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Cross Country Battles Injuries To Be Competitive

Yeorunners Host Their First NCAC Championships Championship

by Aaron Mucciolo

On a day that seemed colder than its 50 degrees, all the North Coast Athletic Conference came calling at Carlisle Reservation Saturday when Oberlin hosted the conference cross country championships.

Shaking off injuries that had plagued both the men's and women's squads all season, Oberlin ran their hearts out in a race observers and participants alike called fast and competitive.

The Yeowomen placed sixth out of nine teams. "It's pretty heinous the way the placing worked out," senior co-captain Jenni Huelsman said. "It really could have been anyone's race." Only four points separated Oberlin from fourth-place Wooster with Earlham sandwiched in between. "That is nearly unheard of in cross country," Huelsman said.

Sophomore Lori Tuchfeld was the top Oberlin women's racer, placing fifth in a field of 94 runners and earning first-team all-conference honors. Senior co-captain Beth Spalding took home an all-conference honorable mention after placing 19th.

"Beth busted it out, as she usually seems to in the big race," sophomore Laura Feeney said.

Notable performances from Oberlin's women included Huelsman (27), sophomore Kyle McKenzie (35), first-year Julia Goeke (36) and junior Jen Noel (48).

The Yeomen tied with Wabash for fifth out of ten teams. Senior co-captain David Bevacqua took tenth in the five mile race, and was the lone all-conference honoree. First-year Adam Greeney finished 22nd, one spot away from an honorable mention.

Greeney was far from disappointed with his finish. "[Before the race] I was pretty nervousŠ unsure of myself," he said. "My fears were basically unfounded."

Several Yeorunners netted personal bests, including Greeney who shaved 30 seconds off his previous times. "I think we were pleased we were all able to run so quickly on our home turf," Greeney said.

Other Oberlin runners in the top half of the 94 runners were senior Erik Ludlow-Mallea (34), junior Hans Petersen (40) and senior Daniel Schwartz.

Junior Brody Wilson received some of the loudest cheers as he sprinted past a Wittenberg racer at the finish line to inch up in the standings by four-tenths of a second.

The weather, chilly as it was, did not play a major part in the race. "This is perfect weather," women's coach Roger Laushman commented before the meet. The cold weather gets the runners moving, he said, but "it's not cold enough so they have to wear too many clothes."

Senior co-captain John Rogers did not race as he was still recovering from a stress fracture on a vertebra. First-year Alex Scally had been out since October with a stress-fractured leg.

Feeney, sidelined over a month ago with a broken foot, made a speedy recovery and joined her teammates on the course. Finishing 61st, she was just happy to be back.

"I've had better [races]," she laughed. "I'm glad that I got to run because I love running. But as a competitive race I wasn't too happy with it."

She was pleased with her teammates' performances, saying, "The team as a whole did really great."

Both squads now turn their focus to the Great Lakes Regional Championship on Nov. 11. High-mileage workouts continued this week as the runners tried to avoid a post-championship slump.

"I am going to destroy people at regionals," senior Erik Ludlow-Mallea said. "We have our sights set on Wabash and Denison." Denison placed just ahead of Oberlin at the conference championship.

The women are likewise gunning at some NCAC rivals. Feeney and Huelsman both are looking for Oberlin to finish several places higher among the NCAC teams at the meet.

Regardless of eventual finish, there are few regrets about this season. "We've had a pretty good season overall," Feeney said, "and this'll be a nice wrap-up.

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Copyright © 2000, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 129, Number 7, November 3, 2000

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