Lauren Martin
The Paw Print
Adams State women’s cross country team won the Central Region Cross Country championship on Saturday November 20.
This win brought Adams State back into the top of the rankings in the USATFCCCA poll. The 6,000-meter race contested at Wayne State University in Wayne, Nebraska showcased the Grizzly women as they defeated archrival Western State by 3 points, winning with a score of 45 to 48 points.
Leading the ASC women’s effort was Kristen McGlynn, a senior from Bailey, Colo. McGlynn sat back staying in close contact with the lead runners and making her move in the last segment of the race. She surged ahead and held off Alexis Skarda from Mesa State College and Morgan Place from Minnesota-Duluth for the individual title. McGlynn avenged her loss to Skarda from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Championships held two weeks earlier in Las Vegas, New Mexico. McGlynn ran the 6K course in 20:53, beating Skarda by eight seconds to claim the victory.
Returning to the ASC line up was sophomore Alicia Nelson of Craig, Colo. Nelson, who has been nursing an injury for several weeks, returned to the team with a strong place amongst the team and eighth place overall finish in 21:44.
The race was determined by the efforts of the next three Grizzlies who completed the race as a tight pack. Cassie Mitchell, senior from Tustin, Cali., ran the course in 21:53, Ashley Quintana, senior from Pecos, N.M., finished in a time of 21:56 and completing the top five finishers for the Grizzlies was Addison Lemaster, senior from Tulia, Texas who ran a time of 21:56. The Grizzlies placed all five women ahead of Western’s fourth place team finisher to secure the team title.
Rounding out the team for the Grizzlies was Kelly Lamb, freshman from Creede, Colo. who place 6 for the team and 23 overall with at time of 22:32 and Sarah Lange, sophomore from Brattleboro, Vt. took 39 in 23:19.
“Kristen ran a tactical smart race today. By following her race plan she was able to make her move at the right moment and secure the individual title. It was great to have one of our women return to the podium as the Individual regional champion. We had not accomplished the individual title since 2007,” said ASC Coach Damin Martin.
Martin also reflected on the other ASC team members, “It is great to have Alicia back out there running. She has worked hard to be ready for the championship events; I know she will do well as we head into Nationals. I couldn’t be prouder of Cassie, Ashley and Addison; they came through in a big way for the team today. These three girls give a tremendous effort each day, working for their personal goals, but showing the rest of the team what it means to sacrifice for the team title.”
The Grizzlies head to the National Championship to be contested on December 4, in Louisville, Ky.
“These women have trained hard, and they are ready for the national championships. I am confident we will give our best effort of the season. Our team will proudly represent our college at the national meet,” said Coach Martin.
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