By Abby Condon, Staff Writer
Susquehanna was widely represented with 12 members of the men’s and women’s cross country teams at the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Mideast Regional hosted by Muhlenberg College at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. on Nov. 16.
Six Susquehanna female runners took off in a field of 349 finishers and 49 teams to place 16th overall, with John Hopkins University being the top team finisher and Dickinson College placing second.
Placing 19th for the River Hawks was junior Marissa Kleman with a time of 22:24.70, a personal best making her the 5th fastest in school history for Susquehanna’s 6k and earning All-Region Honors.
Before the race, Susquehanna freshman Kallan Carter said, “I know the course by heart because we ran it earlier this season, and I ran it in high school, so knowing how to face the race will help. My strategy for this weekend is to go out there and get it because it’s our last race of the season.”
Carter finished second for the River Hawks with a 22:54.50, a personal best, and placed 43rd overall.
Senior stand out Erin Reese capped off her storied career with a time of 23.20.60 placing 73rd overall and etching her name in school history with some of the fastest times in the 4k, 5k and 6k distances this year.
Senior Emily Eck completed her final race for Susquehanna with a personal best time of 24:32.80 which was good enough for 149th place.
Senior Alexa Pietrini also had a career personal best posting a time of 24:41.50 for 161st place. River Hawk senior Katie Mayer finished her long career running the 6k in a time of 25:52.50 and her highest placing ever in a regional meet for 206th.
“We are expecting everyone to drop some major PRs at regionals. The course we are racing is quick and we are hoping everyone can run some fast times and end the season on a strong note,” Mayer said before the race.
The six River Hawk men runners competed in a field of 360 finishers on the 8k course to finish 29th overall out of 51 teams. The winning time for the 8k was 24:24.40 set by Patrick Watson of Stevenson College, and the overall team winner was Carnegie Mellon University.
First to the tape was Susquehanna sophomore Jack Warehime, who crossed the finish line in a blistering time of 26:42.10 placing 87th.
The next finisher for the River Hawks was freshman Shane Urban with a personal best time of 27:30.90 for 150th place.
Before the race, Urban said: “My expectations for NCAAs is purely to have the best race of my season. I plan on taking off harder than I usually would and just ride the pain train.”
Sophomore John Sabella set his own personal best time of 27:46.20 finishing 165th for the River Hawks. Junior Jake Menchey finished right behind him for 180th place with a time of 28:01.51.
Two Susquehanna seniors, Brandon Sorge and Robert Masters gave impressive efforts for their last collegiate competition. Sorge placed 207th overall and fifth for the River Hawks with a time of 28:30.80. Masters placed 298th overall with a time of 31:36.2 finishing sixth for Susquehanna.