Cross country teams give all at MAC championships

by Paul Shugar
THE POST

The Ohio cross country teams went into the Mid-American Conference Championship on Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich. looking to wipe away their pasts and a few opponents while they were at it.

Both teams suffered a bit from growing pains as the women finished sixth of 13 teams, and the men placed 11th of 12 teams.

The women got boxed in on the first turn and had to spend the rest of the race playing catch up, coach Elmore Banton said.

"We didn't get out at all," he said. "We were so far behind because we got pinched out early on in the first left turn, and we probably ran the best (final) two miles of anyone there."

Central Michigan pulled out an unexpected victory with a score of 78 points. The Chippewas edged Ball State by one point and beat favorite Toledo, who dropped to fourth place. Ohio was 63 points behind Central Michigan with a score of 141.

"It is funny because I told Melissa Converse at breakfast that Central Michigan had a good chance at winning," Banton said. "The more I looked at them I just said wow, 'They are solid, no superstars, but solid.'"

Despite the bad start the Bobcats packed their runners within 37 seconds of each other. Every runner had a personal best time except Jacki Waller, Banton said.

Waller was the top finisher for Ohio in 16th place with a time of 18 minutes and 12 seconds. She was only four places from making the All-MAC team, but she said the poor start hurt her chances.

"It was just a really bad start," Waller said. "The whole team was in the last 20 percent, and I was behind all of OU's six runners, and I got really boxed in. I had to work my way back up through the group, and I tried my hardest, but I'm still disappointed."

Mary Reynolds, Katie Fiala, Lindsay Nemastil and Lindsey Jochum made up the rest of the top five for the Bobcats.

Waller said she was happy with the underclassmen's reaction to the big meet.

"They had a lot of composure during the race," she said. "They knew I didn't get out well since I didn't pass (Reynolds) until the last mile, and they really just kept their composure very well."

Mickey Martin finished 41st to lead the men across the finish line with a time of 26:04.

Brandon Grinwis, Jesse Yun, Geoff Dew, and Steve Krajenski rounded out the top five runners to give Ohio a score of 266. Their score was 228 points behind Eastern Michigan, who won the race easily with a score of 38 points.

"Eastern Michigan had to fall down and break all their legs for them to lose," Banton said. "There were really no surprises at all on the men's side of the race."

Banton said he told his team they should go out and put everything on the line. Grinwis said the team definitely did just that.

"Not everyone ran their best race, but we ran one of the best races of the year as a team, and we're happy with that," Grinwis said.

Grinwis said the men started well, but the group comprised of Dew, Krajenski and Grinwis broke apart later in the race.

"The last mile was into a strong headwind, and it took a toll on you," he said.

Banton said this was going to be the last race for the men, but the women would be going to the NCAA District Championships.

Grinwis said he was happy with the men's season in general.

"It has been a rough and frustrating season," Grinwis said. "We learned a lot and let's just get ready for track now."

The women are going to hold off track season for two more weeks as they practice for the six-kilometer NCAA District Championships race that starts at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 in Ypsilanti, Mich.

Box for CC

Men

1. Eastern Michigan 38

2. Central Michigan 80

3. Miami 80

4. Western Michigan 112

5. Kent State 143

6. Bowling Green 145

7. Ball State 183

8. Akron 245

9. Marshall 249

10. Buffalo 252

11. Ohio 266

12. Toledo 329

Women

1. Central Michigan 78

2. Ball State 79

3. Eastern Michigan 120

4. Toledo 130

5. Kent State 137

6. Akron 139

7. Ohio 141

8. Western Michigan 154

9. Bowling Green 188

10. Miami 199

11. Buffalo 265

12. Marshall 373

13. Northern Illinois 389