CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS OPEN SEASON WITH 3RD ANNUAL FENS CLASSIC
Sept. 3, 2011
BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams opened the 2011 season by hosting the 3rd Annual Fens Classic. The meet featured teams from four different colleges and universities, with the course winding through trails along the Muddy River, through the Fens and ending with a lap of the track circling Roberto Clemente Field. Wellesley College tore through the women's 2-mile course, placing seven runners in the top ten, en route to a team win. Roger Williams University took the men's 5k, placing six runners in the top ten.
In the women's race, Wellesley was paced by senior Leah Clement (East Lyme, Conn.), who cruised to a first place finish, smashing the course record with a time of 11:59.50. The previous course record of 13:13.06, held by Emerson College's Heather Hoglund, was set in 2010. Finishing just behind Clement were Wellesley's Vanessa Wilkins (Bellefontaine, Ohio), Skye Roberts (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Ada Smith (Stoughton, Wis.). Scoring fifth for the Blue was rookie Ali Dunn (Montpelier, Vt.), who placed 6th overall and helped Wellesley to a team-low 16 total points.
Roger Williams sophomore Kristen St. Pierre (Dracut, Mass.) led the Hawks and ran 5th overall with a time of 12:29.50. Katie O'Koren Franklin, Mass.), Jamie Wandzilak Wantagh, N.Y.) and Jane Depgen (Orange, Conn.) crossed the line 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively for the Hawks, who finished with 51 total points, placing 2nd as a team.
Emmanuel was led by rookie Ameena Dye (Syracuse, N.Y.), who ran her 2-mile collegiate debut in 12:40.40, capturing 9th place overall. Dye's time was a program-record for the two-mile distance. Junior captain Joslyn DelSignore (Taunton, Mass.) cut 7 seconds off her time from last year to finish 19th overall. Sophomore transfer Molly Metivier (Keene, N.H.), sophomore Danielle Martin (York, Me.) and freshman Hailey Loonan (Sandwich, Mass.) rounded out the top five Emmanuel scorers, with times of 13:52.00, 13:52.40 and 14:02.80, respectively. The Saints finished with 79 points to take 3rd place as a team.
Wheelock College's top runner was freshman Danielle Gaudette (Nashua, N.H.), who ran the course in 15:00.07. She was followed by junior Liz Connolly (Belchertwon, Mass.) in 16:57.02. The Wildcats ran just four runners and thus did not score as a team.
The men's 5k featured a last minute course adjustment due to bridge construction and caused several runners to take the wrong route. Both groups ended up running approximately the same distance, with the correct men's course at 4.952 km and the distance for the wrong course at 4.749 km, a difference of just 203 meters.
Roger Williams' freshman Jack Dunleavy (Orange, N.J.) cruised in at 15:26.00 to take 1st place individually. He was followed by teammates John Ferguson (Bethel, Conn.) and Kevin Terbush (Burnt Hill, N.Y.) with times of 15:36.20 and 15:38.30, respectively. Freshman Sean Doyle (Guilderland, N.Y.) and junior captain Steve Carnevale (Easton, Mass.) ran fourth and fifth for the Hawks, helping the squad to a team win with 19 total points.
The University of Massachusetts - Boston men's squad put on a fine showing with two runners in the top five. The Beacons were led by John Kerin (15:45.50) and Xhulio Uruci (15:50.90). Travis Delaney finished 14th overall with a time of 16:54.80 and helped the Beacons to 58 total points and a 2nd place team finish.
Emmanuel ran without several of its top performers, including Abdi Ibrahim (East Boston, Mass.) and team captains Stephen Armstrong (Revere, Mass.) and Wes Cowles (Hebron, Conn.). The Saints were paced by freshman Christopher Connelly (Quincy, Mass.), who ran the 5k in 16:17.80 and placed 9th overall. Sophomore Michael Morris (Stoughton, Mass.) finished in 16:41.20, cutting almost a minute off his 2010 time. Senior Maurizio Turco (Revere, Mass.) ran 3rd for the Saints and 16th overall with a time of 17:47.70. Sophomores Jeremy Thompson (Framingham, Mass.) and Nathan Bruno (Lenox, Mass.) scored 4th and 5th for the Saints, who finished with 62 total points.
The Emmanuel Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams will return to action next Saturday, September 10th. The Saints will travel to Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island, where they will compete in the Roger Williams University Invitational. The women's meet is slated to begin at 11am and the men's meet will begin at noon.