Horseman also said that though coming in first was, of course, very exciting, turning around to

Ekstrom

see his teammates also finishing in the top spots was even better.

“It doesn’t matter if I won, it takes five (runners) to win,” Horseman said. “We won the meet as a team.”

Second place was taken by junior Rob Manning, a minute behind Horseman with a time of 28:44. Next to cross the finish line for the Bobcats was senior Tim Cary who came in fifth with a time of 29:18. Seventh place finisher junior Colin Conroy came in with a time of 29:35 before twelfth place finisher junior Michael Heuett with a time of 29:57.

The Bobcats earned the number one spot and team title with 24 total points over Berry College with 32 points and Young Harris College with 78 points.

The women’s cross-country team took second place at the 5K YHC Invitational with 50 points behind first place Berry with 24 points and in front of third place Young Harris College with 53 points.

Allison Lones, a freshman from Kathleen, Ga., once again led the women’s team for third time this season with a third place finish in a time of 21:14. Right behind Lones was junior Karissa Ekstrom who finished in fourth place with a time of 21:26.

Two freshmen were next to cross the finish line for the Bobcats, Andrea Byrnes came in tenth overall with a time of 22:15 while Ashton Passino finished seventeenth with a time of 23:02. Senior Alex Taylor finished next for the Bobcats in twentieth place with a time of 23:44.

Lones said the Bobcats did very well in spite of the disadvantages – weather changes, allergies and top runners being out on injuries – caused for the team.

“I’m really looking forward to Conference,” Lones said about the Bobcats’ upcoming races. “Conference and regionals are where you really peak at.”

Both Horseman and Lones said a certain team tradition helps them to relieve stress right before a race.

The Bobcats will do a “funny chant” that lets them laugh right before lining up to start the race.

The next race for the cross-country Bobcats is the ASU Tri-Meet in Augusta, Ga., on Oct. 23. The meet will be the final tuneup for both teams prior to the Peach Belt Conference Championships, which will be held Nov. 6.

Posted by Molly Holmes on Oct 22 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.