Newberg Graphic Online

Cross country teams place ninth, 11th at L&C meet

Collegiate cross country — GFU women’s team competes for first time since 2007 season

• Published: 9/18/2009 3:13:21 PM

ESTACADA — George Fox’s mens and womens cross country teams opened their seasons Sept. 12 at a Lewis and Clark College meet.
   The Bruins’ men, led by senior Cam Eberhart’s 13th-place finish, was ninth out of 12 teams in the Lewis and Clark College Invitational in McIver State Park.
   The Bruins scored 220 points, just behind Corban College’s 216. Western Oregon University collected 51 points to win the event, well ahead of runner-up Linfield College’s 71.
   Eberhart posted a time of 26:24.10. Bradley Higgins ran to a 28:10:50 (55th), Allen Cassel earned a 28:43:30 (68th), Chad Sutfin has a 28:44.90 (69th) and Austin Morrell notched a 29:00.40 time, good for 74th. Also running for the Bruins were Mike Calavan with a 29:53.50 (89th) and Ryan Erickson with a 32:22.30 (107th).
   Several ex-George Fox athletes ran as the Bruin Track Club, with Grant Finney posting the best time of the group and placing 12th overall with a time of 26:23.50.

Women’s team resurrected
   GFU women’s cross country team competed for the first time since 2007, placing 11th out of 11 teams at the Lewis and Clark College Invitational.
   Under first-year assistant coach Jeff Larson, the Bruins began a rebuilding program in 2008 with four runners, one short of the five necessary for posting team scores. This year, the Bruins have nine athletes competing.
   The Bruins’ top runner was senior Bethany Strutz with a time of 26:27.00, good for 66th place overall. She was followed in the counting scores by Melissa Kristovich with a 27:45.50 (85th), Emily Batdorf with a 27:57.60 (90th), Olivia Clark with a 28:32.00 (93rd) and Monica Hartzell with a 29:29.80 (100th). Also running for the Bruins was Kelsey Vanden Hoek, who ran a 29:30.20 (101st).
   Five former Bruin runners competed as the Bruin Track Club, with the best score posted by current graduate assistant coach Mary VanSteenberghe, who was 52nd in the meet with a time of 25:54.70.

  (log in to rate)