TABOR COLLEGE: Harriers end season
Lady Bluejays finish 10th at regionals
The 2002 cross country season came to an end Nov. 9 for both Bluejay teams at the Region VI Championship at Lincoln, Nebraska.
With 24 colleges in the women's race, the Lady Bluejays finished 10th with 269 points.
Concordia University easily captured both the women's and men's regional titles with 39 and 53 points, respectively.
The main goal for the Bluejay men's team next season will be getting enough runners to earn points.
Due to that problem, the men have yet to receive a team score this season.
"With 24 colleges entered in the women's race, a 10th place finish is really positive for our program," Bluejay coach Karol Hunt said. "We ran well and the meet was a good finish for an outstanding season.
"The competition and the course are the toughest of the season. Because of the hilly course, this is not a meet where we set personal records or season best times."
Individually, the Lady Bluejays were paced by Angie Jost and Karen Patton.
Jost finished 32nd out of 121 runners, the second highest runner to finish for the KCAC schools. Her time of 20:44 trimmed 47 seconds of her 2001 regional time.
Appearing in her final race of an outstanding career, Patton took 43rd in 21:17, the fourth best finish posted by KCAC competitors.
Emily Aldis, Tia Akers, Erin Voth and Esther Richert all managed to finish in the top 100 with Sarah Frick coming in 104th.
Aldis finished 73rd (22:21,) Akers 94th (23:32,) Voth at 23:54 for 99th, and Richert 100th in 23:59.
Frick rounded out the top 104 in 24:15.
Kevin Nickel also closed out a strong career with a 45th place finish and 10th in the KCAC at 28:13.
Out of the 148 finishers in the men's division, the Bluejay runners finished within the top 142.
Ryan Sperling took 103rd in 30:26, Matt Lynam was 137th (32:28,) and Will Higerd came in 142nd in 33:37.
"Karen and Kevin have had outstanding careers over the last four years," Hunt said of her two senior competitors. "Their places will be hard to fill next year.
"They also provided quality leadership for the team this year. It's been rare to have senior leadership for both the men's and women's teams at the same time."
Women's regional results
32. Jost, 20:44. 43. Patton, 21:17. 73. Aldis, 22:21. 94. Akers, 23:32. 99. Voth, 23:54. 100. Richert, 23:59. 104. Frick, 24:15.
Men's
45. Nickel, 28:13. 103. Sperling, 30:26. 137. Lynam, 32:28. 142. Higerd, 33:37.
