NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University cross country teams had another banner afternoon on the course, competing at the Goldey-Beacom Fall Classic on the Wildcats home course at Carousel Park on late Friday afternoon.
Even without two of their top two runners, the Wildcat men's squad won their third straight team title, taking the field of 12 by 40 points. The Wildcats scored a low 39 points, followed by NCAA Division III Hood College with 79.
The Lady Wildcats had their best overall performance of the 2012 season, placing third on the podium with 80 points, trailing Hood (49) and University of the Sciences (50) in the top three.
Sophomore standout Althea Davidson again paced the Lady Wildcats, cruising to her third medalist honors of the 2012 season, beating her teammate Jeanette Halliburton and the field by 1:02. The four time Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women's Runner of the Week, Davidson averaged a 6:12 mile pace while hardly challenged on the course.
Halliburton finished in second overall, coming in with a time of 20:16, outrunning USciences Brianna Ligotski down the final stretch and to the finish line. Junior Whitney Hora had her best finish of the season, giving the women 11 points with a time of 21:57. Freshman Morgan Ferrick placed 20th for the scoring, finishing the 5k course in 23:06. Rounding out the Wildcat scoring was senior captain Kristy McCrea with 46 points and a time of 26:16.
Running without top runners Bill Steele and Matt Mossman, the men's squad still came out on top, putting three runners in the top five overall and had all five of their scorers in the top 15. The Wildcats were led by Mike O'Brian in second overall, running the 8k course in 28:46. Richie Mitten trailed O'Brian by 11 seconds, finishing with three points. Freshman Jesus Amezquita was the third Wildcat to cross and the fifth overall in 29:10.
Rounding out the Wildcat scoring were freshmen Carl Richardson with a time of 31:08, good enough for 14 points and Quinn Marvel in 15th overall and a time of 31:10.
Mike Wright and Vinnie Trotta were the displaced runners for the Wildcats, finishing 19th and 20th in the scoring, coming in six seconds apart on the course. Wright finished in 31:51 while Trotta crossed the line in 31:57.
The cross country teams have an open date next weekend as they prepare to rest and heal for the CACC Championship meet on October 21. The conference championship will be decided on the Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. The women will take off in the 5k event at 10:30 a.m. while the men's gun goes off at 11:15 for the 8k event.
AGATE:
Goldey-Beacom Fall Classic Team Scores:
Men's 8k:
1. Wilmington – 39; 2. Hood – 79; 3. Goldey-Beacom – 118; 4. Immaculata – 133; 5. USciences – 158; 6. Penn State-Harrisburg – 173; 7. Camden County College – 214; 8. Holy Family – 219; 9. Cabrini – 220; 10. Cumberland County College – 227; 11. Harford C.C. – 257; 12. Williamson Trade School - 276
Women's 5 k:
1. Hood – 49; 2. USciences – 50; 3. Wilmington – 80; 4. Holy Family – 99; 5. Caldwell – 155; 6. Lancaster Bible – 172; 7. Goldey-Beacom – 179; 8. Bloomfield – 192; 9. Immaculata – 215; 10. Cabrini – 246; 11. Penn State-Harrisburg – 247; 12. Cumberland County College - 343
No team scores for Camden County College, CCBC Essex, Delaware Tech or Harford C.C.