Men’s CC 4th, women 6th at conference

GCSU’s cross-country teams took the course in Evans, Ga., at the Peach Belt Conference Championships Nov. 6. The men’s team took fourth place overall led by the junior season leader Daniel Horseman.

The lady Bobcats took sixth overall led by freshman Allison Lones once again. With parents in full support, a reoccurring theme for both cross-country teams, the Bobcats aimed high for conference.

There was speculation about last week’s race whether many runners’ times were to be counted due to an unsure true 5K measurement. The confusion was settled and the results were confirmed. This motivated the men’s team earning a total of 97 points at the PBC Championships, 15 points behind third place finishers Clayton State University. In the weeks leading up to the race, both teams began a “taper,” which is a method of still working out, but lowering mileage and repetitions. This still conditions the runners, but allows for them to build muscle memory so their legs are used to the pace during race day.

Men’s leader Daniel Horseman, who head coach Joe Samprone calls “a coaches dream,” has been adamant with his conditioning and the motivation of the team. After Saturday’s race, he chose to ride the bus instead of riding with his dad.

“I wanted to spend a little more time with the team,”  Horseman said.

Horseman was concerned about missing their number two runner, junior Tyler Mattix, to a Marine conflict.

“It might of cost us third place,” said Horseman, who took eighth overall coming in at 26:18. He was crossed at the line; putting him one second out of the top seven that earn first team selections. Horseman earned an All-PBC second team selection for his time, which was just seven seconds slower than his school record-setting performance last week in Augusta.

The fourth place team finish was definitely a positive with five men’s runners averaging 27:22.

“I was pumped that I had a good day, but felt better that we had so many guys do well. That’s what it takes to compete,” Horseman said.

Junior Rob Manning finished second for the team taking 18th at 27:23 and junior Colin Conroy finished at 27:34 in 22nd place, giving both runners their best race this season. Freshman Philip Laskey came in three seconds later in 23rd, while senior Tim Cary rounded out the Bobcats scoring at 27:55 for 28th place. In a time where the men needed to come out strong, they did.

“Everyone ran very well and had a decent time, everyone stepped it up,”  head coach Joe Samprone said.

Columbus State University won the title with 31 points, while their own Meshack Koyiaki dominated the course in 24:14.

Regionals is next for the men’s team, where Horseman plans to break the school’s 10K record, “hopefully by a minute faster” and have the whole team earn a top three spot.

Five out of the six lady bobcats finished in the top-35, giving the team a sixth place finish with 123 points. This was the first conference title meet for Lones, Byrnes Familiar to pacing her team, freshman Allison Lones, coming off last race’s record setting performance took 12th overall at 25:30. Lones has led the team five times in her rookie season. Running her first 6K, the last stretch weighed heavy on Lones’ mentally.

“When I got to the last stretch, I could definitely feel how much longer it was,” Lones said. “I finished a little frustrated.”

In the last leg, Lones was passed by a small pack, putting her out of the top seven, but giving her an All-PBC Second team selection. Junior Karissa Ekstrom has been right with Lones all season.

“Karissa had a great freshman year and then a quiet sophomore year,” Samprone said. “She came in this season motivated and we are seeing results.”

Ekstrom crossed the line at 25:44 for a 16th place finish. Senior Dani Destiche took first place for the women’s team in the first two meets of the year.

In her first race back in over a month, she proved that she is over her foot injury and took third place at conference at 27:21. Freshman Andrea Byrnes placed 33rd at 27:21 and sophomore Courtney Timmerman and freshman Ashton Passino both officially finished at 27:34, Passino getting 35th and Timmerman 36th.

Columbus State University won the team title with 27 points. Brittney Skiles of Columbus State won the individual title at 23:26.

Both teams return Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. at the NCAA Southeast Regional in Charlotte, N.C., hosted by Queens University (N.C.).

Posted by Taylor Lamb on Nov 11 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry