Cross Country Champs ahead

Over the past three weeks, Oberlin cross country runners competed in the All-Ohio meet, their largest cross country meet of their season and then their smallest, at the College of Wooster in their second non-scoring dual meet with them.

Thirty seven teams provided 259 runners for the meet. Out of 18 Division III teams at the All-Ohio meet at Ohio Wesleyan University the men placed 13th while the women placed ninth out of 17 teams.

Co-captain senior Max Rankenberg was the top Yeoman runner, placing 44th and clocking in with a time of 28:08. First-year David Bevacqua finished with a time of 28:29 to take 53rd. Eight seconds later first-year John Rogers crossed the line for 57th place.

After the race Rogers collapsed and peed all over himself and others, causing a lady to say, "Hey don't piss on me."

Because of the anonymity of this race, Rogers consciously decided to go all out in the first mile, and finish with nothing left. While most of the other runner went by the nearby trees to eliminate their urine, Rogers decided consciously that the need to empty his bladder wouldn't be a problem during the race and he was right. "[This race strategy] was a conscious decision to go out and murder myself and I did," he said.

After Rogers, sophomore Colin Fishwick crossed the line in 67th place with a time of 28:57.

For the women, first-year Jenni Huelsman, the top runner for the Yeowomen crossed the finish line in 17th place with a time 19:48. Running mate senior Trista Thornberry sprained her ankle during the last phase of the race on a tight turn during the sprint to the finish according to Coach Tom Mulligan and first-year Ket Ashfield.

Sophomore Lisa Mickley placed 40th, clocking in with a time of 20:25 and first-year Beth Spalding placed 47th, finishing six seconds after Mickley. Sophomore Rebecca Grossman crossed the finish line in 20:42 to earn 56th place. Seven seconds later, junior China Weber finished in 62nd place and seven seconds after that, co-captain junior Rachel Sims clocked in at 67th place.

In the open division race results (for runners not among the top seven of their team), co-captain junior Katy Jones finished in 20:57, first-year Ket Ashfield crossed the line in 21:30 and first-year Jessica Kennedy finished in 23:43.

Mulligan said, "The race was not a true indication of where we are. We think we are stronger than that."

On Oct. 21 against Wooster, both teams used pack running to their advantage. The women's top seven runners let only four Wooster runners get between them.

Thornberry was the top Yeowomen finisher in fourth place, recovering quickly from her sprained ankle she finished the 3.1 mile race in 20:27. First-year Jenni Huelsman followed in fifth, seven seconds later.

After three Wooster runners finished, the pack of Mickley, Spalding, Grossman and Weber crossed the finish line. They finished 9th through 12th respectively. Mickley finished with a time of 21:06, while Weber came in ten seconds later.

Sims was one Wooster runner and 22 seconds removed from the pack. She finished 14th in a time of 21:38.

In all probability, it is this group of runners that is going to decide the Yeowomen's outcome at the Conference championships. The top five runners score for the team and the next two displace runners from other teams, pushing runners that finish behind them further down the placing and scoring ladder.

Later Ashfield and Jones finished one second apart. Ashfield crossed the line at the mark of 22:38. The running pair finished 19th and 20th after running together for almost the entire race and Ashfield thought it had been a tie.

For the men, senior Harsha Thirumurthy finished second in his first full race this season. He clocked in with a time of 20:39 in the four-mile course.

Last year's Conference Championship runner-up, Thirumurthy has spent most of the season recovering from an ankle/knee injury running with the team for only the past month, and spending the early part of the season training in the pool.

"It sucks going into the pool with one or two people, while you know that outside, everyone is enjoying the running," Bevacqua said. "Harsha deserves a medal for running around in the pool. He's been in there since the preseason. "

Following Thirumurthy, the trio of Rankenberg, Rogers and Bevacqua finished fourth, fifth and sixth respec 21:07, Rogers two seconds later, and Bevacqua five seconds after Rogers.

Sophomore Colin Fishwick took 12th with a time of 21:59.

Mulligan said, "Colin is the kind of guy that runs better the longer the race is run. He has been a real dedicated runner. I have all the confidence in the world in Colin Fishwick come Conference Championships."

First-year Kristian Whitsett crossed the line in 14th place with a time of 22:43. Seniors James Quinn and Noah Kraut crossed the line within two seconds of each other, finishing 18th and 19th out of 21 runners. Quinn timed in at 23:22.

In addition to running on a beautiful course at Wooster, the team was treated to Wooster's acclaimed marching band, who treated them to the Star Wars' theme and Salsa.

The teams have been focusing their bodies for the race, mentally and physically according to Weberbeen by practicing more intensely over shorter distances.

Both the Yeomen and Yeowomen will rely on their ability to run as a pack. In years past the team has relied on one or two superstar runners to carry the team, but with last year's top runners graduated, ineligible or lacking a full season of training because of injury, this year's teams have no superstar runners who will strive to be the conference champion.

By running in a pack, the teams strength their chances of displacing other runners, pushing themselves more and intimidating their opponents. The teams don't plan before races how they are going to run, each individual goes out trying to do his best.

"It just happens, it's good, if it doesn't then...," Weber said.

This leaves one night, tonight, before the Yeowomen and Yeomen attack the course at Earlham College, in hopes of bringing home a top-five finish at the Conference Championship meet on Saturday. With a top-five finish, the men and/or women would qualify for the Regional Championships.

The team's goals for the entire season rest on how they perform on Saturday. " The only thing that separating you from your best performance is pain," Bevacqua said. "There is not a lot of luck involved. Just whatever you are capable of putting out that day."