WEBER STATE TAKES BIG SKY CROSS COUNTRY TITLES; HORNETS HAVE TWO TOP-10 FINISHERS
SACRAMENTO, Calif. --- Weber State ended the dominance of Northern Arizona by winning both the men’s and women’s Big Sky Cross Country Championships, Saturday afternoon at Granite Regional Park.
Sacramento State placed fifth in the men’s race and seventh in the women’s. The Hornets’ men’s finish was the best since the 1996 placed fourth in the school’s first-ever Big Sky Championship. The women’s team enjoyed its highest finish since a sixth-place showing in 2001.
The Wildcats scored 32 points in the men’s race while Northern Arizona finished with 50. NAU had won the last three Big Sky titles. Weber State tallied 39 points in the women’s race to easily better Montana (82) and Northern Arizona (86). The Wildcats became the first team other than NAU to win the women’s title since 2000.
Individually, Lopez Lomong of Northern Arizona broke away from the field to claim first place in the men’s race. Lomong ran the 8K course in 23:28 and finished 12 seconds ahead of Weber State’s Seth Pilkington who was second. NAU and Weber State accounted for seven of the top 10 finishers in the men’s race.
Sacramento State was led by junior Dominic Vogl who was 10th in 24:51. Vogl became just the third Hornet to place in the top 10 of the Big Sky men’s race and the first since 1997. His overall time was best in school history at the league championship, bettering Eric Mencarini who rank 25:00 in 1999.
Northern Arizona took the top two spots in the women’s race. Nicole Gueldemeister, who finished second last season, ran 17:14.6 to easily win the race. Katja Rosenplaenter was second in 17:30.5.
While NAU claimed the top two spots, it was the balance of Weber State which gave the Wildcats the title. Sariah Long, Heide Bouwhuis, Morgan Haws, Jamie Stubbs and Cassie Ricks accounted for the five scorers for WSU finishing in third, sixth, ninth, 10th and 11th, respectively.
Kristina Holtz paced Sacramento State by running 17:56.2 to finish seventh. Holtz’s time and placement were the third best in school history at the Big Sky meet. She also became just the third Hornet to place in the top 10 and the first since Melissa Madeson in 2000.
Vogl and Holtz also became the first Sacramento State cross country runners to place in the top 10 in the same year since Jason Tackett (seventh) and Marisa Avendano (sixth) in 1996.
WOMEN''S SCORES
1. Weber State - 39
2. Montana - 81
3. Northern Arizona - 84
4. Montana State - 104
5. Idaho State - 128
6. Eastern Washington - 133
7. Sacramento State - 160
8. Portland State - 184
9. Northern Colorado - 249
MEN''S SCORES
1. Weber State - 32
2. Northern Arizona - 49
3. Montana State - 89
4. Montana - 126
5. Sacramento State - 131
6. Idaho State - 162
7. Eastern Washington - 169
8. Northern Colorado - 206
9. Portland State - 251
TOP 10 WOMEN''S FINISHERS
1. Nicole Gueldemeister, NAU, 17:14.6
2. Katja Rosenplaenter, NAU, 17:30.5
3. Sariah Long, WSU, 17:39.9
4. Allie Brosh, UM, 17:47.1
5. Elisabeth Driscoll, MSU, 17:53.7
6. Heidi Bouwhuis, WSU, 17:54.7
7. Kristina Holtz, SAC, 17.56.2
8. Sarah Skeem, ISU, 18:01.2
9. Morgan Haws, WSU, 18:06.6
10. Jamie Stubbs, WSU, 18:06.6
TOP 10 MEN''S FINISHERS
1. Lopez Lomong, NAU, 23:28
2. Seth Pilkington, WSU, 23:40
3. Morten Bostrom, NAU, 24:06
4. Bret Ferrier, WSU, 24:10
5. Jon Cardenas, NAU, 24:13
6. Bryant Jensen, WSU, 24:44
7. Paul Limph, EWU, 24:46
8. Curtis Suver, EWU, 24:47
9. David Olson, WSU, 24:48
10. Jamie Stubbs, WSU, 18:06
