Men's CC takes third again at conference meet

3rd of 11
MIAC Champ. (M), October 31, 2009

St. Thomas placed third in both the men's and women's races at Saturday's MIAC Championships.

The men had 82 points to close behind Hamline (61) and St. Olaf (66). The Pipers put seven runners in the top 30.

For No. 22-ranked UST, sophomore Ben Sathre was third in 25:55, senior Brian Sames was seventh in 26:12, senior Mike Connell was 13th in 26:36, sophomore Tyler Iverson was 16th in 26:50, freshman Brian Farley was 43rd in 27:41, senior Greg Dowe placed 52nd in 28:00 and sophomore Crawford Hubbell took 53rd in 28:00. 

Five other Toms placed in the top 90 in a field of 204 finishers -- freshman Pat Bryant placed 63rd in 28:07; junior Nick Michalak was 68th in 28:11; soph Jim Leschke was 74th in 28:16; freshman Stu Lombardo was 80th in 28:25; and senior George Williams was 88th in 28:37.

Sathre, the lone non-senior in the top five, improved 11 spots from his 2008 conference finish and beat four runners he finsihed behind in the 2008 meet. He avenged two close losses to Macalester senior Wade Ekstrom.

Sames made All-MIAC cross country for the first time as he improved 12 places from 2008. Iverson improved 31 places from 2008 and missed All-MIAC by one place.

St. Thomas will compete in the NCAA regional meet Nov. 14 hosted by Grinnell College in Oakland Acres, Iowa.

Click here for men's and women's results:

http://www.raceberryjam.com/indexcc.html

Mike Ekern photos below