In what was considered a JV event, the men’s and women’s Cross Country teams ran extremely well despite the cold weather at the ECAC Division III Championships at Tufts University on Saturday.
The men tied for eighth out of the 33 teams at what was the final run of the season for many of the runners. Matt Moss ’05 led the Cardinals with a 22nd place finish out of the 236 runners with a time of 28:02 in the 8,000-meter race. Danforth Sullivan ’06 (29th, 28:09), Stephen Morris ’07 (74th, 29:00), Edward Kenney ’07 (80th, 29:07) and Jon Kraus ’04 (91st, 29:20) completed the scoring five for Wesleyan.
“There were moments during the race when I felt like I was outside of it all. I wasn’t racing real competitors as much as shades of everyone who has ever been on a Cross Country course with me. Everything was perfectly still and as much as the race was pulling me through to the finish, and I just wanted it to stay that way forever,” said Kraus after finishing his final Cross Country race as a Cardinal. “Everyone ran with such passion…this speaks nothing to the great fury that Bissell, Brittany, Kate and the rest of the varsity hordes will unleash at Regionals.”
Moss, the top finisher for Wesleyan in a race that will not officially count toward the team’s overall season record, said he looks forward to supporting the rest of the team at the most important race of the season this Saturday.
The women took a 16th place finish out of the 31 teams and were led by Kristin Kyrka, who finished the final race of her college career in 24:38 for a 30th place finish out of the 240 runners in the 6,000-meter course.
“We had a really great race. It was the last race for me [and some others]. Beck Straley ’07 ran an awesome race. It was really exciting way to finish up the season and the guys ran well also. It was a nice way to end the year. We’re looking forward to cheering on the men and women at the Regionals next week,” Kyrka said.
Cara Chebuske ’06 (43rd, 24:54), Anjali Carrasco ’07 (65th, 25:25), Lizzy Hallinan ’04 (133rd, 27:12) and Rebecca Straley ’07 (148th, 27:47) rounded out the scoring five for the Cardinals.
“I think that even though the weather was really cold, we knew it was out last race, and we all did our best,” Chebuske said after the race.
The New England Division III Championship awaits the varsity men and women teams Saturday, Nov. 22 at Bates. Each team hopes to earn a spot at the Nationals.
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