October 12, 2008
Cross Country 4th, 5th in Rare Home Meet
Sanabria, Long Lead Again
Kearney, Neb. – Running at home for the first time in seven years, the Nebraska-Kearney cross country teams placed fourth (women) and fifth (men) at the UNK Loper Open Saturday morning at the Kearney Country Club.
On a cool and rainy day, a 6th-ranked Colorado School of Mines men’s team had seven of the first 10 finishers to score 21 points and win going away. The women’s race wasn’t close either as 19th-ranked Mesa State had four of the top 12 finishers to score 50 points.
The Loper women scored 94 points and were just eight points behind runner up Colorado Mines and a point back of third place Wayne State. A short-handed UNK men’s team scored 117 points to beat three schools and finish just back of NW Missouri State (114).
Individually, Alexis Skarda of Mesa State ran the 6k course in 22:04.20 to easily finish first while Ben Zywicki of Mines ran a 25:22.70 to win the 8k men’s race.
The Loper women saw freshmen Amy Long (Minatare) and Lauren Stengel (Deshler) crack the top 11 as Long ran a 23:31.50 (8th) and Stengel a 23:49.50 (11th). Lincoln junior Megan McClure wasn’t too far behind this pair as she ran a 24:00.90 (14th).
On the men’s side, UNK was led by Minden freshman Al Sanabria who finished 10th in a time of 26:06.60. The next Loper to reach the finish line was Malcolm junior Quinn Willet (26:28.10).
Ogallala sophomore Tanner Fruit, coming back from an early season illness, competed unattached and ran an impressive 25:56.80 to finish eighth. UNK was also without freshman Nick Kizzire due to a minor injury. Had these two runners been able to score, the Lopers would’ve challenged Augustana (89) for second place.
Also today, former Loper cross country standouts Michelle (Dill) May and Ivan Ivanov competed. May was runner up on the women's side (22:32.00) with Ivanov - a 2008 UNK Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee -- running a 26:32.80 to come in 21st place.
UNK is off next week in preparation for the RMAC Championships October 25th in Colorado.
Other Women’s Finishers
19. Shiloh Villar (24:13.70)
49. Claire Aylward (25:55.40)
50. Jamie Rudder (25:58.00)
56. Mackenzie Schulz (26:19.30)
60. Abby Richter (26:40.10)
74. Jenna Smith (29:49.20)
77. Brittany Clark (30:57)
Other Men’s Finishers
25. Thomas Neemann (26:39.30)
47. Zac Groenke (28:01.90)
48. Rylan Little (28:05.20)
50. Ricky Trevino (28:09.20) - unattached
57. Brandon Wissing (28:44.90)
63. Chris Hennessy (29:11.60)
69. Chris Miller (29:42.60)
70. Hunter Arterburn (29:45.10)
72. Scott Pueppka (30:05.20)
73. Travis Kirchner (30:06.10)
76. Tyler Hanson (30:14.80)
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Contact:
Peter Yazvac
yazvacpa@unk.edu |