While resting its top six runners, the men’s cross-country team sent one of the strongest JV squads in school history to the ECAC championships this weekend in New London. On the flattest course they have seen all season, nestled on the Long Island Sound, all seven runners logged fast times as the team placed seventh overall.
Despite the fast and flat course, the team relaxed during the first mile, packing it up as the course wound around the shoreline. Through the later stages of the race the pack began to move up as sophomores Sean Watson and Nik Gavelis flew through the last mile and unleashed blistering kicks to finish in 31st (26:38) and 32nd (26:40) respectively. Ed Kenney ’07 was the third finisher for the Cardinals in 48th place, stopping the clock at 26:57. Kenney was closely followed by Nate Huddell ’07 in 50th place with a time of 26:59, while Alex Battaglino ’07 closed out the scoring for the Cardinals with a time 27:18, good for 71st place.
Nick Holowka ’07 and Jonah Blumstein ’09 also closed out their seasons finishing in 82nd (27:32) and 97th (27:46) respectively.
The warm temperatures and flat course allowed five of the seven runners to set personal best times for the season over the five-mile distance. Watson will also join the varsity team as its seventh man, making his second straight regionals appearance.
The women’s team also rested its varsity squad this weekend but sent Liz Wheatley ’09 out to represent the Cards. Wheatley ran a strong race finishing in 25:25, good for 97th place over the 6k distance.
At the regional meet on Saturday, the women will field a very strong team led by All-American junior Ellen Davis. Davis has plenty of experience at Nationals and will certainly be in the hunt for the individual title. Senior captain and 10,000 meter school record holder Erin Smith follows Davis. Meanwhile, Lucia Pier ’08, in her first season of cross-country, is looking to make a huge impact at the Regional meet, while fellow sophomore Delia Springstubb looks to make her second trip to Nationals in two years. Anna Schindler ’09 is likely to be the pivotal fifth scorer for the team, while the top seven also include co-captain Cara Chebuske ’06 and Megan Kretz ’07, who has made huge improvements over the course of the season.
Last year the team finished fifth, earning a trip to Nationals as a team. This year the team is ranked sixth in New England and will need to pick up one spot to return.
The men field the strongest squad of the past decade, led by the tandem of co-captains Owen Kiely ’06 and All-American grad student Wes Fuhrman. At the conference meet, Kiely placed second behind arguably the best runner in the country, Neal Holtschulte of Williams. An accomplished steeplechaser on the track, Kiely hopes to head to Nationals in cross-country for the first time in his collegiate career. Fuhrman provides the leadership and experience for the squad as he placed 18th at Nationals last year and looks to improve upon that finish.
All-NESCAC performer Jon King ’07 also bolsters the Cardinals. King is arguably the best number-three man in the region who consistently races well and relaxed under pressure. Juniors Mike Brady and Anda Greeney will also make the trip to Regionals on Saturday. After a strong freshman cross-country season, Brady was plagued with injuries and is now finally starting to return to form. Greeney, solely a cross-country runner, will also look to provide the pivotal points to earn a trip to Nationals.
The top-7 also includes mid-distance stars Matt Shea ’08 and Watson. Shea, in his first full season of cross-country, has made huge improvements and is peaking at exactly the right time.
Both teams will take to Veterans Golf Course in Springfield, Massachusetts with the women’s race at 11 a.m. followed by the men’s race at noon.
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