MCC runs well at nationals
Matt Schaeffer
MCC Cross Country Teams headed into Nationals at the right time. “The goal of every season is to peak at Nationals and our runners certainly did that today.” Said Mesa Coach Eamonn Condon.
Mesa runners made the most of their opportunity as eight of the twelve teammates ran personal bests.
Melissa Peters, Carlos Roa and Abdikani Ismail who garnered awards at Regionals for the Thunderbirds took home All-American Citizen Awards
Peters led the Mesa ladies team with a personal best 19 minutes and 8 seconds. “The whole race was a blur,” said Peters.
Julia Wild was the second T-Bird to finish with a time of 20 minutes and 16 seconds.
Florence Ngetich from El Paso CC took home first place in the Women’s race with a time of 17:16.
Natoya Goule from South Plains came in second followed by Violah Lagat of Central Arizona.
The top three teams from the women’s event were Cowley County CC, South Plains and Lansing CC respectively.
The Lady T-Birds finished seventeenth overall taking a step back from last year’s nineteenth
Ismail led the men’s team with a time of 25:54 followed by Roa with a 26:09.
MCC Freshman Vance Johnson finished third for the T-Birds with a career best of 27 minutes and 21 seconds.
Central Arizona’s Henry Lelei took first place for the men’s race with a time of 23:29.
Lelei’s finish was 25 seconds faster than second place finisher Kemoy Campbell of South Plains.
Central Arizona’s Justus David finished in third place.
Cowley County CC was the top men’s team followed by Central Arizona and South Plains.
Mesa’s men took 15th.
