X-country runs out of steam at NCAC finals

For weeks, coach Tom Mulligan has reiterated the same points. If the cross country teams keep making progress, if they can just stay injury-free, and if they work together as a team while running, then he saw nothing but good things for them.

Unfortunately at this past weekend's NCAC championship, all his reiteration couldn't help the Yeorunners. Very stiff competition on the women's side and an injury on the men's had the teams placing sixth and eighth out of nine respectively.

The men's team was struck by a freak injury to top sophomore runner John Rogers during practice the previous week. "[Rogers] had the potential to be a top-ten guy in the conference," said Mulligan, "so his injury hurt our chances of being competitive." Rogers did run however, finishing third on the team and 41st overall.

Sophomore David Bevacqua, who Mulligan said has continued to improve all season, came in 19th and was the top Yeoman at the meet. First-year Hans Petersen followed with a 29th place finish in a field of 89 runners.

"We all ran hard," said Rogers. "It's just a shame the results didn't reflect the work we put into that race and the entire season."

On the women's side, junior Medora Lytle finished 16th to lead the Yeowomen, sophomore Rebecca Grossman was 18th and sophomore Beth Spaulding placed 22nd. Despite the good grouping however, the women could not muster enough points to place any higher.

"They're disappointed, no question," said Mulligan. "Neither team wants to finish the season like this." But no one involved seemed to take the results too harshly. "We don't need numbers or commendation to make us proud," said senior Cindy Lai. "We all performed very well individually and were happy with the race."

Team members have credited their strong sense of unity this season as a key factor in their success. But support from the sidelines never hurts. In attendance at the meet were four alumni who came from as far as Arizona, as well as parents, biology professor Roger Laushman and grounds specialist Pete Hastings. Lai says the last two "are practically part of the team."

Conference powers Wooster and Denison, favorites from the start of the season, tied for first in the women's meet with Kenyon third. Oberlin would finish the day a mere twelve points out of fourth place, in sight of their goal but not within its reach. On the men's side, Denison would again claim victory with Kenyon second and defending champ Alleghany in third.

"Sometimes you get beat. Sometimes other teams run faster... but the men know they're not an eighth place team, and the women know they can run with [fourth place] Earlham," said Mulligan.

The teams look to prove that at the regional meet on Nov. 14th. The meet will feature thirty teams from three states, including seventeen from Ohio. The runners look at Regionals as an opportunity to show that they have not been beaten. "We didn't train throughout the fall to lie down and whimper when we didn't enjoy complete 'success'; we trained to bounce back even harder and more determined," said Rogers. "It's been our history that we come to Regionals in great shape and with great attitude, and that we perform better there than at conference. Look for this year to be no different. [We] expect to leave more than a few conference rivals sprayed with the soggy mud kicked up in our wake."

Lai agrees and said that despite the ups and downs of the season, "...we have come out ahead. We never gave up or thought it wasn't worthwhile."

The season will be made all the more worthwhile with a strong showing at the regional meet. Mulligan expects the Yeorunners to easily place in the top half. "It'll be important for us to go in ready to run, and to run a smart, aggressive race, and make people run to beat us. If we do that, I take my hat off to them."